National Parks of America 1: Experience America's 59 National Parks

by Lonely Planet, Amy C Balfour, Greg Benchwick

To celebrate America's amazing national parks, Lonely Planet, the world's leading travel publisher, takes you on an informative and gorgeous tour of all 59 parks with our lavishly finished hardcover gift guide packed with detailed itineraries and practical tips on what to do and see in each park to get you started planning your next adventure. America's national parks are full of timeless marvels that still rejuvenate the soul: the world's largest trees in Sequoia; its most spectacular geothermal site in Yellowstone; the grandest canyon. From Acadia to Zion, this beautiful introduction to America's preserved natural treasures is packed with landscape photography, original wildlife illustrations, and practical information. You will surely be inspired to rediscover these incredible spaces and find out why they're worth celebrating and you'll have all the tools to plan the first of many exciting trips. This book is intended to be a practical introduction to each of America's 59 national parks, distilled by Lonely Planet's expert authors. We highlight the best activities and trails, explain how to get there and where to stay, show you the wildlife to watch out for, and suggest ideal itineraries. Whether you're lucky enough to have a park on your doorstep or need to travel further, we hope that the following pages inspire you both the iconic and lesser-known gems that make up the USA's diversely breathtaking expanses. Covers all 59 US National Parks: About Lonely Planet: Started in 1973, Lonely Planet has become the world's leading travel guide publisher with guidebooks to every destination on the planet, as well as an award-winning website, a suite of mobile and digital travel products, and a dedicated traveller community. Lonely Planet's mission is to enable curious travellers to experience the world and to truly get to the heart of the places they find themselves in.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Reference, Adult, Photography, Nature

328 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2016

About the author

OUR STORY
A beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies and Lonely Planet was born. One hundred million guidebooks later, Lonely Planet is the world’s leading travel guide publisher with content to almost every destination on the planet.

Reviews

[H (trying to keep up with GR friends) Balikov · Rating 4 out of 5]

I reviewed this book over half a decade ago and I felt it was time to update my impressions. In general, this book is a delight both to the eye and to the mind. It is an excellent starting point for planning a visit to a certain Park or just a particular region.

I am noting that there is a newer edition but there are no new National Parks, so you may not find it worth the extra expense.



There are 59 National Parks and you could spend an entire book writing about just one of them. It has been done many times over. So what is worthwhile about a book that tries to cover all the National Parks?

Published in 2016 it has some of the most up to date information.

The photographs and the printing are excellent and they may tempt you to add a park or two to your "to do" list.

Though the coverage is brief, you get a sketch of the key wildlife present, the campgrounds available and some indication of places to eat and sleep.

You may disagree with their prioritization but it is nice to have recommendations based upon whether you will be there for only a day or will be staying for a while.

I am going to keep this handy when planning our next trips. Which reminds me, it is much better for the planning stage than for later. Its size makes it easy to enjoy in your favorite chair, but a pain to take with when you travel.

[Bam cooks the books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for Christmas (lucky me!) It is a gorgeous coffee table book to be sure but offers so much more. Put together by an expert team of Lonely Planet's travel authors, the book is a practical introduction to each of America's 59 national parks with suggestions for how to get there, places to stay, best activities, trails and itineraries and the wildlife to watch for. Of course the photography is fantastic, capturing some of the best scenes each park has to offer.

The book begins with a map of the United States with each park location numbered, then one just needs to turn to that number inside the text to read about the park one wants to explore. Having been lucky enough to travel to several of these parks myself with family, I can attest to the accuracy of the information and the beauty of the parks pictured. A goal to visit all of these parks would be tremendously rewarding--I only wish we'd gotten started doing that earlier in our lives!

[Agnieszka · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book, with some beautiful pictures and interesting drawings of flora & fauna.

I found it interesting how styles of the articles varied: some were really fun, a few rather to the point minimalistic, others had very visual style and one or two were rather difficult for me to understand.
I like the common structure of the park descriptions: introduction, toolbox with best time to go and get there as well as three number based facts followed by three accomodations, activities, hiking routes, drawings of animals and/or plants, and itineraries (ok no hiking routes *grins* nor drawings *frown* for the Dry Tortugas, and the hiking routes for Gates of the Arctic NP&P were replaced with three additional activities)
A note about the drawings, with the many kinds of animals and plants I'd wish none of the drawings would've been used more than once and we got a few more not used yet instead (though that's me with a huge curiosity).

