A Field Guide to the Grand Canyon

Rating:
Summary: Concise, and yet thorough
Review: I agree with everything the previous reviewer said, except that I really like the overviews of Canyon geology and so on, and don't feel that those make to book too heavy to be useful as a field guide. This is probably the best and most informative guide for a hiker or visitor to the Grand Canyon to take along.

Rating:
Summary: The best all-around field guide to Grand Canyon.
Review: This is the most thorough traditional field guide to the Canyon, complete with pictures of flora and fauna for identification in the field. It's perfect for day hikes along the rim or packed on raft trips, but if you're going on a long canyon trek on foot you may find it a bit heavy to pack. The great number of pages devoted to an overview of history, basic geology, trails, etc. are not really necessary on the trail and I have even considered cutting all that extraneous material out, as the field guide portions are excellent, but I shrink from slicing up a good book! Steve, how about a two-volume set next time, one for the armchair and one for the trail? Though there is information about Canyon hiking routes, this is not a trail guide; you'll want to get Scott Thybony's or Sharon Spangler's book for that, or one of several others that are available. But it is valuable reading for anyone planning to spend time in one of our most magnificent parks, and certainly worth tossing into your suitcase, if not into your backpack.