Books with ties to national parks are too numerous to count. But we did receive a fair number in 2015, and found many of them worth your while. Let's take a look back through Traveler's Fireside Reads for 2015.

Yosemite In The Fifties

Personalities, towering granite walls, and historic photographs for added perspective -- some amazing perspective at times -- are the heart and soul of Yosemite In The Fifties, a 176-page book that captures what the authors refer to as the Iron Age of climbing in Yosemite National Park.

59 Illustrated National Parks: Celebrating 100 Years of Wilderness and Wonder

Whether captured in words, photographs, or illustrations, national parks are wondrous places, vibrant and breathtaking in their scenery and history. To drive that point home, Joel Anderson and his son, Nathan, of the Anderson Design Group have just released a book that displays the 59 "national parks" in unique posters.

Allies Of The Earth - Railroads And The Soul Of Preservation

When I mentioned in a Traveler comment a few weeks ago that I was reading Dr. Runte’s book, Kurt asked if I would write a review. Since then, there have been a couple of articles batting some of Alfred’s ideas back and forth. When I took a look at Traveler the other morning, I found a rebuttal by Dr. Runte regarding one of those articles. Now I sit at my keyboard wondering if I am qualified – or even want to – wade into the middle of all this.

Wild Cats of the World

This encyclopedia of the 38 species of wild cats is beautifully produced, and informative, with information on how to help them survive the modern world.

The National Parks: An American Legacy

Tour Yellowstone or Yosemite, Acadia or Great Smoky Mountains, and you can feel it. Power of place. These magnificent landscapes of the National Park System fill us with awe, whether we're watching Old Faithful erupt, the mists weave among the summits of Great Smoky, or the waves crashing endlessly to shore at Acadia.

Rediscovering National Parks in the Spirit of John Muir

Though he "retired" in 1995, Dr. Michael Frome has really never stopped writing, nor caring, about the national parks. In this, his 95th year, the distinguished journalist who has dedicated his life to conservation and parks celebrates that life and regales us with a memoir that not only looks back across the many decades of his work but which inspires us to carry that work forward.

Dam Builders: The Natural History of Beavers and their Ponds

This is a beautiful book on one of our most unusual animals.

AMC's Best Day Hikes in the Shenandoah Valley: Four-Season Guide to 50 of the Best Trails From Harpers Ferry to Jefferson National Forest

This new title provides yeoman's work if you're looking for a day hike in the Shenandoah Valley, including within Shenandoah National Park. But it falls short in some aspects.

Speaking of Bears: The Bear Crisis and a Tale of Rewilding from Yosemite, Sequoia, and Other National Parks

Even before the establishment of the National Park Service in 1916, wildlife issues involving predators swirled about the national parks. Grizzly bears and wolves were apex predators that preyed on deer, elk, moose, and bison. As such, they were viewed as evil, rapacious carnivores that should be exterminated.

Tales of Remarkable Birds

Bird watching gets people outside and enriches their lives as they see birds doing what they do. This book, by Dominic Couzens has written, what he calls, "A celebration of bird behaviour around the world."

The Year Yellowstone Burned: A Twenty-Five-Year Perspective

It’s hard to believe that it’s been a quarter-century since the massive fires burned through Yellowstone National Park that summer of 1988. Jeff Henry’s new book is a great look back at those smoke-filled days, especially for those at National Parks Traveler.

Photographing National Parks: A Guide For Scouting And Shooting America's Most Cherished Lands

While there are countless books on the market specializing in national park photography, Photographing National Parks - A Guide For Scouting And Shooting America's Most Cherished Lands by Chris Nicholson is a new and worthy addition filled with helpful tips and suggestions that merit more than a passing glance at the title.

The Carry Home, Lessons From The American Wilderness

Gary Ferguson’s latest book is a love story, and a bittersweet and poignant one at that. He regales us with his long, loving marriage to a woman who came to share his kindred spirit for the wilderness, bares his soul through the painful loss of her on a wilderness river in Canada, and takes us on a healing journey back into the wilderness.

The Sarcastic Lens: An Ordinary Couple's Photographic Journey Through The Animal Kingdom

Going through this photo-rich book, one can't help but envy the travels Richard and Amy Lynn took to collect the images of more than 100 wildlife species, many captured in their national park habitats.

Your Yosemite, A Threatened Public Treasure

Robert Binnewies, a former Yosemite National Park superintendent, wants to warn us about the fragile intersection of preservation and commercialism at the park, but falls short of truly driving his point home.

The Galapagos, A Natural History

For Charles Darwin, the Galapagos Islands off the Ecuadoran coast kindled the spark of evolution in his mind. Ever since that time these islands, and their unique flora and fauna, have captivated visitors. This curiosity, sparked by the plants and animals, even played a passing movie role in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, a 2003 film starring Russell Crowe as captain of a British warship during the Napoleonic wars.

The Ancient Southwest: A Guide To Archaeological Sites

Archaeological sites hold plenty of potential for visitors interested in history and science, but in many cases there's a bonus: the physical settings, structures and even the artifacts themselves can make great subjects for some truly beautiful photographs. In "The Ancient Southwest: A Guide to Archaeological Sites," author Gregory McNamee and photographer Larry Lindahl join forces to produce a readable, informative and visually appealing guide to fifty such sites in the American Southwest.

Shenandoah: A Story Of Conservation And Betrayal

It was a warm, sunny October afternoon when my meandering path along the Appalachian National Scenic Trail in Shenandoah National Park took me directly through an old apple orchard. The trees’ limbs were heavy with ripe fruit.

The Complete Guide To The National Park Lodges

Just in time for the summer travel season, David and Kay Scott have come forth with an eighth edition to their guide to lodging in the National Park System. And it contains some notable additions.

Ponderosa, Big Pine Of The Southwest

They are one of the iconic trees found in parts of the Southwest and Rocky Mountain states. You can’t miss their massive stature and warm, red trunks when you’re out on a hike in the national parks.

Facing Extinction: The World's Rarest Birds And The Race To Save Them

Is there a living Ivory-billed Woodpecker anywhere? There hasn't been a well-documented sighting since 1987, yet it still hasn't officially been declared extinct, giving hope to countless birders that they might yet spot this large, striking bird.