This book has a great quality despite some typos, a few missing or incomplete picture descriptions, and at least one copy&paste error (park #56 is Pinnacle according to table of content, but Petrified Forest in the chapter itself, as well as identical picture the end of the chapter used already in the previous chaper). Usually I note those while reading and report later to publisher/shop unfortunatelly I was reading this AmazonPrime ebook online and all my notes were gone each time I left the web browser. After the second time I stopped making notes.

I think it's not easy to combine the work of so many different authors into a whole that works and gives an engaging first impression/introduction to all of the 59 American National Parks. If ever I get the chance to read another travel guide by this publisher I'll take the chance and will recommend them to any friends planning to travel. I've already recommended it to one of my challenge group moderators and look forward what kind of challenges will come out of it *grins*

I'm not native and have a visual memory so I made a list by state to remember them better.
Alaska (NP&P = National Park & Preserve) Denali NP, Gates of the Arctic NP&P, Glacier Bay NP&P, Katmai NP&P, Kenai Fjords NP, Kobuk Valley NP&P, Lake Clark NP, Wrangell-St Elias NP
Arizona Grand Canyon NP, Petrified Forest NP, Saguaro NP
Arkansas Hot Springs NP
California Channel Islands NP (off the coast), Death Valley NP, Joshua Tree NP, Kings Canyon NP, Lassen Volcanic NP, Pinnacles NP, Redwood National & State Parks, Sequoia NP, Yosemite NP
Colorado Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP, Great Sand Dunes NP, Mesa Verde NP, Rocky Mountain NP
Florida Biscayne NP, Dry Tortugas NP, Everglades NP
Hawaii Haleakalā NP, Hawaii Volcanoes NP
Kentucky Mammoth Cave NP
Maine Acadia NP
Michigan Isle Royale NP
Minnesota Voyageurs NP
Montana Glacier NP (joined with Waterton Lakes NP in Alberta, Canada to International Peace Park)
Nevada Great Basin NP
New Mexico Carlsbad Caverns NP
North Carolina & Tennessee Great Smoky Mountains NP
North Dakota Theodore Roosevelt NP
Ohio Cuyahoga Valley NP
Oregon Crater Lake NP
South Carolina Congaree NP
South Dakota Badlands NP, Wind Cave NP
Texas Big Bend NP, Guadalupe Mountains NP
Utah Arches NP, Bryce Canyon NP, Canyonlands NP, Capitol Reef NP, Zion NP
Virginia Shenandoah NP
Washington Mt Rainier NP, North Cascades NP, Olympic NP
Wyoming Grand Teton NP, Yellowstone NP

Outside the US American Samoa NP (Pacific), Virgin Islands NP (Caribbean)

I noticed recently an updated edition of this book with three new park will be published mid-May (2021).

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essentially a perfect addition to any coffee table. The artwork & photography is stunning. With 4-6 pages dedicated to each park - there is just the right amount of information to peak your interest. Beginning with a brief overview, followed by helpful tips on when to visit and how to get there. There's a few suggestions (only a handful) on where you could stay, generally within the Park if available. Included is a couple hikes you could take and then some cool drawings of local wildlife most common to the area. Finally it's wrapped up with Itinerary plans depending on how long you have to visit.

A beautiful book and one that was hard to look through in the bookstore as B&N had it cello wrapped! In the end I found it for half price elsewhere and bought it as a Christmas gift for my outdoorsman hubby. I would have preferred to know what I was buying before I bought it, the price was enough for me to go for it anyway and give it a try. We both love it, fabulous!

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Again, I am disappointed by Lonely Planet's decision not to include more photos of the location. This has been a consistent complaint on all books I have read of theirs. I will say that I was more impressed with the detailed information regarding each of the national parks, but the book still left me scratching my head.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The United States of America is such a beautiful place. This book makes me want to pack up my family and visit the 59 parks featured in this very visually pleasing book and protest for the environment. #fucktrump

[Jim Lyons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great summaries of all the parks - not a cover to cover read, but for those I have visited (or want to visit) the tips are excellent!

[raccoon reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! A great little overview of each of the National Parks. Just enough info to inspire you to want to go but not overwhelm you :)

[Scottsdale Public Library]

This is more than a coffee table book, although the pictures in this will wow you. It is also a fantastic resource if you ever have the notion to visit any of America’s 59 national parks. All of them are here; from the ones you have never heard of such as Congaree, to some of the most traveled, like Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. The best thing about this resource is it is designed to be one-stop shopping; in other words, you can use it to plan your entire trip. Categories include; when to go, how to get there, where to stay, what to do (based on the number of days you have to spend), as well as what to spot, what not to miss, and technical facts like the size of the park and relevant history. And did I mention the jaw dropping photos? There are tons of those too. Do yourself a favor and pickup this book before planning your next vacation.
-- Pam B.

