Laying claim to such world-famous spots as Yellowstone and Jackson Hole, plus lesser-known destinations such as the Wind River Mountains, Wyoming boasts some of the finest outdoor sites in America, as well as being its least populated state.

Don Pitcher Perhaps Don Pitcher's love of travel came about because he moved so much as a child; by age 15 he had lived in six states and two dozen East Coast and Midwest towns. Don's family hails from Maine, but being born in Atlanta made him a southerner with New England blood. He moved west for college, receiving a master's degree from the University of California, Berkeley, where his thesis examined wildfires in Sequoia National Park. When his first scientific paper was published, he appeared to be heading into the world of ecological research. Shortly after graduate school Don landed the coolest job on the planet: being flown around Alaska's massive Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in a helicopter while conducting fire research. Wild places continued to beckon, and over the next 15 years Don built backcountry trails, worked as a wilderness ranger, mapped grizzly habitat, and operated salmon weirs-anything to keep away from an office job. After his first season in Alaska, he spent three months in the South Pacific, and quickly found himself addicted to travel. These explorations eventually took him to all 50 states and 35 countries. Don started writing Moon Handbooks Wyoming after a summer of bear research in the Teton Wilderness and a winter of cleaning condos and skiing at Jackson Hole Ski Resort. Today, the book is in its fifth edition, with more than 100,000 copies in print. Don's other titles include comprehensive Moon guides to Yellowstone and Grand Teton, Alaska, Washington, and the San Juan Islands. He has photographed two books on Wyoming and Alaska, and his images have appeared in a multitude of other publications and advertisements. Don now works full time as a travel writer and photographer, basing his travels from Homer, Alaska, where he lives with his wife, Karen Shemet, and their children, Aziza and Rio. Find details on his latest projects at www.donpitcher.com.