Along the Rim: A Guide to Grand Canyon's South Rim, Second Edition

This is must-have when visiting the South Rim of the Grand Canyon as it gives you all the background you need to enjoy the rim from Desert View to Hermits Rest. Often, when people visit a place like the Grand Canyon, the very size and awe-inspiring views can be very overwhelming at first. To help find your way to the small wonders as well as the big, this book will give you the lowdown on all of the overlooks, roads, hotels, and historical buildings along the South Rim. It also gives you the historical background on the roads, overlooks, and trails. When you get to the South Rim, the first thing to do is pickup this book as starting point. I hear they are also working on a version for the North Rim. >>>>>>><<<<<<< <br /> <br />A Guide to my Book Rating System: <br /> <br />1 star = The wood pulp would have been better utilized as toilet paper. <br />2 stars = Don't bother, clean your bathroom instead. <br />3 stars = Wasn't a waste of time, but it was time wasted. <br />4 stars = Good book, but not life altering. <br />5 stars = This book changed my world in at least some small way.

Get this book before you go to the Grand Canyon and you'll make the most of your visit--whether you stay for a few hours, or over a week. With over 44 full color photographs (2 of them panoramic canyon views measuring 17" x 7"), four easy-to-read maps, accompanied by concisely well-written text (just over 50 pages), this beautiful book gives you a scenic viewpoint-to-viewpoint guided tour of the best sights, rim trails, and hikes the Grand Canyon has to offer--plus as a bonus, its soft cover and unique shape (9-1/4" x 7-3/4") make it perfect for rolling up and sticking in a fanny pack. And at just under $5.00, it's the best bargain you'll find in Grand Canyon Village (but don't wait until you get there to buy it--there are very few copies remaining on the shelves!)What I especially appreciated about the book was the logical arrangement of the Table of Contents by viewpoint, beginning from the south as you drive into the main entrance (Grand Canyon Village) and then west to east. Even more valuable is the information preceding each viewpoint description telling the distance to the next viewpoint (in miles and kilometers)--handy statistics that help you decide whether to hoof it to the next viewpoint or wait for the next shuttle bus, as much of the South Rim is closed to passenger car traffic.In addition to the accurate information and beautiful presentation, this book also includes interesting history of the Grand Canyon with colorful descriptions of the pioneers who first explored, mapped, and took political action to preserve this natural wonder. Told with quotes, anecdotal stories, journal entries and black and white photos (from the late 1800's and early 1900's), the author weaves a tale as deep as the Colorado River itself winding through the Grand Canyon walls far below. Here you'll learn the history behind the buildings still standing on the edge of the rim, and the train that still visits daily, as well as be introduced to the geological history and modern day plant life and animal life that call the Grand Canyon their home.