DK National Parks of the USA (Travel Guide) Paperback – July 2, 2024

I love visiting the National Parks and I love DK books (I own over 30 of them). This travel guide is a compact but comprehensive presentation that covers all the National Parks conveniently and effectively.The 5” x 8 ½” book has 512 pages … so there is a lot of information presented in a small package. The first 40 pages introduce prospective travelers to the National Parks by providing an enticing list of reasons to visit them, a general summary of the system of parks and a historical timeline of the National Parks. This introduction is presented in the typical “DK Way” with plenty of eye-popping photos and condensed, informative, and interesting text. This section serves as an effective teaser and sets the tone for the park-specific information that comprises the bulk of this travel guide.The travel guide is organized geographically so parks in a designated region are lumped together. The geographic regions are each assigned a color and the upper edges of the pages for each region are colored for quick access to all parks in the designated region. The front cover flips out to show a map of the US showing all the regions in their assigned colors and the location of the National Parks. This makes it easier to access the contents of the books without referencing a table of contents or index. I found the geographic method convenient as it lets you plan to see if you can land in one location and see if it is feasible to visit multiple parks in proximity when planning a trip.Each chapter starts with the snippet of the map inside the front cover of the book so you can easily see which parks are in the chapter and see if visiting multiple parks is a feasible adventure. The first few pages provide a suggested day-to-day guide (5-7 days) that serves as a template for seeing the parks within the region being presented. I found this guide to be more of a discussion starter than an actual guide.I found the individual National Park information providing the most critical information to formulate a trip. The individual park summaries are chock full of tangible information presented in a simple and readily accessible format. The basics are covered: map, photos, park highlights, suggested places to eat and stay, as well as the park’s background or unique geographical traits. I particularly like the “if you have a day” insets that are designed to steer you a particular area or experience if you are short on time and passing through. The photos, inset details and concise nature of what this guide offers make it not only useful, but thoroughly enjoyable to simply relax and thumb through.I’ve always been a big fan of DK books; I think they offer some of the most informative and most beautiful presentations on the subjects covered. This travel guide is a superb resource to plan a trip to visit any (or all) of the National Parks.

This is an awesome book for anybody looking to explore nation parks, its also a fantastic coffee table book. Plenty of high quality pictures with detailed information of nearly all the parks in the nation. Also makes a great gift for anybody interested. Highly recommend!

This is a great pocket-sized (but not too small) book for getting inspired for your trip to various US National Parks but also with lots of great detail for each entry, such as opening days, websites, address, etc. The photos are wonderful for getting a real feel for where you want to visit, and the sample itineraries help you plan a possible trip by region or state. There are guided walks/hikes with detailed maps, but you would also need a hiking map collected beforehand or at the park itself to do these hikes. It is nice to have an idea of hiking ideas beforehand though in a book format. There are also featured driving tours with good maps as well. Where the book stands out is the variety of photos and inspiration of what you might want to do in each park, plus mini-descriptions of what makes each park and its features unique. I found the index a bit confusing, because California had a header and parks listed under it, but Utah did not have any header at all (and there are also multiple parks in Utah.) There is very little information about practicalities such as lodging and food - but this IS about National Parks. Most of them don't have any lodging or formal food in them. It would be great to have a few more recommendations for the larger parks. Most have only 1-2 at the very most. However, I do understand this is an expansive book covering areas of the entire USA.

This travel guide is an absolute must-have for anyone planning to explore America's beautiful parks. The book is well-organized and packed with useful information about each park, including hiking trails, must-see landmarks, best times to visit, and insider tips. The detailed maps and stunning photos really bring the parks to life and help you plan out your trip. I love how the guide covers a variety of parks, from the popular ones like Yellowstone and Yosemite to the lesser-known gems like Acadia and Zion. It’s clear that a lot of thought went into making this guide both comprehensive and easy to use. If you’re someone who loves the outdoors or is planning a National Parks road trip, I highly recommend this guide. It’s informative, inspiring, and sure to enhance your experience!

I’m a huge fan of the National Parks and have visited many, but would love to visit all of them. This book is a wonderful resource for anyone who is looking at planning a trip to parks in a region or even looking at which ones to visit for their interests. All the parks are included so it isn’t quite as comprehensive as a regional book would be, but it gives plenty of information about each park to get you started. The photographs are beautiful and really good representations of the parks. It gives a little history, outlines the most unique features and gives you great lists of must see sights and attractions. I really liked the “if you have a day” or “if you have a weekend” notes. I know I could look a lot of this up online, but it’s so nice to have a book that outlines all of it in one place. I highly recommend and wish I’d had this years ago!

This book is a really nice, concise guide to the National Parks. It is well written, nice color photos and is printed on quality stock. It gives you an overall idea of the best way to tour each park, what to expect and amenities in the area. Definitely a must have. The only drawback I can think of, if any, is that it would be nice to have an index in the back (or front), where you could easily look up a specific park and go right to that page. Instead, you have to look up the park by the region of the country its in, and then find it in that region. Please don't think of this as a major drawback. It's a really nice resource!