Backpacking Idaho

This guide list 24 hikes in detail, and an addition 9 are briefly covered. Each is accompanied by a sketch map indicating connecting trails, water, switchbacks and camping sites. Ratings of scenery, solitude and difficulty, and distance, duration, and elevation gain are listed numerically at the very beginning. Time of year when open, and when best to visit, are given with brief rules, contacts, permits required, USGS maps. Then there is a brief summary of the pros and cons. Detailed directions on getting to the trailhead follow. There is a short introduction and then a detailed description of the trail -- longer than average and with embedded tips. For multi-day tripls there is a possible itinerary listed, and variations are given.I haven't yet tried any of the described trails, so can't comment on the accuracy.

This book is so well organized that it should be used as a template for other guide book writers. At the beginning of the book, there is an excellent chart summarizing all the hikes by scenary, solitude, difficulty, days to complete, miles, elevation gain and time of year to hike. This makes it easy to narrow down the hikes you want to attempt! While these are somewhat subjective catagories, it is still useful to have the writers input, especially when you are planning a trip to a new location. All guide books should strive to be as organized and informative as this guide book! If you are going to hike in Idaho I highly recommend this book. (Review regarding 2010 version).

Idaho backpacking trips are listed and graded by area, time of year (based on snow melted off) difficulty and length. This is very helpful. Detailed descriptions are provided, along with helpful hints. Some of the trips are very long and difficult (50 miles or more). Others are a bit more tame.Overall a good selection of trips to take, and the author tried to give the ones he feels represent the best of each region of the state.

This book gave me a lot of the information I needed to start planning my Idaho backpacking trip. I would have liked to see more information about fishing, but there was a little bit. And the book was never advertised as a fishing book.

This is a great book with a lot of great hike. Thought the book is for "backpacking" meaning that all the hikes in it are about 3 to 5 day longs and therefore require some knowledge to do them safely. But it's a must have if you want to discover some of the great wilderness places we have in Idaho.

Good book that covers many areas of the state. Well written with a ton of good tips

This may work well for someone who knows the area, but I found it to be a bit confusing. It isn't organized in a way that I could easily find the trails that I want to take.

Very well written book with tons of useful info about the trails. We have several more books by Douglas Lorain which we love.