Book excerpt: Be inspired by the new edition of Insight Guide US National Parks West, a comprehensive full-colour guide to these awe-inspiring wild spaces. Immense glaciers, soaring redwood forests and desert river canyons are only a sample of what the western US national parks have to offer and Insight Guides' unrivalled coverage of natural and cultural history provides an essential introduction to them. Stunning photographs on every page will take you on a journey through parks in California and the Pacific region, the Southwest, the Rockies and the Northwest. Our Best Of US National Parks West highlights the top places to see, including the iconic Grand Canyon, granite peaks and river valley of Yosemite, and geothermal hot springs and geysers of Yellowstone. Lively features by a local writer cover a diverse range of subjects: the parks' founding fathers, photographing nature and grizzly bears, among others. All major sights are cross-referenced with full-colour maps, while the travel tips section provides a handy at-a-glance guide to planning a trip to every national park in the book. Plan the trip of a lifetime with Insight Guides.