The 2016 Rand McNally Best of the Road Atlas & Guide features a full-page photo of the Avenue of the Giants on the front cover.

Rand McNally spokesperson Rebecca Boykin said, “Our designers sift through hundreds, if not thousands of photos looking for just the right image to capture the magic of various destinations across the U.S. and Canada.”

The 11×14 spiral bound guide includes maps, suggested driving itineraries, mileage and driving charts, and hundreds of photos.

The guide is available from major booksellers, including Amazon.com:

Rand McNally 2016 Best of the Road Atlas & Guide NEW!

We’ve heard this question many times in the past few months, as forest fires sweep across drought-stricken California.

The short answer is no, the redwoods are not in danger.

Remember that the oldest redwoods are thousands of years old.  They are survivors, and they have lived through many fires.  The redwoods have several natural defenses:

• The acid soil and deep shade in a redwood forest limit the undergrowth, which means there is little fuel for forest fires.
• The redwoods have thick, fibrous bark, which does not catch flame easily, and which protects the tree from heat and fire damage.
• The branches of the redwood trees begin far from the ground, so flames from ground fires can’t reach them.

It’s likely that the redwoods will survive the current California fire season, and thousands more to come!