AN OUTDOOR FAMILY GUIDE TO YELLOWSTONE AND GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARKS, by Lisa Gollin Evans, Mountaineers Books, 2nd edition, softcover, 238 pages, $15.95.

There's nothing in the world quite like Yellowstone. Only 325 miles from Salt Lake City, it's a wonderland of unusual geothermal features. And next door is Grand Teton National Park with its forests, waterfalls and spectacular mountain scenery.

However, Yellowstone can be crowded in the short summer season. This little guidebook is an excellent aid to planning an efficient family visit.

Even though its author, an avid hiker, lives in Massachusetts, the book contains the secrets for 52 family outings in the Yellowstone/Grand Teton area.

Most of them are short hikes — but the book also showcases the details for a 4.5-mile paddle trip in a canoe around Jenny Lake, one of the most beautiful lakes on the planet — as well as bike rides and aqua adventures.

Also contained in the book are two terrific family outings in Yellowstone — Uncle Tom's Trail, a short descent into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone on mostly hundreds of metal stairs — and Boiling River, a dip into the warm portion of the Gardner River.

The author even adds some good advice on traveling with children:

"Allow children to lead the group," Evans writes. "When the novelty wears off, assign the lead role to another, rotating the honor among the youngsters."

She also suggests taking along magnifying glasses, binoculars and even sketchbooks for helping to keep children excited about the trail.

Difficulty of the trails ranges from easy to strenuous. For example, there's the half-mile, one-way, Schwabacher's Landing in Grand Teton or the much more strenuous 4.4-mile round-trip to Bunsen Peak in north Yellowstone — a 1,345-foot elevation climb.

Evans also outlines nine self-guided "safaris" in the region.

This easily packed guide contains places readers may not be aware of. For example, the "Mormon Row/Kelly Loop" in the Moose Junction area, is a 15-mile bicycle loop.

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