The Complete Guide to Colorado's Wilderness Areas

Each wilderness area includes a high quality, full color picture, one page of background information, a list of applicable topo maps, and several hikes with route details. Whether you're planning a trip or dreaming about getting out, this book is excellent!

This book has become my "bible" for exploring the most beautiful and wild areas in Colorado from my home in Colorado Springs. My original copy of the book was destroyed when it was left in a soft-top jeep with the windows off, during a rain storm (while hiking one of the trails in the book, nonetheless). That is why I am back here to purchase another! One word of warning: the author seems to underestimate, vs. overestimate, the trail distances. Be prepared to hike an extra mile or two! This book is great!

I'm a native Coloradan. No matter what I want to do, be it a quick day hike up to a 4 day backpacking trip, this book has it. I own other hiking books, but this one gets by far the most use. I love the historical descriptions of each wilderness area. The maps are good enough to get your bearings and find the trailhead. Plus each Wilderness Area has a "John Fielder's Favorite" hike which always spectacular.One thing, though. A reviewer below said the maps are inadequate... If you plan on anything more than a day hike, you should have topographical anyway. This is true for most if not all guide books.

As one of the few Colorado Natives, I have seen much of the state. But our local boy John Fielder has seen much more. His ratings, descriptions and maps have been 'right-on' with what I have seen thus far and with the Fielder photography, it provides a great additional perspective on the already detailed descriptions. I 've gotten lost in the book a few times just dreaming of my next outing!

This book continues to satisfy my thirst for touring the Colorado high country albeit from an arm chair in Illinois.What I like about it are the pictures, the brief historical notes about how this or that area became designated as a wilderness area, and, of course, the descriptions of trails--both accessible and out of the way. (In mentioning the pictures, I do not want to give you the impression that this is an album. The pictures are here and there, well chosen to show the character of the area but not page after page as might be done with a "coffee table" book.)The trail descriptions give details of the route, show schematic maps, rate the trails in terms of strenuousness, miles, altitude, and so on.The copyright (which in the current edition for sale was 1994 as I write this) is some time back so if you are going beyond the vicarious I would suggest augmenting this book with later ones to learn of recent changes to land ownership, access, and other sorts of details. However, the book is a great way to begin deciding on an area to visit. It is great as a survey of the enticements of different areas because of its brevity and focus on the wilderness itself. After all, the mountains have not changed that much since the book was issued.I keep giving my copy away to friends who are planning trips to Colorado, which is why I'm back here buying another one, so I guess that means it's a good gift as well.