Capitol Reef National Park: The Complete Hiking and Touring Guide

The author really knows his stuff and speaks from experience and wisdom. I really admire that. But the book is for people already familiar with all the hikes. I used to go to Capitol Reef every year as a boy. And now that I'm in my 30s, I'm enjoying going back again once or twice a year. However, a lot of the information that I (or most readers) would be looking for is absent in this book, and some of what is present is put in the wrong order or wrong place. I liked it a lot at first, but as I'm preparing to go back to Capitol Reef, I'm realizing again that all the information I need just isn't in this book. When I drove the Cathedral Valley loop, I had to buy the Capitol Reef guide, which had better data. And in looking for good hikes for us, I have to do a lot of additional research online because it's hard to tell important details of many trails/routes, which negates buying this book. Bigger maps for each hike, with clearer detail, would be welcomed. I'm making a spreadsheet for myself that gives each hike and its difficulty, length, elevation gain, solitude, etc. And I think that summary table should already be in the book. Generally, this book's list of trails, routes, and drives is great. I love that there is a synopsis of what each hike is like for each segment. It's great for preparedness/safety and hike preparation. I also really love the additional info on the Freemont culture, history of Fruita, etc. (although I wish that info were at the start of the book rather than buried in the middle). But there's too much on geology, which I find uninteresting. All that being said, I'm buying a second copy of this book now that the first copy has several pages falling out.

Indispensable if you are planning a backpacking trip to Capitol Reef. A lot of work has gone into writing this book.

Very detailed descriptions outlining many of the routes and hikes through Capitol Reef. As a photographer I especially appreciated the notes concerning the best time of day to visit based on morning or afternoon light!

As other reviewers have said, Capitol Reef National Park is a gem, although less well known than its southern Utah siblings. This guidebook offers a great way to experience the park, whether one has only a day or an entire week to explore it. It's always a danger to use the word "complete" to describe a guidebook, and this one doesn't really tell you every little thing you might want to know (one other reviewer, for instance, would have liked more geological descriptions, and I agree; I also would have liked more detailed topo maps of the hiking routes). Nevertheless, this book was by far the best all-around guide I found to the park, and it's a terrific value. I also think the author included plenty of great, representative photos of the area. In all, I think it's an excellent guidebook.

Great pictures, great trail descriptions. An excellent guide.

There's not a lot out there about Capitol Reef National Park, it's usually relegated to a chapter or two in hiking guides with a broader scope. This book is all Capitol Reef! Detailed descriptions are given for all hikes, including the usual distances and difficulty ratings that most guidebooks offer, but also explained are each trails' "Solitude Factor", reasons to hike, and even best times to hike. Little things are mentioned for each hike, such as when the best light for photography will be and what plants you may encounter as you hike. Nice things to know if you're still in the planning stages for a visit. The book is also generously packed with full color photos which greatly aid in deciding which trail you'll want to try next. Ever wondered what a particular plant was that you encountered on a hike? This book identifies them with a photo and description. If there is one thing this book lacks, it's an individual trail map for each hike, which hiking guide junkies like me expect to see. Then again, when I think about it, the trail descriptions in this guide are so detailed that I really don't miss them. No disappointments - Five stars!

I ordered this book for a planned trip to Capitol Reef NP. There are not many books dedicated to Capitol Reef so this is one of the few available. It is nicely illustrated with pictures from each hike and tour in the guide and has a detailed description for finding the trailhead, trail difficulty, and route finding. The text gives good information about the plants one finds on the trails as well as geological and historical notes. The book also presents auto tours in the area, in part to show how to get to the trailheads but also to highlight several of the geological features in the park. I am very happy with the purchase.

If you are looking for detailed hike descriptions this book has them. However, I was also hoping to find out more about good photo locations and was disappointed. The photos definitely do not do the park justice - if that's all I knew about the park I would not bother to go there.

I hiked in Capitol Reef for a week using this book. It has excellent descriptions of the trail features, how to reach the trail heads, the geology and history of the park, and how to reach the back country areas. His descriptions saved me from making wrong turns many times. This park is often given short visits by people going from Bryce to Zion. I recommend a thorough exploration of this amazingly beautiful park.

This is an excellent guide book for exploring Capitol Reef. The book is filled with photos that give a hint of the beauty of this National Park. The trail descriptions are spot on and saved us from getting lost and allowed us to hike with confidence. A must have for folks spending more than a day in the Park, which everyone should do. Thank you Rick for providing such a detailed guide.

The author really knows his stuff and speaks from experience and wisdom. I really admire that. But the book is for people already familiar with all the hikes. I used to go to Capitol Reef every year as a boy. And now that I'm in my 30s, I'm enjoying going back again once or twice a year. However, a lot of the information that I (or most readers) would be looking for is absent in this book, and some of what is present is put in the wrong order or wrong place. I liked it a lot at first, but as I'm preparing to go back to Capitol Reef, I'm realizing again that all the information I need just isn't in this book. When I drove the Cathedral Valley loop, I had to buy the Capitol Reef guide, which had better data. And in looking for good hikes for us, I have to do a lot of additional research online because it's hard to tell important details of many trails/routes, which negates buying this book. Bigger maps for each hike, with clearer detail, would be welcomed. I'm making a spreadsheet for myself that gives each hike and its difficulty, length, elevation gain, solitude, etc. And I think that summary table should already be in the book. Generally, this book's list of trails, routes, and drives is great. I love that there is a synopsis of what each hike is like for each segment. It's great for preparedness/safety and hike preparation. I also really love the additional info on the Freemont culture, history of Fruita, etc. (although I wish that info were at the start of the book rather than buried in the middle). But there's too much on geology, which I find uninteresting. All that being said, I'm buying a second copy of this book now that the first copy has several pages falling out.

Indispensable if you are planning a backpacking trip to Capitol Reef. A lot of work has gone into writing this book.

Very detailed descriptions outlining many of the routes and hikes through Capitol Reef. As a photographer I especially appreciated the notes concerning the best time of day to visit based on morning or afternoon light!