Zion & Bryce Canyon National Parks

by David Lukas, Lonely Planet, John A. Vlahides

Wild, vast and rugged, Zion and Bryce Canyon are among America's most dramatic national parks, filled with towering cliffs, hanging gardens and a riot of surreal, rainbow-striped rock formations. Whether you want to hike narrow slot canyons or admire stunning views, our indispensable guide will help you explore these desert jewels, plus the best of southern Utah's other parklands.
Rock On - view spires, arches, bridges and hoodoos, and learn what forces created this eerie desert landscape
Get Active - hiking, canyoneering, mountain biking, rock climbing, river rafting, horseback riding and more
Explore Further - with chapters on Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Arches National Parks, plus Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and the outdoor mecca of Moab
Kid Around - recommended sights, activities and accommodations for the whole family
Rest Easy - camp under the stars, pamper yourself at a luxury resort or bed down at a working horse ranch

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Reference

296 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2005

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Overview of the Area

My sister and I plan to go on a hiking trip in these parks in the near future, so I was a little disappointed with the lack hiking-specific material, but the book was a great overall look at all sorts of offerings in the area, especially for food and lodging. In the end, it was good starting point in our research for our trip and I'm happy to have read the book.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty standard for a guide book. I'm neither impressed nor disappointed. The lonely planet format is familiar, but I kind of want something different. I really want to hike in Zion and Bryce Canyon. This guide has lightweight information on hikes. There are short descriptions of day hikes, a tiny blurb about the back country, and not much else.

I am also suspicious of the lonely planet time estimates on distances. They seem to be using the Rick Steves, old lady speed, when determining how long something takes. I'll test it when I go.

[Selenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covers more than just Zion and Bryce. A good starter book for planning a trip to southern Utah, but outdated--one of the hikes listed in Zion no longer exists due to the trail being wiped out by a landslide in 2019 and some of the restaurants listed have closed due to COVID. Doesn't give heavy details on hikes; more like a list of things to do.

TLDR: this should be just one of many guides you consult when doing an excursion to these areas

[Ana Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This well documented guide is written in an easy to read order. It has many tips, recommendations, maps, ideas, options of accommodations, transportation, and even what to wear according to the weather, where to eat, where to buy, it is perfect for planning a trip and it includes experiences that you can do according to different interests. I liked it and think I will use it even after I've read it.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful insider tips, nicely laid out

I was looking for something to help decide which trails to do with our family and this laid them out well. Good insider tips like "vegetarians might want to pack a cooler of food" at Bryce due to the lack of restaurants and food choice. Glad I got this guide.

[Stephen Chase · Rating 1 out of 5]

The worst national parks ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Michelle Spano · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Richard Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strong guide on hikes and other outdoor activities.

[Mira Mehesz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lonely Planet is the best in travel books, honestly

[Zack · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took 3 guidebooks to Southern Utah and this was the only one I used. It not only has Zion and Bryce but info on all of the other parks in Southern Utah (which is a lot). Exactly what i needed to know what would be fun, and helped me set my agendas.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Standard travel guide fare. Good information on where to find information once you're there and a lot of recommended hikes. It would be helpful to understand how they grade the difficulty of a hike (easy, easy-moderate, moderate, difficult, technical).

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This publication was a huge help in planning our Utah Road trip.