Utah Books

Everything you need to know about Utah is in this book.
Well, not everything. But it's a great place to start.
Look up a town, canyon, mesa, river, or county, and this will tell you how it got its name.
It's well-organized, well-written, and just plain fun to read.
...Some of the book's information is questionable, but history is always kind of uncertain, especially when you come to the sort of isolated desert areas that cover so much of Utah.
For instance, the book says "Sweet Alice Springs" got its name from an area Indian maiden that would offer her body to the local cowboys, but Ned Chaffin--an old-time cowboy himself--has said it was named after a song "Sweet Alice" that a tone-deaf friend of his tried to sing while they were out riding the range.
The author also suggests that a rancher named John Kitchen named the slickrock butte known as "Mollies Nipple" after his wife, when that place name was actually already on maps long before John Kitchen ever moved there.
All that's neither here nor there though, because this book is a great read, and a must for anyone who lives or travels in Utah.

Quite a few states have place name books, but I've never seen one better than this one (only Attwood's "Length and Breadth of Maine" comes close). Locations, both man-made (towns, dams, etc.) and natural, are listed in alphabetical order; then the county in which each can be found along with it's name origin are given. Usually this is as far as books like this go, but Van Cott gives us much more. Sometimes a little history of the location is related, and then, best of all, the section, township, and range is given, making it easy (or at least easier) to pinpoint the sites specifically on maps or in the field. Finally, each place name is referenced to books listed in a 600+ item bibliography.

Van Cott has covered all the bases that need to be covered in this great book. If you're interested in how places were named (how Faust in Tooele County, for example, was named after Doc Faust who operated the Pony Express station there) or exactly where places are located, especially ghost towns (Faust is at the south end of Rush Valley, S27, T7S, R5W), or both, this book is your best source. The listings run double-column for over 400 pages, and it appears to be thorough but not complete: I have come across old towns in post office listings from the 1800s not listed (Shem, Millersburgh, and Panaca, all from Washington County, for example). Despite the omissions, it's a great achievement and a marvelous tool for anyone interested in (most of) Utah's place names and locations.

I,ve floated and fished the Green for over 20 years and one of my great joys is listening to the tales and advice from great guides such as Dennis Breer and Emmitt Heath. Dennis has put his love and knowledge of this great river into a concise,informative, yet poetic read. Dennis' book will make you a better fisherman in general and, certainly better prepared to match wits with the Green's great trout. The fly tying instructions with color plates are well done and and a necessity to"match the hatch". Sit back and enjoy the Green from your den or get ready to experience the magnificent Green River canyon.

I,ve floated and fished the Green for over 20 years and one of my great joys is listening to the tales and advice from great guides such as Dennis Breer and Emmitt Heath. Dennis has put his love and knowledge of this great river into a concise,informative, yet poetic read. Dennis' book will make you a better fisherman in general and, certainly better prepared to match wits with the Green's great trout. The fly tying instructions with color plates are well done and and a necessity to"match the hatch". Sit back and enjoy the Green from your den or get ready to experience the magnificent Green River canyon.

This is a beautiful book with color pictures and wonderful detail. This book is worthwhile reading even if you don't hike, you can be an armchair hiker and learn about all the beautiful places Utah has to offer. I bought it for my son and now it is on my want list.

I have been hiking Utah's trails for many years, and I am always looking for new places to explore. I have already looked through most of Utah's other hiking guides, and I have to tell you that this one is without a doubt the best one out there. It is informative, easy to read, the maps are excellent, and, most of all, the color photographs that illustrate the trails will blow you away. It is a little more expensive than the other guides, but definately worth it!

A superbly organized and profusely illustrated to Alpine, Nordic, and Telemark skiing, along with several other increasingly winter sports such as snowboarding, "Utah: The Complete Ski & Snowboard Guide" by skiing and winter sports enthusiast Michael Fine provides the reader with all the information necessary to enjoy memorable winter athletic activities whether as a recreational weekend or part of an extended winter vacation in the mountains and high valleys of Utah. Accessible organized to be thoroughly 'user friendly', aspiring skiers and winter sports recreationists will learn of each major Utah resorts' terrain type, as well as such amenities as restaurants, rentals, transport, and more. Thirteen Utah destination resorts are showcased and range from the Alta Mountain Resort to the Wolf Mountain Resort. "Utah: The Complete Ski & Snowboard Guide" will prove an invaluable, essential itinerary planning resource for enjoying Utah's winter sports resources and opportunities.

