Guides to the West
This is the place for videos and books that help you experience the great rivers and creeks, the wild canyons, and the spectacular scenery of the West.
To order any item just click on it. Click to jump down to:
Video guides to the West
General western guidebooks
The Mountain States (Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Utah.)
The Southwest (New Mexico and Arizona.)
The Pacific States (California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska.)
Southwest Whitewater. Run the famous rivers and deep canyons of the desert Southwest, including the San Juan, Cataract Canyon, and Desolation Canyon. 60 mins. $19.95
Northwest Whitewater. The highlights of the rivers of the Northwest, from the grandeur of the Snake to the big rapids of the Fraser. Run famous class V whitewater in Idaho, the historic Rogue River in Oregon, and the Tieton River in Washington. 60 mins. $19.95
California Whitewater. An entertaining video guide to California's best whitewater rivers, from the High Sierras to the Siskiyou and Coast ranges. Check out all these rivers! 60 mins. $19.95
Wild and Scenic Rogue River. What it's like to go for several days down the Rogue River in Oregon: Thrilling rapids, abundant wildlife, great campsites and hikes. 30 mins. $19.95
CANON: The Grand Canyon. An exploration of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon and its big rapids, as well as its marvelous, hidden side canyons. Captures the many moods of the canyon with exceptional cinematography. Spectacular and intriguing. 60 minutes. $19.95
The Grand Experience. Take a trip down the Grand Canyon: Spectacular beauty and glorious rapids, including Granite, Crystal, and Lava Falls. 40 mins. $19.95
River Runners of the Grand Canyon. All the history of boating in the Grand Canyon: John Wesley Powell, the Kolb brothers, Bus Hatch, Norman Nevills, Burt Loper, Buzz Holstrom, Barry Goldwater, Georgie White, Sheeba "Queen of the Jungle," Martin Litton, Bobby Kennedy and more. Rare photos, sketches, and films of early attempts and runs through the rapids, as well as more recent action. Amazing footage. 124 mins. $29.95
Western Whitewater, from the Rockies to the Pacific, A river guide for raft, kayak, and canoe by Jim Cassady, Bill Cross, and Fryar Calhoun. This amazing book covers 160 rivers in 11 states, with color photos, maps, history, wildlife, and river trip information. The whole West in one big book. 600 pp. $34.95
Rivers of the Southwest by Fletcher Anderson and Ann Hopkinson. Photos, maps, and guide to rivers in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona. 148 large-format pages. $16.95
The Floater's Guide to Colorado by Doug Wheat. Guide to dozens of rivers in Colorado and adjacent states, class I to VI, for all levels of kayakers, rafters, and canoeists. Historic and current photos, maps, hydrographs, river stories, wildlife, and complete trip info. 296 pp. $12.95
Dolores River Guide by DeVries and Maurer. Complete river guide, wildlife, history, photos, and detailed strip-maps showing rapids and campsites. This is a beautiful redrock canyon near the Colorado-Utah border. Covers from McPhee Dam to the confluence with the Colorado River, several different multi-day trips, some with moderate whitewater and others more advanced, 183 miles total. 70 pp. $14.95
The Upper Arkansas River by Frank Staub. Complete pocket-size guide to Colorado's most popular day-trip river, with maps and photos. Covers the entire whitewater section of the river, from Granite to Pueblo Reservoir, over 100 miles of class II to VI rapids. 265 pp. $14.95
Arkansas River Guide by Rampton. Mile-by-mile guide from Granite to Canon City, over 100 miles of different day trips. Photos, maps, 96 pp. $13.75
Users Guide to the Wild and Scenic Cache La Poudre River. Guide for canoeing, rafting, and kayaking on the Poudre River in northern Colorado. Complete descriptions, maps, photos, 80 pp. $12.95
Paddle and Portage: Floater's Guide to Wyoming Rivers by Lewis. Covers 1,700 miles on 27 rivers throughout Wyoming, class I to VI whitewater. Descriptions, flow data, logistics. Photos, maps, 186 pp. $12.95
