Naturalist's Guide to Canyon Country

Rating:
Summary: Excellent all-in-one guide
Review: "A Naturalist's Guide to the Canyon Country" is an excellent overview of the natural history of the Colorado Plateau, and especially valuable for first time visitors and amateur naturalists. When my sister brought her family to visit this past June, we consulted this book every hour of every day. The adults and the children all found it invaluable for both identifying plants and animals and learning something about their life history. No, the guide is not all-encompassing, but most of the major players are here. I especially appreciated the inclusion of the little guys- especially the beetles lizards! We also appreciated the extremely sturdy binding, which held up well against all of the abuses that a 9-year-old could think of.

Rating:
Summary: This comprehensive field guide lets you carry more water.
Review: "A Naturalist's Guide to Canyon Country" was a dream of mine throughout my nine years of working in Moab as a park ranger and author/naturalist. I was prompted to write because I found that other books gave the Colorado Plateau short shrift. As my pack grew heavier from carrying many books in order to get scant coverage of my terrain, I envisioned a comprehensive volume, centered on canyon country.

I had several goals in putting together this book. I wanted to reveal the often overlooked plants and animals of the region, as well as addressing the fragility of high desert ecosystems. Special close-ups on cryptobiotic soil crusts, desert varnish, pothole life and hanging gardens focus on aspects usually omitted from other desert-oriented books. I included humorous and arcane tidbits, quotations from authors like Steinbeck and Twain, whimsical observations from early naturalists, and information on the origins of plant names to make the book more than just a litany of facts.

With that odd synchronicity life sometimes imparts, my writing coincided with the interests of artist Gloria Brown. Her watercolors and pen-and-ink drawings elegantly illustrate the diversity, subtlety and beauty of the plants, animals and geology of the canyons. They bring the species to life in a way photos cannot and are so stunning you may want the book just to appreciate the artwork.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent all-in-one guide
Review: "A Naturalist's Guide to the Canyon Country" is an excellent overview of the natural history of the Colorado Plateau, and especially valuable for first time visitors and amateur naturalists. When my sister brought her family to visit this past June, we consulted this book every hour of every day. The adults and the children all found it invaluable for both identifying plants and animals and learning something about their life history. No, the guide is not all-encompassing, but most of the major players are here. I especially appreciated the inclusion of the little guys- especially the beetles lizards! We also appreciated the extremely sturdy binding, which held up well against all of the abuses that a 9-year-old could think of.

Rating:
Summary: A Naturalist's Guide to Canyon Country
Review: I have been visiting the four-corners every summer for 25 years and this is one of the most delightful books I have seen yet! In fact I just returned from my four-week summer 2000 trip and this Guide was my constant companion. Of the many guides and books I have collected over the years, this was the one that I carried in my Jeep, kept with me in my tent, and consulted on my hikes. As an academic biologist, I appreciate the accurate (and beautiful) paintings of the animals and plants that I routinely encounter on the Colorado Plateau. The selection of species is representative of those that a visitor will likely see.

And the one thing that distinguishes this guide from the many others I have is the inclusion of interesting, yet concise, information about the different species pictured. Many guides merely help identify, while this one tells you something about what is identified. Each night above my desert tent a common nighthawk performed as the Guide described: "While they dive and climb during courtship, wind moving across their wing feathers produces a 'booming' sound. This has led to another common name: bullblasts." So much better than just color, pattern, length, scientific name.

I have recommended this Guide already to anyone I know who is considering a first trip to the Colorado Plateau, and even to those who, as I have done, continue to visit canyon country every chance they get. The beautiful paintings alone are worth the price.

Rating:
Summary: A Naturalist's Guide to Canyon Country
Review: I have been visiting the four-corners every summer for 25 years and this is one of the most delightful books I have seen yet! In fact I just returned from my four-week summer 2000 trip and this Guide was my constant companion. Of the many guides and books I have collected over the years, this was the one that I carried in my Jeep, kept with me in my tent, and consulted on my hikes. As an academic biologist, I appreciate the accurate (and beautiful) paintings of the animals and plants that I routinely encounter on the Colorado Plateau. The selection of species is representative of those that a visitor will likely see.

And the one thing that distinguishes this guide from the many others I have is the inclusion of interesting, yet concise, information about the different species pictured. Many guides merely help identify, while this one tells you something about what is identified. Each night above my desert tent a common nighthawk performed as the Guide described: "While they dive and climb during courtship, wind moving across their wing feathers produces a 'booming' sound. This has led to another common name: bullblasts." So much better than just color, pattern, length, scientific name.

I have recommended this Guide already to anyone I know who is considering a first trip to the Colorado Plateau, and even to those who, as I have done, continue to visit canyon country every chance they get. The beautiful paintings alone are worth the price.

Rating:
Summary: Best single "naturalist" reference for canyon county...
Review: If you can only take one book with you to the Colorado Plateau, this is it! It covers all the basics--wildflowers, animals and geology, as well as clear information and illustrations on topics such as cryptobiotic soil, desert varnish, pothole life and hanging gardens. It also has information on cacti, wildflowers, reptiles, birds, mammals and their tracks. For an "all-in-one" type of book, this is fabulous. After years and a dozen backcountry trips to the San Rafael Swell area in Utah, this is the book we grab when we want more information. It is the only book we put in one of our packs when we go on a hike or mountain bike ride. On a recent trip with family members who have never been to the area-- the book was indispensible. As we came across hanging gardens, potholes, cryptobiotic soil, desert varnish, lizards, bats, cacti, and wildflowers-- this guide provided the information we wanted, and it explained everything much better and more concisely than we could have done. For people interested in detailed information on specific topics like wildflowers or reptiles, then a more comprehensive guide would be a good companion to "A Naturalist's Guide to Canyon Country". (If you want information on hiking or canyoneering, then I would recommend books by Steve Allen and Michael Kelsy.) If you are going to the Colorado Plateau, take this book with you.