Hiking season is here! Exploring State and National Parks is here! As we all know, there are handfuls of apps out there and loads of information on the web. But, to pick up a real book and read about it—is a tangible experience.
In my house, I have two such books on this subject: Hiking Utah written by Bill Schneider and edited by Ann Seifert and Utah State Parks compiled by the STATE OF UTAH NATUAL RESOURCES Division of Parks and Recreation.
I’ve enjoyed studying and learning about the amazing places to visit in Utah through these books. In Hiking Utah, you can find information about several cool hikes broken up into different categories:
Northern Utah: The Wasatch, Uinta, and Stansbury Ranges, and Dinosaur National Monument.
Central Utah The Great Basin, Fishlake National Forest, Wasatch Plateau, San Rafael River, and Book Cliffs.
Southern Utah: The National Parks, Pine Valley Mountains, BLM Wilderness, Escalante River, Henry Mountains, and Grand Gulch Area.
So many great details and descriptions are marked on each trail mentioned. From the distance to the difficulty to the best seasonal time to hike the particular trail.
In the beginning of Hiking Utah, there is a preface which says, “Not only is hiking free in the economic sense, but it is also free of the stress and regulation of Modern America. Once you’re on the trail, you can forget about the tension of your work…unpaid bills, the noise, and the pollution…”
This handy book is something you’d want to keep in your car for those road trips this summer or for a spontaneous hike this spring!
Utah State Parks is a book filled with brief, detailed descriptions of all the State parks throughout Utah. One of our favorites is Goblin Valley State Park in Green River, Utah. In the book, Utah State Parks, it states, “Hike among haunting rocks and coves in this photographers’ paradise. Adjacent to the park, off-highway vehicle enthusiasts find hundreds of miles of dirt roads to explore.” In addition, this book, Utah State Parks, there is an address for each destination plus a phone number.
Also, we love to visit Escalante State Park where there are “colorful deposits of mineralized wood and dinosaur bones.”
Pick up one of these books today and find a new adventure waiting out there for you and your family! There’s so much to explore right from our backdoor!
