Brendan Sainsbury

This guidebook details the sixteen “best” (see below) USA National Parks and provides quick mentions of an additional eight. For each, there are suggested itineraries of the best to see and do (emphasizing hiking/biking/kayaking), plus food and lodging (emphasizing campgrounds). The book is well organized and the text is pleasantly laid out and complemented by beautiful, well-captioned color photos.

So that’s 24 parks (not “27” as noted on the cover), with “best” stated as “most iconic” and (unstated) as having the most activities and visitor services. Yet it’s only half of all USA National Parks -- a glaring omission of wonders like the Badlands or Petrified Forest, and Carlsbad Caverns or Mammoth Caves, and without even a list of the remaining parks. But my biggest frustration is this guide’s lack of context -- not enough background to know what’s iconic about some parks and not enough landmarks to orient myself in some maps and even some text, for example the two-page mention of Capitol Reef National Park never identifies its state or a recognizable city.

I recommend this guide only as a secondary reference -- after you’ve decided what park you want to visit, use it to peruse its listings and compare its ratings/recommendations with those of other guidebooks.

(Review based on a copy of the book provided by the publisher.)… (meer)