Paddling Montana by Hank Fischer. Covers 26 rivers throughout Montana for all types of river runners, from long, leisurely canoe trips to short, steep whitewater runs. Complete trip info, photos, maps, hydrographs.(Revised edition of The Floater's Guide to Montana.) 160 pp. $14.95
Floating and Recreation on Montana Rivers by Thompson. Over 70 rivers across Montana for all types of river runners, with trip info including access, permits, flow ratings, services, fishing and camping. 370 pp. $24.95
Idaho River Tours by John Garren. Covers Idaho's most popular overnight wilderness whitewater trips, which are among the best in the nation: The Selway, Middle Fork Salmon, main Salmon, lower Salmon, and Snake River in Hell's Canyon. These rivers have class III to V whitewater and great Idaho scenery. Includes guide and river log, maps, and photos. 125 pp. $12.95
Idaho Whitewater by Greg Moore and Don McClaran. 80 day and overnight runs throughout Idaho for all levels of kayakers, rafters, and canoeists. Maps, color photos, stories, complete guide. 232 pp. $19.95
Idaho, the Whitewater State by Grant Amaral. Over 100 day and overnight whitewater runs throughout Idaho for novice to expert river runners. Guide, maps, hydrographs, gradients, color photos. 315 pp. $19.95
Handbook to the Middle Fork of the Salmon River by Quinn & King. Covers the entire run, one of the nation's best overnight whitewater trips, with class III and IV whitewater, great mountain scenery, and several hot springs. Maps, color photos, detailed descriptions, historic photos, wildlife, fishing, and camping information. Large format, 187 pp. $24.95
Paddling the Payette by Stuebner. A complete guide to 24 trips in Idaho's Payette basin, from scenic class I canoe trips to the continuous class V rapids of the North Fork of the Payette. River lore, history, photos, maps. 220 pp. $16.95
River Runners' Guide to Utah and Adjacent Areas by Gary Nichols, America's nicest river author. Covers over 90 river trips for beginners to experts throughout Utah and parts of neighboring states. Photos, maps, drawings, 184 pp. $14.95
Dinosaur River Guide by Evans and Belknap, Westwater Books. Popular strip-map guide, with historic photos and anecdotes, to theGreen and Yampa rivers through Dinosaur National Monument, on the Colorado-Utah border, a favorite class III and IV multi-day canyon trip. Also covers the Green from Flaming Gorge Reservoir to the Monument. Waterproof flip-map book, 64 pp. $16.95
The Canyons of Dinosaur by Bob Gernant and others. A complete guide to the Green and Yampa rivers in Dinosaur National Monument, with geologic explanations, flora and fauna, campsites, rapids, mile-by-mile notes, and detailed strip maps. Photos, illus, 96 pp, waterproof flip-map book. $15.95
River Guide to Desolation and Gray Canyons on the Green River by Rampton. A guide to the rapids, camps, hikes, and geology of the Green River, from Ouray to Green River, Utah, a wilderness multi-day class III whitewater trip, with Indian pictographs. Maps, photos, 68 pp. $9.95
Desolation Canyon River Guide by Evans and Belknap, Westwater Books. Popular strip-map guide, with historic photos and anecdotes, to the Green River through the canyons of central Utah. Waterproof flip-map book. $16.95
River Runner's Guide to Cataract Canyon and Approaches by Don Baars. Covers the Green and Colorado rivers through Canyonlands National Park in southern Utah, class II to V. Detailed river log with geology and history. Waterproof, spiral-bound strip-map. 81 pp. $15.95
Canyonlands River Guide by Belknap, Westwater Books. The Green and Colorado rivers through Canyonlands, and Westwater Canyon of the Colorado. Waterproof flip-map book, 80 pp. $16.95
River Guide to Canyonlands National Park by Kelsey. The Green and Colorado rivers, including trip logistics, side hikes, archeology, geology, and river running history. Photos, maps, 256 pp. $11.95
