Volcanoes in America's National Parks
by Robert Decker and Barbara Decker
Odyssey/W.W. Norton
We still need books, and Robert and Barbara Decker's Volcanoes in America's National Parks is a good example why. Web sites aren't always up, and you still can't curl up in a comfy chair with a computer that has a decent display. Better you should buy this book and dream about—or better yet, plan—a trip to some of this nation's greatest natural attractions. The Deckers tell us that "volcanoes, erupting or sleeping, are beautiful and majestic mountains. . . They are sanctuaries of the way the world was."
The United States isn't among the most volcanic nations on Earth, but it still has plenty of volcanoes and geothermal features. The far western states—Hawaii, Alaska, California, Oregon, Washington—are famous for them. It might surprise you, though, to learn that at least 39 different units of the National Park System have a volcanic connection. The Deckers focus on 20 of them in some detail, with 6 to 10 pages on each.
Part One of the book, "Mountains of Fire," is an introduction to volcanoes that, while thorough for a book aimed at nonscientists, is both digestible and beautiful. Barbara Decker is an accomplished nature writer, and th late Robert Decker was an authority on volcanic subjects. You could not have two better guides—or photographers. Photos, by the Deckers and by others, make up more than half the page count and are uniformly superb. Presenting the basics up front makes room for more specifics about each park later on.
Part Two, "Volcanoes Alive," covers seven parks that hosted eruptions during the 20th century: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument in Washington, Lassen Volcanic National Park in California, and four huge, remote entities in Alaska. Each is accompanied by a two-page spread of travel information, including a map with roads and major trails plus access, climate, geologic and other essential information. Most of us will never visit the awesome Alaskan volcanic parks, but the Deckers don't slight their rugged attractions or their explosive potential. Of Katmai National Park and Preserve, where the century's largest eruption occurred in 1912, they say that "eruptions from volcanoes in this park are likely to occur in the next hundred years. This is a safe prediction for geologists who will not live long enough to see it disproved."
Part Three, "Volcanoes Asleep," includes 13 parks ranging from Yellowstone, the world's first national park, to some unsung National Monuments like Craters of the Moon in Idaho, Capulin Volcano in New Mexico, and Sunset Crater Volcano in Arizona. In these smaller, less visited places you'll find the intimacy with nature that is the core value of a national park—plus the chance to study volcanic features up close and at length.
Part Four, "Ancient Fires," is a short meander through a number of other parks that have secondary volcanic features in them: ashfall beds, eroded magma chambers, lava flows and more. A succinct list of further resources includes some excellent books, and Web sites that are worth booting up for.
Volcanoes in America's National Parks will delight you whether you're actually visiting one of these volcanic destinations or just letting yourself be tempted by them. For both purposes this solid, seductive volume is the most perfect book of its kind.
