COLLETTE VACATIONS

National Parks of the West

READING AND TRAVEL GUIDE

Enrich your travels with reading! Here's a hand-picked list prepared for your journey in conjunction with the book experts at Longitude.

Essential Reading

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National Geographic Guide to the National Parks of the United States

National Geographic Guide to the National Parks of the United States

by

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 480 PAGES

The fifth edition of this compact guide to 58 National Parks, shows National Geographic's usual attention to color maps and photographs. (USA35, $26.00)

Timeless: A National Parks Odyssey

by David Fortney

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2002
  • DVD

Fortney's mix of aerial, still, and time lapse photography is put to marvelous use in this captivating journey across 18 national parks. (USA149, $14.99)

The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons

The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons

by John Wesley Powell

  • EXPLORATION
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 397 PAGES

The classic tale of adventure and exploration of the rivers and canyonlands of the Colorado Plateau, originally published in 1875 -- and still terrific reading for any traveler to the Grand Canyon. (USW80, $16.00)

Desert Solitaire

Desert Solitaire

by Edward Abbey

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 1990
  • PAPER
  • 303 PAGES
  • FAVORITE

One of the great works on the value of the desert, eloquent and laugh-out-loud funny. Although Abbey writes specifically about his experiences as a ranger at Arches National Park outside Moab, Utah, his message is universal. (DES02, $7.99)

Lost in My Own Backyard

Lost in My Own Backyard

by Tim Cahill

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2004
  • HARD COVER
  • 160 PAGES

Cahill mixes tales of walks, hikes and treks with history, lore and gee-whiz wonder in this celebration of America's first national park. (USW430, $16.95)

 
Bryce Canyon National Park Map

Bryce Canyon National Park Map


by Trails Illustrated

  • MAP

A detailed map of Bryce Canyon at a scale of 1:37,000. (USW143, $11.95)

Grand Canyon National Park Map 207

Grand Canyon National Park Map 207


by Trails Illustrated

  • 2009
  • MAP

A detailed hiker's map (1:35,000) of Colorado River miles 60-98, perfect for those hiking to Bright Angel and Indian Gardens campgrounds. (USW332, $11.95)

Grand Teton National Park Map

Grand Teton National Park Map


by Trails Illustrated

  • MAP

A detailed topographic map of Grand Teton National Park. (USW34, $11.95)

Yellowstone National Park Map

Yellowstone National Park Map


by Trails Illustrated

  • 2011
  • MAP

A visitor's overview map of the park at a scale of 1:126,000 with good topographic relief. (USW32, $11.95)

Zion National Park Map

Zion National Park Map


by Trails Illustrated

  • MAP

A detailed map of Zion National Park at a scale of 1:38,000. (USW144, $11.95)

Insight Guide U.S. National Parks West

Insight Guide U.S. National Parks West


by Insight Guides

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 413 PAGES

This superb guide offers a thoroughly illustrated, informative overview of the national parks of the western United States, including Arches, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Zion, the Grand Canyon and the Petrified Forest. (USW181, $24.99)

Lonely Planet Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks

Lonely Planet Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks


by Bradley Mayhew | Carolyn McCarthy

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 288 PAGES

With personality and local savvy, Montana residents Bradley Mayhew and Carolyn McCarthy cover the practicalities of where to go and what to do. With more photographs, detailed itineraries, family-friendly options, suggested hikes, two-color maps and a good overview of natural history. (USW438, $19.99)

Moon Handbook Grand Canyon

Moon Handbook Grand Canyon


by Bill Weir

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 232 PAGES

A handy, practical guide to the Grand Canyon and nearby regions, this book is a good resource for planning a trip, featuring extensive, up-to-date listings, maps and other background information. (SWU175, $17.95)

Moon Handbook Zion and Bryce

Moon Handbook Zion and Bryce


by W.C. McRae

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 298 PAGES

A practical guide to traveling and hiking in Utah's Zion and Bryce National Parks, with shorter sections on nearby Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Escalante. (SWU181, $17.95)

Yellowstone, A Visitor's Companion

Yellowstone, A Visitor's Companion


by George Wuerthner

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 1992
  • PAPER
  • 218 PAGES

A handbook to the geology, ecology, wildlife and plants of Yellowstone. With photographs, a bird list, and brief field guide with black-and-white drawings. (USW54, $15.95)

