Yellowstone Treasures: The Traveler's Companion to the National Park

For each approach there is a full color map with icons symbolizing the main attractions, facilities, trails and so forth. The guide then takes you mile by fraction of mile with a description of the historical, geological and natural features you will encounter. There is also a historical chronology, a discussion of the wildlife, an chapter on the 1998 fires, and a lot of useful travel phone numbers and tips.

The inset maps, pictures, and sidebar stories are wonderfully presented-- when you look at this book you will be drooling to visit the Park! It is beautiful, and the solid fund of information makes it a good buy at only twenty bucks. The geologic explanations are particularly neat.

This is a guide that will suit educated visitors (and daydream wanderers) who have want to know the story behind the major and minor sights. You may need a more tourist oriented guide if you want detailed info on in-park and near-park lodgings and places to eat. Death in Yellowstone: Accidents and Foolhardiness in the First National Park by Lee H. Whittlesey would make a fine counterpart to Yellowstone Treasures.


extremely comprehensive guide through the park   January 9, 2005
Laura Hazen (Northville, MI USA)
12 out of 13 found this review helpful

This book will take you through the park and list each (hundreds of) potentially interesting items with a clear description of where they are found. I would recommend reading this book prior to visiting Yellowstone and highlighting those items that you would like to see. Then having your passenger follow along with the book as you drive, alerting you when you approach one of the items that you have highlighted.


A beautiful guidebook   July 8, 2002
Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful

"Yellowstone Treasures: The Traveler's Companion to the National Park" by Janet Chapple is a magnificent catalogued resource to the full enjoyment of a huge national park and area known as Yellowstone. The author has extensive knowledge and experience in exploring the beauties of the area. She says, "I hiked on all the trails I recommend, some of them several times... they are ways to get away from crowds and enjoy the Yellowstone that not everyone sees." Also contributing to the geological history chapter as well as the many informative geological sidebars of "Yellowstone Treasures" is Bruno Giletti, Professor Emeritus of Geological Sciences at Brown University, and also Chapple's spouse. "Yellowstone Treasures" is divided into road logs and destinations by six sections: the Northwest Section (containing the famous geyser Old Faithful), the Bechler region, the Southern Section, the Eastern Section, the Northeastern Section, and the Northern Section. Each chapter has large and clearly illustrated colored maps, as well as copious color photographs of stunning sites. In addition there follows follow chapters on Natural and Human History in Yellowstone, with a Chronology of Yellowstone since 1800, and Living Things: a Yellowstone Sampler. Chapple helps the reader contemplate the enormous task of navigating the logistics of the park, a staggeringly huge area, by recommending 58 short walks, listing facilities in Yellowstone, campgrounds, and recommended Yellowstone books and maps.

Altogether, Yellowstone Treasures fills an ongoing need for new generations of park explorers and appreciators. She has spent much of her life becoming better acquainted with the riches of the area and she is generously sharing her knowledge with this beautiful guidebook. It is not to be missed.

Nancy Lorraine
Reviewer


Exceptional Yellowstone guide   October 3, 2003
Suzanne (Rhode Island, USA)
10 out of 11 found this review helpful

Yellowstone Treasures, by Janet Chapple, is the key to appreciating this beautiful park. Because the book is organized into Road Logs, wherever you are you read about what's coming up next: geological phenomena, animals, trees, flowers, trail heads, lakes and human history are all included. The maps are clear, plentiful, accurate and useful. Each section is amply expanded with information boxes about things such as how geysers work, how terraces are built, how the names of places were chosen, petrified trees, geological mysteries, etc. The chapters on geological phenomena, human history, flora and fauna are a gold mine of information. Take the book with you, but look at the website http://www.yellowstonetreasures.com/ well beforehand, because it is also a treasure. We were never without this book during our visit.