National Geographic Guide To National Parks Of The United States, 8th Edition (National Geographic Guide To The National Parks Of The United States) Download Free (EPUB, PDF)

                
              
National Geographic Guide To National Parks Of The United States, 8th Edition (National Geographic Guide To The National Parks Of The United States) Download Free (EPUB, PDF)
In time for the National Park's 100th birthday, this flagship, best-selling guide is fully revamped and updated with all new text, photographs, and design. National Geographic writers hit all 59 national parks—including Pinnacles, the newest in the crown—for intensive on-the-ground research. 300 photos and 80 colorful maps complete the extraordinary package. Practical and comprehensive coverage includes engaging, individual park descriptions and brief history, travel planning tips, itineraries and directions, activities, park lodges and hotels, visitor center contact information, and camping information. Well-known national parks writers provide new insights into the parks and share favorite spots for viewing scenery, wildlife, sunsets, and more in this Centennial edition.
Series: National Geographic Guide to the National Parks of the United States
Paperback: 496 pages
Publisher: National Geographic; 8th ed. edition (January 19, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1426216513
ISBN-13: 978-1426216510
Product Dimensions:  5.3 x 0.8 x 8.4 inches
Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review:  4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (86 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #1,971 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)   #1 in Books > Travel > Food, Lodging & Transportation > Parks & Campgrounds   #12 in Books > Travel > United States   #19 in Books > Science & Math > Nature & Ecology
Maps are nice. The excursions (near by places) and park information (camping, lodging, etc) are listed as filler and so vague it shouldn't even be listed in the book. For example in Shenandoah NP, they list a VA state park 320 miles away near Cumberland Gap NHP. In Great Smoky Mountains NP the Laurel Falls trail isn't even listed, while this is an extremely popular trail, it is still a must see. Reading through the book, I get the impression the writers are trying to move people away from the must sees and popular areas to round about trails and less popular sites in the parks. This is fine, but by not including everything, the readers are at a disservice. The layout of the previous version was much better and contained more worth while information to get a better picture of each park.
My wife and I just returned from a month long, 7500 mile road trip which include visits to nine major national parks. We have never been to a national park before and were eager to get our hands on a comprehensive source of information for the parks we planned to visit. This book fit the bill perfectly!Here's how we utilized it: As I drove to the next park along our route, my wife would read aloud that parks entry from the book. Each entry includes interesting details about the park's history, the most popular features/sites, and the best way to visit the park. The entry also includes a fairly detailed map of the park. As my wife read, she would make marks on the map, highlighting the places we would visit. Once we arrived at the park we had all of our stops planned out and ready to go!Why not just use the internet? In many of the parks and surrounding areas there was little to no cell coverage. Parts of Montana, Wyoming, and various other states just aren't covered. This book serves as a great fill-in. Obviously, it isn't as comprehensive as the web, but it provided us with all the information we needed to have enjoyable visits and all 9 parks we toured.
I like this book so much, I have bought it again as a gift. The chapters are well-organized for trip planning with suggestions for what to prioritize if you have only one day, two days, etc. Nearby interesting sites are described as well. There are great area maps as well as site maps and photos in color on nice quality paper. It is essential for my initial travel planning for estimating where my time will be best spent.
Not that good that you cannot get the same info online. Index is created by region then by the park in alphabetical order, not by state. HooHuum..you have to seach the seach. Very generic information and nothing that is actually revealing.
Outstanding information about the National Parks. Concise information from lodging to hiking trails, a book you can't do without if going to see the parks. Can't wait to see some of our national treasures.
The National Geographic Guide to National Parks of the United States (8th Edition)I was immediately drawn into this book by the captivating photograph and classic National Geographic design of the front cover. As to be expected, the photos inside depicting the diversity found in U.S. national parks do not disappoint. I'm a visual person, so this makes the book much more likely to be used than it would without these glossy photos.The guide begins with a basic introduction, which includes helpful information about where to find more detailed maps, the structure of each park entry, and helpful advisories. Throughout the book, we're reminded that the national parks are not just places for humans enjoyment, but they are intended to protect nature. "You'll see why a single step off a trail can harm fragile plants and why visitors are detoured from areas that shelter wildlife. The parks are not just for people; the conserve ecosystems." (p. 8) Also included at the front of the book is a map of the entire US showing the location of all the parks--an essential feature in my opinion.The book is divided into sections of the country, and the park entries are alphabetical within those regional sections. Having grown up in Maine and explored Acadia National Park on many day trips throughout my life, I dug into that entry first. Aside from providing "how-to" information, each entry gives a little context of the national park. I found the information about Acadia National Park's history both surprising and fascinating. I was already aware that wealthy families, such as the Rockefellers, owned large pieces of land in coastal Maine, but I had no idea that they pushed to preserve the beauty of this landscape with a national park. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. even donated nearly 11,000 acres of land.Other elements I enjoyed about this guide:--For a guidebook that covers so many parks (59 of them), the entries are fairly robust and provide a sufficient amount of information to be a good starting point for planning a trip to a national park. It also provides websites where more information can be found.--The book offers reminders about protecting the ecosystem and wildlife, but it's not overbearing.--Have I mentioned the incredible photography that invites you to fan through the glossy pages and explore?--Many entries include information about nearby excursions, such as state parks or wildlife areas.--The writing is both enjoyable and informative.A couple of things that were missing:--Can I bring my dog? I imagine that many parks don't allow dogs due to wildlife, but I know that Acadia National Park allows leashed dogs to be in certain portions of the park. (Even the restaurant at Jordan Pond is incredibly dog-friendly!) A simple note stating whether dogs are allowed in some areas, or not allowed at all, would be incredibly useful.--A note about when the best time to visit the popular Thunder Hole (midway between low and high tides) would have been helpful and easy to include. "...A small cave roars like thunder when the tide is just right and a large wave hits the shore...water can shoot some 40 feet into the air." (p. 19)Since I have only visited a couple of scenic national parks in the U.S., I don't feel I can give this 5-star rating (yet). Based on Acadia's entry and my intimate knowledge of that park, as well as other entries to parks I haven't visited, I would feel comfortable using this guidebook along with maps and information from the National Park Service in planning a trip. For certain, The National Geographic Guide to National Parks makes me want to plan an epic road trip throughout the entire United States to explore our national parks. I realize how little of our country I've seen and how much nature there is to explore.***Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Media Masters Publicity. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissionâs 16 CFR, Part 255: âGuides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.â***
The size is just right for easy travel from airplanes to long car rides. I am amazed at the number of national parks and added several new ones to my bucket list. i got this for my husband 45th bday and he loved it. Now let the planning begin! It's just the right amount of pictures and information.
Good informative book to have for traveling. Great photos. Nice size to take along, not too big or bulky. Book arrived within the allotted time frame and was well packaged. Good pricing on .
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