Canyon Hiking Guide to the Colorado Plateau

For all of those people giving this book one and two stars either you need to come more prepared or the desert is no place for you. I have been on many hikes in this book and his other books and the only time I had a problem is when I forgot a map or tried to find a trailhead in the dark. Yes he gives you enough rope to hang yourself but there is nowhere else you will find this much info on these remote incredible places. If you can't negotiate these canyons maybe you should go on a ranger guided tour at your local national park.

My son and I have personally hiked many of Michael Kelsey's routes as described in this book. Yes, you need to know something about hiking and route finding, Michael does not baby you along the way or remove responsibility from the hiker. But he does not overdramatize the hikes to avoid liability, and he also does not preach to his readers. What he does do extremely well is concisely give you an idea of how to get to some of the most remote, pristine, and special places in the entire world, places innaccessible merely because most people were unaware of their existence. Michael has opened the door to these places. For this I will be forever grateful.

This is the bible of Canyoneering in SE Utah. The simple maps, concise descriptions and knowledgeable tips will get you into as much trouble as you want . . . and that's why we do this, right? The park service has baned Kelsey's books from their bookstores because he "reveals too much," and they claim people "get into trouble" following his guides -- bugger to them! People can be unprepared idiots. If you read the damn book you'll realise that only trained people should be stemming up slot canyons, swimming hypothermic plunge pools and gingerly investigating delicate Anaszi ruins -- not your average hee-haws looking for a good place to swill a 12-Pack of beer. The beer swillers don't want this book, go to Lake Powell instead.

Before Kelsey, all the guide books declared many canyons impassable. In this book, Kelsey has provided the information to hike canyons safely that were unvisited before his book. I've used this book since the First Edition in 1986. It's a classic and still tops. One warning. Kelsey is a stronger hiker than most of us. Add about 50% to his hiking time estimates if you're not under 35 and in good shape.

I have used this book to hike and camp in the Colorado Plateau over the last ten years.Excellent maps and directions, including accurate mile marker information for road turn-offs. Most of the hikes have geological cross-sections, and give interesting facts, from geology to archeology.