San Juan Canyons, A River Runner's Guide by Don Baars and Gene Stevenson. Covers the spectacular canyons and easy rapids of the San Juan River in southern Utah, a multi-day wilderness river trip. Mile-by-mile guide with geological and historical notes. Waterproof, spiral-bound strip-map. 65 pp. $14.95
Geology of the Canyons of the San Juan River by the Four Corners Geological Society. The original guide to running the San Juan, in southern Utah, and understanding its unique geology. Historic photos of the first expeditions. 97 pp. $7.00
Guide to Wild and Scenic Rio Chama by Stephen Maurer. Complete guide to this popular, scenic 30-mile overnight class III trip in northern New Mexico. Detailed strip-maps show rapids, campsites, and points of interest. 28 pp. $6.95
Wild & Scenic Rio Grande River Guide by DeVries and Maurer. Covers 81 miles of day and overnight trips in northern New Mexico, including the remote Ute Mountain run, the class IV-VI Upper Box, the popular Lower Box, and the County Line run. Different sections of this river are good for beginners, intermediates, and experts. Includes history, river lore, trip logistics, photos, and maps. Spiral bound, waterproof, photos, 79 pp. $15.00
New Mexico Whitewater by New Mexico State Parks. Over 40 river runs, descriptions and maps. 69 pp. $5.95
Arizona Rivers and Streams Guide by Arizona State Parks. Almost everything that’s runnable in Arizona. 182 pp. $8.95
Guide to the Salt River Canyon by Rink. Complete guide to the rapids and canyon of the Salt River in eastern Arizona, including campsites, hikes, plants, animals, and geology. Maps, photos, illus. 72 pp. $15.00
Verde River Recreation Guide by Jim Slingluff. Guide to canoeing, camping, and outdoor adventure on the Verde, from the headwaters to the confluence with the Salt. Several sections, mostly class I to III. Covers wildlife, fish, plants, and history. Includes maps, photos, and logistics. 176 pp. $9.95
(The Colorado River flows nearly 300 miles through the Grand Canyon in Arizona. This spectacular canyon river trip takes a week or more, with dozens of big rapids.)
Grand Canyon River Guide by Belknap, Westwater Books. Popular mile-by-mile strip map, with many historic photos. Covers natural history, river lore, and geology. New edition in color. Waterproof flip-map book. $18.95
The Colorado River in Grand Canyon: A Guide by Larry Stevens. Detailed strip map of the entire run, with campsites, natural history, and river lore. 107 pp. $13.95
Guidebook to the Colorado River, Part 1 by W. Kenneth Hamblin and J. Keith Rigby. Geology guide to the first half of the Grand Canyon, Lee’s Ferry to Phantom Ranch. 84 pp. $5.00
Guidebook to the Colorado River, Part 2 by Hamblin and Rigby. The second half of the Grand Canyon. 128 pp. $5.00
Guidebook to the Colorado River, Part 3 by Hamblin and Rigby, et al. Geology guide to the river through Canyonlands National Park, Moab to Hite. 91 pp. $5.00
River Runner's Guide to the History of Grand Canyon by Crumbo. The history of river running the Grand Canyon. The rapids and other points of interest are discussed and clearly marked on the maps. Historic photos, maps, 96 pp. $9.95
Canyon by Ghiglieri. A professional river guide and field biologist describes a trip down the Grand Canyon, with lively tales of river runners past and present, flora and fauna, and stories about the canyon's Anasazi and Havasupai inhabitants. 328 pp. $17.95
Guide to the Best Whitewater in California by Lars Holbek and Chuck Stanley, third edition. Covers lots of new runs, plus all the favorites, for intermediate to advanced boaters. 325 pp. $19.95
California Whitewater, A Guide to the Rivers by Cassady and Calhoun, third edition. Mile-by-mile guide to 47 popular rivers of California, from class II to V, plus river stories and anecdotes. Maps, photos, 300 pp. $19.95
Handbook to the Klamath River Canyon by Quinn and King. Covers the 147 miles from Iron Gate Dam to the confluence with the Trinity River. Large format, spiral-bound, photos, maps. 181 pp. $24.95
Paddling Oregon by Keller. Covers many rivers throughout Oregon for all types of river runners, from steep mountain creeks to arid canyons. Water levels, river profiles, photos, and maps showing major rapids and access points. 256 pp. $18.95
