Will I love A Walk in the Park?

I live near the Grand Canyon, and have traveled lots of miles in her beauty. But this book took me to a whole other world. The writing is exceptional. He shares the stupid decisions they made, as well as the successes. It's a book of integrity about what happens in the back country, especially if you're not prepared.

Fedarko hits another home run (following his The Emerald Mile) with his recap of his months of walking the Grand Canyon from east to west - sans trails, something only a handful of people have ever yet completed. He and his photographer friend Pete started out as a couple of rubes (and almost died a couple of times) until they hooked up with some veteran GC hikers with the knowledge needed to survive the austere and very often dangerous conditions in the backcountry. Throughout, they discover the beauty and secrets and history of this incredible place, meeting Native Americans, ranchers,… show more.

I told my daughter I thought Kevin Fedarko's "The Emerald Mile" was one of the best books about the American West's rugged beauty and its appeal to adventurers. Her response? "It's his second best...you need to read "A Walk in the Park."

Not a surprise...she was right.

Fedarko delivers a compelling, often hilarious, and--in the end--profound account of an ill-prepared 750-mile trek from one end of the Grand Canyon National Park to the other. What begins as a foolhardy adventure with photographer Pete McBride evolves into a powerful meditation on wilderness, friendship, and the hidden soul of America’s most iconic… show more.

In late 2024, as part of our long-distance trek along the Arizona Trail from Utah to Mexico, my wife and I traversed the Grand Canyon (north to south) - a gruelling 3-day descent/ascent. But this was nothing compared to the epic hike described here: a longitudinal traverse of the Canyon, east to west and on foot. There are no trails, the climate and terrain are unforgivingly hostile, water is often so scarce it must be sucked up with a syringe from tiny puddles (steep cliffs mean that following the Colorado River is impossible). The hardships the author and a succession… show more.

Not in the best of shape but energized by their imaginations, two friends set out with an overabundance of gear (including two eight-thousand dollar cameras, batteries, solar panels, and all sorts of other accessories) to hike all of the 750-mile Grand Canyon.

Starting in the Sonora Desert to the east, they plan to walk along the Great Basin Desert ecosystem of the canyon floor, shambling westward into the Mojave Desert. The heat—bouncing back and forth between canyon walls—reaches 120 degrees, hot enough to “denature and congeal” human blood. What could go wrong?

Fedarko writes about the riveting adventure (an adventure… show more.