Do (Not) Feed the Bears, The Fitful History of Wildlife and Tourists in Yellowstone

Do (Not) Feed the Bears, The Fitful History of Wildlife and Tourists in Yellowstone


by Alice Wondrak Biel

  • HISTORY
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 200 PAGES

Biel goes beyond Yogi and Smokey, showing changing attitudes toward the bears from the 19th-century up to current conservation policy. (SWU465, $15.95)

Hear That Train Whistle Blow!, How the Railroad Changed the World


by Milton Meltzer

  • HISTORY
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 176 PAGES
  • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12)

Metzer explains how the advent of rail travel has influenced almost every aspect of society. For readers aged 9-12. (USW493, $8.95)

How the Canyon Became Grand, A Short History

How the Canyon Became Grand, A Short History


by Stephen J. Pyne

  • HISTORY
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 199 PAGES

The history of the idea and allure of the Grand Canyon, and its transformation from worthless real estate to marvel of nature. (USW76, $15.00)

Nothing Like it in the World, The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad, 1863-1869


by Stephen Ambrose

  • HISTORY
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 416 PAGES

Ambrose uses his considerable skill as a writer and his experience as a biographer to capture the energy, spirit and verve required to build the railroad. An admiring, enthusiastic account. (USW224, $18.00)

The Spirit of Yellowstone

The Spirit of Yellowstone


by Judith L. Meyer | Vance Howard

  • HISTORY
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 144 PAGES

An engaging, scholarly history of Yellowstone and its place in America's imagination, covering the establishment of the park, geography, wildlife, and more. Complemented by color photographs, archival illustrations and maps. (RKY25, $19.95)

Beyond the Hundredth Meridian, John Wesley Powell and the Second Opening of the West

Beyond the Hundredth Meridian, John Wesley Powell and the Second Opening of the West


by Wallace Stegner

  • EXPLORATION
  • 1992
  • PAPER
  • 438 PAGES

The classic, Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of explorer John Wesley Powell by the great Wallace Stegner, first published in 1954. It's both an adventure and an insightful look at the politics of development in the American West. (USW78, $17.00)

Grand Canyon, Travelers' Tales

Grand Canyon, Travelers' Tales


by James O'Reilly | Larry Habegger

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 281 PAGES

A diverse collection of excellent stories and essays on the nature, history and people of the Grand Canyon. Organized by topic, the selection includes Barry Lopez, Terry Tempest Williams, Ann Zwinger, Colin Fletcher, Edward Abbey and other greats. (USW333, $17.95)

Wapiti Wilderness

Wapiti Wilderness


by Margaret Murie | Olaus Murie

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 302 PAGES

Margaret and her biologist husband (who did the illustrations for the book) write of a winter, and especially the elk, at a ranch in Jackson Hole. They alternate chapters, mixing tales of work as a field biologist with stories of life in the region, where they lived for 37 years. (USW68, $24.95)

The Best of the West, An Anthology of Classic Writing from the American West

The Best of the West, An Anthology of Classic Writing from the American West


by Tony Hillerman

  • ANTHOLOGY
  • 1992
  • PAPER
  • 528 PAGES

A campfire collection of unforgettable portraits of the West, this anthology takes in travelers, homesteaders, Navajos, government officials, pioneers and authors as diverse as Meriwether Lewis, John Steinbeck and Edward Abbey. (USW87, $18.99)

The Laughing Boy

The Laughing Boy


by Oliver La Farge

  • LITERATURE
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 193 PAGES

An ethnographer and archaeologist, La Farge captures the flavor of the landscapes and ways of life in Northern Arizona in the early 20th century in this Pulitzer Prize-winning short novel. (USW240, $12.95)

A Naturalist's Guide to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park

A Naturalist's Guide to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park


by Frank C. Craighead, Jr.