[Kirsten Jordan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok

Very detailed information regarding typical touristy national parks. This does not seem to be a complete listing. Some great pictures though

[Sonia Mabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este libro es bastante práctico y ofrece una muy buena introducción a los parques nacionales. Cuenta con miles de fotografías que te hacen salir corriendo y hacer tu equipaje para tu nueva aventura. Para cada parque nacional menciona datos curiosos, que estación del año es mejor para visitar, como llegar al parque, estadísticas como que cantidad de animales habitan en ellos. En otra sección te menciona donde puedes alojarte, que hacer según los días disponibles que tengas planificados para visitar el parque (itinerarios), y te ofrece al menos tres hikes por parque. Lo disfrute mucho y se los recomiendo. Que mejor que viajar a través de la lectura.

[LKBurns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Featuring Yosemite changes since book published.

Since this book has been published, a Yosemite has changed one of b its attractions from Mirror Lake, a former beautiful sight to see to what has been nicknamed Mirror Meadows, no longer a Lake, but Yosemite still is one of my favorite parks in the US. Also camping site areas have long since closed due to human destruction as of a few years back and you can reach certain sites only by shuttle bus. No cars allowed. The books covers wildlife , flora, day trips vs. week long trips, camping both tent and lodge benefits. Much detail, state by state of the National Parks.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful introduction to the 59 National Parks. The book prefaces with a numbered map that shows the location of each park and the key tells which number pertains to which park (the numbers are in alphabetical order).

Each park only takes up about 2-3 pages in a quick introduction that includes gorgeous color photographs, statistics, and ideas for itineraries based on how long you'll spend in the park (1, 2, or 3 days up to a couple weeks).

[Brett L. Argo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent Ideas but...

This book is a great overview of the National Parks. Things to do, hikes to take, itineraries for one day or multiple days. But there are no maps for reference points. The pictures are sparse and often don't highlight the park very well. The section on Pinnacles is labeled Petrified Forest. If they would add some pictures and if it included maps with high lighted trails, this book would easily be a 5.

[Chris Windham · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Audiobook was wonderful. I listened to it while on a trip through National Parks of the southwest. The struggle of creating and maintaining these treasures was very entertaining to me. It was a nice balance between the important characters like John Muir and Teddy Roosevelt who advocated on behalf of the parks and the natural history and beauty of the park itself. Definitely recommend for outdoor enthusiast that have a love for our national parks and an interest in history.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book, and it will add more trips to your bucket list! My entire family keeps picking it up to flip through it.

I really like the layout of this book. It goes through an overview of each park, highlights, and possible itineraries. It is a great read-through or to just pick and choose specific parks.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous book with great insights and recommendations for visiting each of the national parks, in bite size chunks. Excellent overview of the entire NPS portfolio for those aspiring to see each park, or for those who simply love to travel through the pages of a book.

[Fraser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly inspiring for the outdoors e enthusiast like myself! This guide book has much more practical info than most other guidebooks and gives you a few of the best picks to research further. Top quality photos and a good map too.

[John Hardman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Accurate informative guide

Having been to several Parks already, this guide covers the pertinent accurate places to explore. Would recommend as a suggestion on places to visit. Good local information.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. The photos were beautiful and all the information was so helpful and I loved the way it was organized. I checked this book out from the library but I think I need to owe it so I can use it more in the future.

[Shiu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and some nice photos

A "coffee table" book to pick up and browse when you only have 10-15 minutes before going on to something else.

[Leslie Ferrari · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good overview of the parks, but with little information on each park.

[Kayt18 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read.


Great dreaming of where to go if I had the time and money. Nice photos and information. Read about each park or only the ones you are interested in.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked the itineraries.

[daniel castoria]

Very informative

[John Hubbard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never included LPbooks on my read books list but this was different asitreads asgood for both inspiration and as an actual guide.

[NonFiction 24/7 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of a reference but great pictures and easy to read.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful photos, not as much info as I would like

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good. I am discovering that coffee table books aren't as much fun in their Kindle versions. The photos were good, but are probably much more impressive in print than on my screen. I found myself wanting more picture, but each park had just a few.

[Heydi Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great coffee table book with lost of facts and interesting details that you wouldn’t know if you just visited. Pretty great.