Hiking Wyoming's Cloud Peak Wilderness

Rating:
Summary: Poor book but all there is
Review: I did several hikes in the Bighorn Mountains recently, including 3-day and 1-day hikes in the Cloud Mountain Wilderness. I used this book to pick which hikes to go on, and got average results. There are several reasons (1) the Cloud Mountain Wilderness is part of Bighorn National Forest, but the book doesn't list any of the hikes in the rest of the national forest (why not?) (2) it gives poor maps (3) it gives poor descriptions of what to expect of the scenery (4) The author does not appear to be a local (why not?), but rather a travel writer of some sort.

I would give it a 3 star rating if it had the other lackings but listed other Bighorn national forest hikes (even only the good ones), but, as it was, this was ridiculous. It needs a major overhaul. On the other hand, it gets 2 stars rather than 1 star because it is the only thing out there, and I give the author credit for leading the way. A tip - if you buy the book, you won't want it once you're done with it - leave it at the trailhead in the registration boxes for the next person to come along.

Rating:
Summary: A Useful Tool
Review: I live in Wyoming within 40 miles of the Cloud Peak Wilderness Area, and have been hiking in it off and on for the past 20 years. On the hikes I've taken since purchasing the book, I found Mr. Molvar's guide useful. The trail descriptions and ratings are accurate for the hikes I've compared to the text, and the author has a clear easy to read style.

I recommend this book. It will not take the place of a detailed map or tell all that one may discover on a particular hike, but it is a useful tool.

Rating:
Summary: A focused book for a unique range
Review: I lived in the Buffalo, WY area for ten years and bought this book to help plan a "homecoming" backpacking trip from afar. Erik Molvar's book covers all the classic trails in the Cloud Peak Wilderness area. In addition, the last half of the book covers hikes in the Big Horn Mountains outside the interior wilderness area. Apparently one reviewer who is not from the area missed this fact. This book is an excellent introduction to the Big Horn Mountains and will guide you through the marvelous scenery of one the the West's least visited but truly unique mountain ranges.

Rating:
Summary: A focused book for a unique range
Review: I lived in the Buffalo, WY area for ten years and bought this book to help plan a "homecoming" backpacking trip from afar. Erik Molvar's book covers all the classic trails in the Cloud Peak Wilderness area. In addition, the last half of the book covers hikes in the Big Horn Mountains outside the interior wilderness area. Apparently one reviewer who is not from the area missed this fact. This book is an excellent introduction to the Big Horn Mountains and will guide you through the marvelous scenery of one the the West's least visited but truly unique mountain ranges.