Right off the top this book states that “the goal of National Parks is to protect and present outstanding
examples of Canada’s 39 natural regions and proudly offer travellers one of the
world’s greatest opportunities to connect with the grandeur and the intimacy of
nature and experience unforgettable moments of personal discovery.” Wow. Sign me up!
As one might expect from a publication by National
Geographic, the photographs are amazing, inspiring and make you want to grab
your backpack right this minute.
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There is no Table of Contents which at first was surprising,
but the guide is well laid out with coloured tabs on the page edges separating
Canada into six regions: Atlantic Provinces, Quebec & Ontario, Prairie
Provinces, Rockies, Pacific Rim and Far North.
Each region begins with a short introduction describing the topography
and what that particular region is best known for.
Each park is featured individually with detailed information
on how to get there as some parks require flight or rail access. You will find
a small map ( scale : 30 miles per inch ) of each park which doesn’t allow for
a lot of detail but does show lakes and rivers and offer a visual idea of the
topography. At any rate, as the parks are typically isolated, an interior trip
would need to include advance planning and detailed topography maps larger than
the book could possibly provide. Also listed for each park are: things to do, seasons and accessibility,
licensed tour operators, campgrounds and entrance fees, hotels and inns, points
of interest and what activities the park is best known for. If there is
something you need to know in order to be safe on your trip, special advisories
alert you. So whether you are a hiker,
cyclist, camper, photographer, kayaker, canoeist or just someone with an
appreciation for nature I am pretty sure you will be motivated to visit one of
these national gems if you pick up this book. You could easily use this book as
your only source to plan your trip entirely.
My one disappointment is the index. If you were looking for
a destination for biking, say, or hiking, you wouldn’t find it listed as the
index is comprised totally of the park names. This means if you want to know
which parks offer the best opportunity for your favourite activity, you will
need to thumb through each park section.
Finally, if you are a history buff, you will find a listing
of all the National Historic Sites of Canada in the back of the book. There is
little detail about the sites, however at the end of the listings you will find
the web address to Parks Canada for further information.
All in all, a very worthwhile book that I know you will
enjoy. Hopefully it inspires you to get out there and explore the beauty and
solitude of nature. We truly are lucky
to have parks such as these.
