Laine - Frommers National Parks of the American West

National Parks of the American West

8th Edition

by Don & Barbara Laine

with Jack Olson, Eric Peterson & Shane Christensen

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Residents of northern New Mexico for more than 40 years, Don and Barbara Laine have traveled extensively throughout the Rocky Mountains and the Southwest, exploring the mountains and deserts with their always-curious dogs. The Laines have authored or contributed to a number of Frommer's travel guides, including Frommer's Zion & Bryce Canyon National Parks and Frommer's Utah. They have also written Little-Known Southwest, New Mexico & Arizona State Parks, and Best Short Hikes in Arizona for The Mountaineers Books; and The New Mexico Guide for Fulcrum Publishing.

A Denver-based freelance writer, Eric Peterson has contributed to numerous Frommers guides covering the American West, and has written Frommers Montana & Wyoming, Frommers Colorado, Frommers Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks, and Ramble: A Field Guide to the U.S.A. Peterson also writes about travel and other topics for such publications as ColoradoBiz, Delta Sky, and the New York Daily News. In his free time, hes an avid camper and hiker, a lifelong Broncos fan, and a part-time rock star (at least in the eyes of his niece Olivia and nephews Mitch and Sam).

Jack Olson, a longtime resident of Denver, wanders the Rockies and the entire country as a freelance photographer and writer. He writes travel articles and supplies photographs for AAA magazines, and his photos have been seen in such publications as Backpacker, Audubon, Sierra, and National Geographic Books.

Shane Christensen has written extensively for Frommer's, including in Latin America, Europe, and the United States. Originally from California, he knows the American Southwest well and returns each year to the Grand Canyon to explore its wonders and ensure the accuracy of this guide. Shane has also held a variety of diplomatic assignments with the U.S. Department of State, and he is currently a research scholar and faculty advisor at Columbia University.

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ISBN 978-1-118-11802-3 (paper); ISBN 978-1-118-22454-0 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-23782-3 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-26263-4 (ebk)

Editor: Linda Barth

Production Editor: Erin Geile

Cartographer: Elizabeth Puhl

Photo Editor: Richard Fox

Production by Wiley Indianapolis Composition Services

Front cover photo: Sunrise Mesa Arch, Canyonlands National Park, UT. Kenny Williams / Alamy Images

Back cover photo: Ruby Beach, Olympic National Park, WA. Dennis Frates / Alamy Images

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5 4 3 2 1

List of Maps

Arches National Park

Badlands National Park

Big Bend National Park

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

The Black Hills

Mount Rushmore National Monument

Wind Cave National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park

Canyonlands National Park

Capitol Reef National Park

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Channel Islands National Park

Anacapa Island

Santa Cruz Island

Santa Rosa Island

San Miguel Island

Santa Barbara Island

Crater Lake National Park

Death Valley National Park

Mojave National Preserve

Devils Tower National Monument

Glacier National Park

Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon Village

Grand Teton National Park

Great Basin National Park

Great Sand Dunes National Park Preserve

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Joshua Tree National Park

Lassen Volcanic National Park

Mesa Verde National Park

Archaeological Sites of the Four Corners Area

Mount Rainier National Park

North Cascades National Park

Olympic National Park

Petrified Forest National Park

Point Reyes National Seashore

Redwood National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park

Saguaro National Park

Sequoia Kings Canyon National Parks

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Yellowstone National Park

Old Faithful Area

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite Valley

Zion National Park

Note About Maps

This guide contains dozens of maps of varying sizes and complexity. If you find it hard to read a map on your device, use the zoom function to enlarge. You can also download and/or printout PDFs of all of the maps in this guide. Go to www.frommers.com/go/ebookmaps and click on the title of your guide.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors offer sincere thanks to all the rangers and other employees of the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, state agencies, and various businesses who have reviewed chapters, provided information and tips, answered questions, and generally helped us assure the accuracy of this book.

HOW TO CONTACT US

In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful placeshotels, restaurants, shops, and more. Were sure youll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share the information with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed with a recommendation, wed love to know that, too. Please write to:

Frommers National Parks of the American West, 8th EditionJohn Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
frommersfeedback@wiley.com

AN ADDITIONAL NOTE

Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any timeand this is especially true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirmation when making your travel plans. The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held responsible for the experiences of readers while traveling. National parks are, by their very nature, potentially dangerous places. In visiting any of the places or doing any of the activities described herein, readers assume all risk of injury or loss that may accompany such activities. The publishers and the authors disavow all responsibility for injury, death, loss, or property damage that may arise from a readers visit to any of the places or participation in any of the activities described herein, and the publisher and that authors make no warranties regarding the competence, safety, and reliability of outfitters, tour companies, or training centers described in this publication. Your safety is important to us, however, so we encourage you to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep a close eye on cameras, purses, and wallets, all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets.