The Two Great Canyons: Excerpts From Letters Written on a Western Journey

A series of travel letters recounts a Western journey through national parks and surrounding regions, combining practical travel notes with descriptive natural observation. The writer records travel logistics and accommodations—stagecoaches, log-built inns, crowded hotels, camps—and reactions to excursionists and fellow travelers. Vivid natural description focuses on geysers, thermal pools, rugged badlands, mountain lakes, wildlife, and variable alpine weather. Reflections consider the sensory effects of landscape, the pace of tourism, and the choice between hurried sightseeing and quiet absorption of scenery.