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 208 PAGES

A memoir and classic natural history of the wildlife of Jackson Hole and the Tetons by a celebrated local biologist, organized week-by-week throughout the year. (SWU168, $18.95)

Bryce Canyon, The Story Behind the Scenery


by John Bezy

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 64 PAGES

A concise guide to the natural history of Bryce Canyon, accompanied by full color photography. (USW587, $11.95)

Decade of the Wolf, Returning the Wild to Yellowstone

Decade of the Wolf, Returning the Wild to Yellowstone


by Douglas Smith | Gary Ferguson

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

Biologist Smith (Yellowstone Wolf Recovery Project) and nature writer Ferguson look at the 10 years since the re-introduction of wolves to Yellowstone. (RKY90, $16.95)

Downcanyon, A Naturalist Explores the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon

Downcanyon, A Naturalist Explores the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon


by Ann Zwinger

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 1995
  • PAPER
  • 320 PAGES

A vivid overview of the Grand Canyon and Colorado River, from Mile 0 at Lees Ferry to Mile 278 at Grand Wash Fault. Zwinger interweaves geology, plants, animals and human history in her account. (USW11, $19.95)

Our National Parks, Celebrating America's Natural Splendor

Our National Parks, Celebrating America's Natural Splendor


by Time Life

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 1993
  • HARD COVER

The photographers and writers at Life magazine to celebrate national parks from Maine's Acadia to California's Redwoods. (USA355, $19.95)

Rising from the Plains

Rising from the Plains


by John McPhee

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 1986
  • PAPER
  • 213 PAGES

McPhee's elegant and accessible essays show the geology the Rockies though his travels with U.S. Geological Survey scientist David Love. (USW18, $16.00)

Searching For Yellowstone, Ecology and Wonder in the Last Wilderness

Searching For Yellowstone, Ecology and Wonder in the Last Wilderness


by Paul D. Schullery

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 335 PAGES

An engaging social and environmental history of Yellowstone from the Pleistocene to the present focusing on the park since its founding in 1872. Schullery has worked in Yellowstone as a ranger, a historian and the chief of cultural resources. (USW59, $19.95)

The Grizzly Bear

The Grizzly Bear


by Thomas McNamee

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 314 PAGES
  • OUT OF PRINT

A natural history of "ursus arctos horribilis" -- lyrical, well written and provocative. An appropriate introduction to the beast for anyone traveling to grizzly country. McNamee also wrote "The Return of the Wolf to Yellowstone." (BST39, $16.95)

Travelers Guide to the Geology of the Colorado Plateau


by Donald L. Baars

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 296 PAGES

A clearly written survey of the geology of the Four Corners region. (SWU32, $25.00)

Windows into the Earth, The Geologic Story of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks

Windows into the Earth, The Geologic Story of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks


by Robert B. Smith | Lee J. Siegel

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 240 PAGES

A geologic history and tour of the northern Rockies, particularly Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. With an outstanding overview of the geologic formation of the region and 50 color photographs. (USW356, $29.95)

Zion Canyon, A Storied Land

Zion Canyon, A Storied Land


by Greer K. Chesher

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 96 PAGES

Chesher, a park ranger and longtime resident of the region, brings a personal and in-depth perspective to Zion Canyon, examining its geological wonders, ecology and the interplay between the landscape and its human settlers. (USW502, $14.95)

A Field Guide to the Grand Canyon

A Field Guide to the Grand Canyon


by Stephen Whitney

  • FIELD GUIDE
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 268 PAGES

A compact guide to the natural history of the Grand Canyon with 71 handsome color plates, maps and illustrations. (USW06, $19.95)

A Naturalist's Guide to Canyon Country

A Naturalist's Guide to Canyon Country


by David Williams | Gloria Brown

  • FIELD GUIDE
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 188 PAGES

A compact field guide to the wildlife of the high desert of the Colorado Plateau and the nine national parks of the region. Williams includes an overview of the history, geology and ecology of the high desert along with basic information on identifying common plants and animals. (USW289, $22.95)

The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America

The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America


by David Sibley

  • FIELD GUIDE
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 474 PAGES

A compact, geographically specific version of the Sibley Guide with all-new range maps, the same glorious illustrations and expanded, extremely valuable descriptions of each bird. (USW418, $19.95)

Yellowstone Wildlife

Yellowstone Wildlife


by Pocket Naturalist

  • FIELD GUIDE
  • 2006
  • PLASTIC CARD

This handy plastic card illustrates the birds, mammals, fishes, amphibians and reptiles of Yellowstone. We also carry Yellowstone Trees & Wildflowers. (Item USW501) (RKY88, $5.95)

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