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Rating: 
Summary: Incomplete and impractical for the domestic traveler
Review: As a fairly avid hiker, I found little to no value in this book whatsoever. On a positive note, it did provide minute details on what to expect on the trails, as well as important safety precautions for individual parks both with regard to weather conditions and wildlife. Nonetheless, its shortcomings outnumbered its merits. First, the book is geared almost exclusively towards the foreign traveler. It spends the first section of the book covering issues of concern to those unfamiliar with customs and practices of the United States. This was not the major difficulty I had with the book, however. The hikes and travel routes suggested all expected the reader to enter the park/trail from one side, hike through, and exit from another side of the park. In some parks there are shuttles provided to and from sections of the park (i.e. Zion), but in my experience that is the exception rather than the rule. Many of the hikes spanned twenty or more miles in a single direction and unless you had a car waiting on the other side of the park, they present a huge logistical difficulty for most people driving to their destinations. I was very disappointed to find no round-trip backcountry hikes in this book and wound up returning it several days after purchasing it because it was useless to me. Serious hikers are better off consulting ranger stations at the individual parks to get detailed information on hikes. Rangers can advise you on what types of hikes are best for you based on your skill level and how long you want to be in the woods or on the trails. Though I can see how an international traveler might find some of the information valuable, this book was disappointing and impractical for my purposes. The useful information it provided can easily be found in a multitude of other sources.
Rating: 
Summary: Hiking in the USA (A hikers's AAA guide)
Review: I have bought many hiking books that tell all about the suggested hikes. After reviewing this book, I felt that it was more than a guide to trails, it goes beyond the normal. It is a compact book that can be carried in your pack that includes a lot of resourceful information. It includes facts, flora & fauna, health & safety, and transportation from various locations. It also includes topo maps of each region (small scale), information of each hike from start to finish. This book also tells you whether you need a permit to hike or not.For those that would like to know about surrounding towns or places to stay or eat, it's all included. Each description of the various hikes were very descriptive to the point of making me feel as if I was already on the trail, ie. seeps where tadpoles reside and fresh mint grows in abundance. There is also a section that includes long-distance trails. For a book in it's first edition, I was well pleased. So much information in one book. Great job!
Rating: 
Summary: The Best Hikes in the USA
Review: This book is quite unique in terms of hiking selections and a valuable book for anyone who wants to experience some of the best of what the U.S. has to offer in terms of hiking and backpacking. One of the most unique aspects is that it focuses on a handful of the best hikes in the most scenic locations in the U.S., not just the best hikes in every state. Let's face it, the scenery in every state is not created equal! You would have to read 40 books and thousands of pages to try and figure out which hikes are the most most spectacular, the hikes most worth the effort that hiking and backpacking can demand. This is the only book I have come across that has done this for you and done a good job at selecting the some of the very best hikes.
Another unique aspect is the hiking maps, which I found very easy to read with out knowing anything about maps. I am sure that topographic maps are more detailed and required for wilderness survival, but these mini trail maps are user friendly and easy to understand without having mapping knowledge. There are certainly many other great hikes in these and other locations, so I am hoping for a sequel. And also another edition that will follow the same format entitled "Hiking Our Planet!! Can I pre-order before it is written?
Rating: 
Summary: Too much space, not enough time
Review: This tries, although admirably, to cram a lot of country into one book.
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