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Average Customer Rating:

Very Highly Recommended

Customer Rating:

I initially encountered this book while perusing guides for my upcoming summer trip to Yosemite National Park. Since I began reading it, I have not wanted to put it down. It is a comprehensive, practically encyclopedic yet compact book on everything about Yosemite. I don't know how the author managed to pack so much valuable information into such a small source. The book begins with important and bare basics: a few introductory pages of beautiful glossy color photographs of attractions in the park, a park map, brief intro, a brief what to see and do guide (including average rainfall & temps for all months of the year), and then a color photograph section entitled 20 Things Not To Miss. The rest of the book then focuses on well-organized sections with pertinent information on everything from the basics of preparation and travelling with all groups such as children and those with disabilities, to the geology, flora, and fauna of the park. Anyone could figure out which are the best hikes for them and which things they could do in every season just by reading for a few minutes in these sections. What I love most is that there are black and white photographs of park landmarks and influential people, such as John Muir, peppered throughout the book, which further illuminate the awesome landscape and spectacular story of Yosemite. The reader gets to discover interesting gems about Yosemite throughout the book. This book makes it a joy to plan my trip because it takes the guesswork out of planning with its lists of who should bring what (and I have to plan for my entire family). Whether you love in-depth guides, like I do, with facts and photos about everything, or you just want a really good guidebook to accompany you on your visit to glance at now and then, this is the book for you. This book is recommended for the first-time visitor as well as repeat visitors (unless they know the park like the back of their hands). I think I would buy this book even if I wasn't going to Yosemite - it's that enjoyable and fun to read. Or maybe it's just that the park itself has such an awe-inspiring presence and history that reading anything about it is engrossing.