The author actually went to every single resort in Utah last year and wrote about his experiences. Mike Fine is a long-time Utah resident and an avid skier. The book is very helpful for non-Utah resident skiers at any level to find a resort that will give them the most of what they want out of a skiing vacation. It's even helpful to a local seeking a day trip to a ski resort he either hasn't tried, or has not been to for a long time. It's an absolute must for anyone looking to ski in Utah.

I work at the Rose Shop, a nursery and flower shop in Sandy, Utah. Drought resistant plants are one of our specialties. This book is fantastic for our area. I have as many books on this subject as I can find and this is my favorite. The price is a little higher but I highly recommend it. Don't wait on this one. It is well worth it. I couldn't put it down. I want a second copy for the nursery.

This is a great coffee table book with gorgeous photographs but also one that is very usable in terms of moving toward a lawn/garden that is much more efficient in terms of water. Given that water will be a continuing concern in the West, it's a timely publication.

I love this book. An adventure between a father and his son. I started using this book after my white water rafting trip. The descriptions and pictures are excellent for children of all ages. Excellent for readers and writers workshops.

I read the book White Water. It's about a thirteen year old boy whose name is Greg. His parents have been divorced ever since he was little.

This weekend it was his dad's turn. They went white water rafting. Greg didn't want to go and his mom wasn't going to make him. He ended up going and his step brother came along too. (He does not like his step brother.)

When they arrive at the rafting house, they learn all about rafing. Then they start to go down the river. When they start their trip, everything goes wrong. His dad gets bitten by a rattle snake and almost dies. They also lose the raft.

If you like adventure you should read White Water. There are a lot of twists and turns. It kept me turing the page. Read this book to find out what happens to Greg, James, and their father.

Wild weekends in Utah is the best guide I have found for short weekend trips. This book provides excellent reviews of each possible excursion and great safety tips and difficulty ratings to help determine who may or may not be appropriate to bring along with you. Excursion time frames are useful and help know which trips can be hit in one, two or three days.

I have lived in Utah for over 20 years. During that time I have hiked, backpacked, paddled, skied, biked, swam, and crawled through much of the incredible backcountry this state has to offer. I have done these adventures with skilled outdoor enthusiasts as well as young children. I have never seen a book that covers a wider variety of trips and it happens to contain many of my favorites. Use this book to plan your vacation or if you live in Utah make a goal to complete each trip in the book over the next five years and you are guaranteed to have some of the greatest experiences of your life. The book is an amazingly complete guidebook as well as an informative natural history guide. It is obvious that Lori has a love for outdoor adventure as well as a strong commitment to conservation. Enjoy the book but more importantly use the book to help you enjoy Utah.

I am a big fan of Ann Zwinger and of the Four Corners region. This book recreates the experience of walking through the canyons of southeastern Utah showing that despite surface similarities--each is unique and special. The book is enriched with her drawings of flowers and animals.

This is a book that took me almost a year to read because I made myself ration my intake like it was a private hoard of maple syrup or 100 year old brandy. I have visited Southeast Utah for years and this book captures the essence of the unique canyon country wilderness. It is an experience in the small and personal; the opposite of driving up to a view point, jumping out of your SUV, taking a picture and leaving.

For anyone who loves this country, this book is a return trip. For anyone who wonders how anyone could be interested preserving this "hot, dry, and dusty place," this may be the book that tells you.

Our family read this series. We thoroughly enoyed this series.
I felt like the author took us in with the family and we became apart of their family. It was like being with them when Bro. Thomas had to let his children grow up and make their mistakes.
We hurt for them when they hurt. When they were seperated by war and his mission. Gene's captivity in the war and all he went through. To find out he was still alive was such a relief.
I was so excited to find out Mr. Hughes started his new series.
I just ordered Vol. #1 today. I can't wait for it to arrive.

I loved this book! The charactors seem so real, and I learned a bunch of stuff about the 60's I didn't know before. If you like historical fiction, romance, and action, this is the book for you. I would recomend it to any teen looking for a good book.

Accurate and clear trail guide with GPS coordinates defined. This is the best trail maps/books I've used.