The Wyoming Guide

Add another travel guide to Wyoming's burgeoning outdoor-activity series. "The Wyoming Guide" by Sierra Adare (Fulcrum Publishing, $17.95 paperback, 256 pages) is better than many of the destination-oriented books that have been recently published for the Cowboy State, with lots of "factoids" and user-friendly breakouts among the well-organized listings. It divides the state into six distinct regions, then subdivides those regions by major attractions, listing unique and interesting sights, history, fun things for families, restaurants, lodging and more. The amount of information is wide, but not deep.My own town's listings, for instance, aren't much different from most other guidebooks' listings. They hit the high points in Gillette, Wyo., cursorily (Dalbey Fishing Lake, McManamen Park, coal mines, golf, etc. Unfortunately, the new book lists the closed Goings restaurant among the city's six eateries, even though the Goings was closed long before the book came out -- and a new one opened long after. And it touts the city pool as a great place for water sports, but completely omits the Campbell County Recreation Center. Perhaps worse, the only accommodations listed for Gillette are a single bed-and-breakfast.Sierra Adare, who lives part-time in Rawlins, is a capable travel writer, and her "Wyoming Guide" is a good book to pick up if you take family day-trips or like to give guidebooks to help your out-of-state visitors ferret out interesting Wyoming places. It's impossible to keep track of the marketplace in a state where businesses come and go faster than January snowstorms, but there remain many sights and travel resources that are often unlisted. So far, the elusive comprehensive Wyoming guide book hasn't been written.

A very informative book. I enjoyed the history included. I am very impressed with the information included in this guide.