Utah is loaded with classic hiking trails. From the deserts to the south and the mountains of the north, there are so many hikes to choose from it’s tough to narrow them all down for a weekend trip. But a new guide book, 100 Classic Hikes: Utah, narrows down the thousands of hikes in the state to the best of the best.
Written by local writer, Julie Trevelyan, and published by Mountaineers Books, 100 Classic Hikes: Utah covers the whole state, from National Parks and Monuments, winderness areas, state parks, and all the best summit top-outs in the mountains down to slot canyons in red rock country.
The book is chock full of essential info for planning either a day hike or a backpacking adventure. For each hike it details roundtrip mileage, hiking time, elevation gain, difficulty, best season, and contact info for local agencies. Driving directions, hike descriptions, photos and detailed topo maps round it out.
To see how valuable this book can be for hikers in Utah, I read over some of the hikes I’ve already done myself. Overall, there’s almost too much information about each hike. Many hiking books of old give readers a very generalized description of a hike with a less-than-detailed map. But Trevelyan has clearly gone the extra mile, writing several paragraphs about each hike, regardless of whether it’s a short day jaunt or a several-day epic.
Another thing that makes this book stand out is the quality. Full-color photos, heavy paper stock, and glossy pages – all add up to a book that you’d rather keep on your coffee table instead of the dashboard of the Subaru. The book would live well in both locations where you can pick it up anytime to choose a hike for the day, or to research hikes for an upcoming long weekend.
The Good: Very detailed, color photos, topo maps, features hikes for every ability across the state.
The Bad: A quality book like this is too heavy to throw in the pack and bring along. You’ll have to use the copy machine at work.
Final Word: 100 Classic Hikes: Utah is a welcome addition to any hiker’s guide book library.
You can purchase 100 Classic Hikes: Utah now from Mountaineers Books.