Few places offer the hiking opportunities available right here in the Wasatch. Hundreds of miles of trails and three Wilderness Areas are within a few minutes’ drive of Salt Lake City. John Veranth has hiked all these trails and has written a comprehensive guidebook with hiking suggestions arranged by season and difficulty.

Beginners will find detailed descriptions of easy hikes on well-maintained trails. Challenging routes to seldom-visited cirques and summits are suggested for the expert.

Maps, photos, and line drawings accompany the trail descriptions. Data tables list distances and hiking times. The geology, native plants, human history, and contemporary issues are discussed to aid in understanding these wonderful mountains. 

John Veranth is president of the Wasatch Mountain Club and an avid hiker. His love of mountains prompted him years ago to move from the East Coast to Utah; he has been exploring the Wasatch ever since. When not outdoors, he works as a research associate professor at the University of Utah, where he studies the health effects of fine particles in the air.