50 Best Short Hikes In Utah's National Parks Download Free (EPUB, PDF)
Utah’s five national parks—Arches, Bryce, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion—hold some of the most awe-inspiring geology on the planet. Each park offers visitors the dramatic scenery that invites exploration and discovery.In 50 Best Short Hikes in Utah’s National Parks, veteran hiking guide Greg Witt shares the best routes in each park, hikes that are both “must see” and accessible. Park visitors who are short on time will find this book to be the ideal traveling companion, quickly helping readers identify the hikes and sights, making the best use of their time and provide maximum enjoyment.Each hike in the book includes distances, highlights, area maps, and easy-to-follow trailhead directions to make hike selection fast and efficient. Once on the trail, the detailed maps, route description, and interpretive details insure that hikers get the most out of their trip.Even avid hikers and experienced desert explorers will find new insights and discoveries as Witt’s interesting and approachable style details the geologic forces that created this landscape. He brings to life the human history—prehistoric cliff-dwellers, native tribes, ranchers, farmers, loggers, miners, and outlaws—that adds to the color of the Colorado Plateau where these five parks are set.
Series: 50 Best Short Hikes
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Wilderness Press; 2 edition (April 1, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0899977243
ISBN-13: 978-0899977249
Product Dimensions: 0.5 x 5.8 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #44,898 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #10 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Exercise & Fitness > Walking #25 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Hunting & Fishing > Fishing #47 in Books > Travel > United States > West > Mountain
A number of years ago, Wilderness Press published a series of 50 Best Short Hikes, guides meant for families and really almost everyone. The Utah National Parks selection was one of the best sellers in the series, but author Ron Adkison has passed on, and Wilderness Press has brought in Greg Witt to write a new version of this book. He has done a marvelous job. Yes, the book remains true to the original series and focuses on walks the whole family can enjoy. But these are spectacular hikes, and any hiker of any ability level will find something to captivating in this book, including die hard exercise enthusiasts who would normally shy away from a book with the word "short" in the title.Utah's national parks are managed with day hikers in mind. Backpacking is often an option, of course, but water sources are scarce and unreliable, and often the best scenery is fairly close at hand anyway. Visitors to Arches, for example, can take in much of the park in an extended day, and one of the best features of this book is that Witt offers a "park in a day" preface to each chapter so visitors coming for spring break, probably the best time to visit most of these parks, can get the maximum enjoyment for their time. Utah is not that easily accessible to me, and books like this are ideal for my type of exploration. Often, you can get a better feel for a park by doing two or three short hikes than one long one in any event. And one cannot quarrel with the hike selection: Park Avenue and Devil's Garden in Arches, The Queen's Garden-Navajo Loop in Bryce, Mesa Arch and Grand View Point in Canyonlands, and Hickman Bridge in Capitol Reef. Virtually every one of my favorite trails appears in this book.Each park gets about 10 trails, with Zion (correctly) meriting slightly more. Mileages are accurate, sketch maps adequate, and the side bars on natural history make the text all the more enjoyable. But most importantly, this book gets you out of your car and onto the trails in short order, allowing you to experience the best of each park. And what makes it a great book is that if you use it once, you are sure to want to use it again. I know my week long visit this year has whetted my appetite for more, and I have avidly read, and reread, the route descriptions in this fine little volume. I can hardly wait to use it again next year. That is the mark of a great hiking guide. Get it.
I've been blessed to have hiked throughout the world - France, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Mexico, Canada - and living in the U.S. I've hiked in nearly every Western state, with the greatest accomplishment having been conquering some huge fears and climbing to the summit of the Grand Tetons a few years ago. I live in, what I consider, the most diverse state in the country when it comes to hiking and outdoor recreation with mountains, desert, red rock country, salt flats, ski in the mountains in the morning, sunbathing on the lake in the afternoon, as well as the most incredible National Parks: UTAH!Greg Witt gives us the best book on Utah's National Park hikes I've ever found. If you've ever been "hiking with Greg" (meaning, purchased one of his books and traveled along) it is a most extraordinary experience. From the exact specifications, to suggestions on times of day, best routes, what to look out for, even the placement of a log to sit on, Greg is a Master of Guiding and Exploration. I have used his books to enjoy the summits of every mountain on Utah's Wasatch Front, and now have found his National Parks book to be the perfect companion for my family's journeys into the great outdoors.Highly recommended, awesome read. Thank you Greg for another awesome guide to my love of hiking. I can't wait for your next book to arrive!
This book is a must-have for all adventure seeking folks who want to explore Utah's amazing National Parks. The author has an incredible way of describing things to make you feel like you're getting a personalized tour of the National Parks. He also has a knack for answering all those questions you've always wanted to ask a park ranger. Make no mistake--this is NOT ANOTHER BORING HIKING BOOK. This is the book you want to have in your backpack if you're taking guests to see the Utah National Parks. It will make you an instant super-cool tour guide, and here's why: this book is LOADED with fascinating (true!) stories, geological facts that will make you say "No way!!", little treasures that only the locals know, and great (ACCURATE!) information. Hiking books aren't typically dishing out the knee-slappers, but this book had some downright laugh-out-loud lines (pages 56, 173). I just wish I had this book the first time we did the parks. Worth the read as a "reading for pleasure" non-fiction book AND as a "What are we supposed to do in this desert??" reference guide. (And will someone please tell the National Parks people to hire the author, Greg Witt, to write ALL the info plaques at the National Parks?)
Yes at this time it very much met my needs. I'm preparing to take a months vacation out in Utah 's canyon/arches area. This book gave me a good idea of what to expect and how to take the best advantage of what is available. I am a Senior age camper but the book list some trails I'm sure I can handle. I would very much recommend this book for someone planning to travel the area.
I used this guide as a companion on a trip last to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. It gives some great information on specific hikes, and pointed me toward the most rewarding. With the background information in this guide, I was able to predetermine my hikes ahead of time instead of wasting precious time while on vacation. Nice book, good location information, and fantastic hiking time estimates. I have hiked 13 of the 50, and they were all amazing. Cannot wait to fulfill the balance.
Highly recommend this book for those interested in taking shorter hikes in Utah's National Parks. You are able to still hike and get a nice feel for the park if your time schedule doesn't permit in-depth exploration.
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