Soggy Sneaker's Guide to Oregon Rivers by Willamette Kayak and Canoe Club. New edition, covering hundreds of river runs throughout Oregon, for all types of river runners, as well as coastal surf kayaking. 302 pp, photos, maps. $18.95
Oregon River Tours by John Garren. Covers 23 popular river trips, day and overnight, easy to expert whitewater for all types of river runners, including the Deschutes, Rogue, Illinois, John Day, Hells Canyon of the Snake, Owyhee, Clackamas, etc. 270 pp, maps, photos, river logs. $19.95
Canoe and Kayak Routes of Northwest Oregon by Phillip Jones. Covers 70 day trips on flat rivers, lakes, and along the coast, in northwestern Oregon and southwestern Washington. An excellent guidebook for any paddler living in the area from Eugene to Portland. Detailed descriptions with many maps and photos. 204 pp. $14.95
Handbook to the Rogue River Canyon by Quinn and King. Covers this popular overnight class III and IV river, from Grave Creek to Foster Bar, with maps, color photos, close-ups of the rapids, history, photos. Large format, 142 pp. $24.95
Rogue River Guide (Kayaking Adventures) by Tice. Mile-by-mile guide to the Rogue from Grave Creek to Foster Bar. Logistics, maps, photos, 196 pp. $15.00
Rogue River Guide by Kovalik. A guide to the history, legends, and flora and fauna along the Rogue. Illus, water resistant, 85 pp. $6.95
Handbook to the Illinois River by Quinn and King. Covers this beautiful forested class IV overnight river trip, from the Baker Creek put-in to the confluence with the Rogue. Detailed river guide, maps, color photos, close-ups of the rapids, and history. Spiral-bound, large format, 162 pp. $24.95
Handbook to the Deschutes River Canyon by Quinn and King. Covers Oregon's most popular river, with details of rapids, scenery, local history, wildlife, fishing, and trip logistics. Easy to advanced whitewater. Spiral-bound, large format, many photos and maps, 149 pp. $24.95
John Day River, Drift and Historical Guide by Arthur Campbell. Covers 116 miles of the John Day in central Oregon, from Service Creek Bridge to Cottonwood Bridge. This is a large river with class II and III rapids and majestic canyons. Complete river guide, modern and historic photos, fishing and camping information. Photos, maps, large format, 90 pp. $19.95
A Guide to the Whitewater Rivers of Washington by Jeff Bennett. Covers over 325 river runs for all skill levels. For each run, gives all the basic facts plus description and logistics. Numerous raft and kayak photos. 304 pp. $24.95
Washington Whitewater by Douglass North and Lynn Connant. Complete coverage of 34 popular rivers, class II to V. Detailed maps, river log, hydrographs, campsites, photos. 320 pp. $18.95
A Paddler’s Guide to the Olympic Peninsula by Gary Korb. Covers 69 scenic river runs, class I to VI, on the beautiful Olympic Peninsula. Maps, photos, 216 pp. $14.95
Paddle Routes of Western Washington by Huser. Covers 50 flatwater river trips in the western part of the state, on the Lummi, Snohomish, Skykomish, Humptulips, Cowlitz, and other rivers. Descriptions, logistics, photos, maps. 240 pp. $14.95
Paddle Routes of the Inland Northwest by Landers and Hansen. 50 trips for beginning and intermediate paddlers in eastern Washington and neighboring states. Trip logistics, photos, maps. 256 pp. $14.95
The Alaska River Guide by Jettmar. Your guide to more than 100 trips on Alaska's rivers, from streams in cities and towns to month-long remote expeditions. Photos, maps, 304 pp. $16.95
Fast and Cold, A Guide to Alaska Whitewater by Dr. Andrew Embick. Complete guide to 79 of Alaska’s best runs, including the Alsek, Charley, Happy and Kiagna Rivers. All levels of whitewater. Maps, many photos. 292 pp. $24.95
Alaska Paddling Guide by Mosby and Dapkus. Covers over 100 runs on rivers and lakes throughout Alaska, for all skill levels. Logistics, camping info, maps. 112 pp. $7.95
To the top of this page | Review Shopping Basket | Check Out
To the NORS Resource Center menu | To the National Rivers home page