National Parks of the West

Fodor's has put together a solid collection of facts and information for visiting the National Parks in the West, but the avid hiker and outdoorsperson would do well to add other pieces of literature to their collection before setting out. This book provides essential information such as phone numbers, addresses, and directions to the parks. It details options for camping in and out of the parks, as well as lodging in cities. However, I found a number of the prices they listed to be out of date, and some of the phone numbers were inaccurate. These were minor inconveniences, however, and did not overshadow the overall effectiveness of the guide.As far as activities, the book offers some brief guidelines for hikes and drives around the parks. I found these descriptions to be very impersonal and vague. For example, it lists trails as being "moderately difficult" without explaining what types of difficulties one might encounter. For a hiker, there is a big difference between a steep climb and precipitous footing, but this book does little to detail what one might expect on a given trail. I found the "America's National Parks for Dummies" guide to be much more informative as far as specific trail conditions and wildlife concerns (e.g. grizzly and black bear areas, mountain lions, etc.) Fodor's guide does not address these issues, which are also of utmost concern for most backcountry hikers. Additionally, the editors seem to abide by a policy of "Just the Facts" - they offer little to nothing in the way of ratings or opinions regarding which campsites and facilities may be better maintained within the parks. Most avid campers I know value a firsthand opinion when trying to decide where to pitch their tents - and reading that a campsite is quiet and primarily tents, versus noisy and popular with RVs is extremely helpful information to have in hand. We used both the Fodor's and Dummies guides on a six-week cross-country trip and found them to be nice complements to one another. The Dummies guide covers fewer parks but in greater detail, and offers candid opinions; the Fodor's guide gives you all the essentials you need for planning a visit to the park. If you don't plan on doing much hiking, this book could be all you need, but I recommend supplementing it with a more descriptive guide.

I am beginning my research for a vacation to the South West. This is a good starting place. It touches on most of the parks with pretty decent descriptions and pictures. You can't go wrong with this book.

This manual may not suit the requirements of the most ardent of backpackers and thrill seekers, but for an average Joe Camper like myself, it really came in handy through Washington State, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and on up into Banff and Jasper. A most resourceful guide that lists National Park Service information, directions to the Parks, campsites, hiking trails, info on backwoods camping...even tells you where you can shower after the fourth day! My only criticism is that my copy is as beat up as my hiking boots. A great resource to have, whether you're only there for a day, a drive-in camper, day hiker, or backpacker. I highly recommend it. Great job, Fodors!

This book totally rocks! This is my National Parks bible. I use the National Geographic book for maps and pictures and this one for the trails, lodging and other details. The hike recommendations are the best of any national park book I've seen.