Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

It's only so-so for day hikers
Almost nobody buys a book for hikes of 1-2 miles; this book has too many short hikes. Surprisingly, many nice day hikes, in North GA especially, are not even listed. This book is helpful to a degree, but it could have been done better by omitting so many short hikes and adding good 5-12 mile hikes.

A Comprehensive Guide to Georgia's State and Federal Hiking Trails
In a state with such varied geography as Georgia, plenty of good hiking can be found.This guide will go a long way toward helping you find the best hiking Georgia has to offer.

From Chickamauga Battlefield near Chattanooga to Cumberland Island Seashore in the southeast, this guide describes 83 hiking destinations in Georgia.The distribution is fairly even throughout the state, though the north Georgia mountains carry a slightly higher weight, mainly due to Chattahoochee National Forest.Hikes range in difficulty from a 0.5 mile boardwalk stroll through Okefenokee Swamp to a rugged 13.7 mile hike on the Coosa Backcountry trail.People of all abilities will find suitable hikes in this book.

Each hike features a thorough and well-written overview, directions to the trailhead, a bare-bones but adequate trail map, and a written description of the trail.The trail descriptions vary quite a bit in quality with some descriptions lacking details to really make the hike come alive.Overall, however, the descriptions are informative and rather good.In addition to the 83 hiking destinations, the author describes 6 longer trails (such as the Appalachian Trail) in a short section near the end of the book.While the descriptions found in this book are not sufficient if you are planning an extended backpack trip, they do provide a good introduction to the longer trails and suggest some nice day-hiking loops.

Perhaps the greatest drawback with this guide is it's over reliance on trails located on state and federal lands.Indeed, every hike in this book except one describes a national forest, national park, national seashore, state park, or state wildlife area.While any comprehensive guide would rely heavily on these areas, this author seems to ignore the fact that many fine hiking experiences await on trails that do not fall into any of these categories.For example, here in Athens we have the Georgia Botanical Garden, Oconee Forest Park (operated by University of Georgia), and Sandy Creek Nature Center (operated by Athens-Clarke County).A more obvious omission is Stone Mountain Park, which features a fine 6.2 mile trail around the mountain, one of the best trails in the state, in my opinion.While lists and brief descriptions of state and federal trails can be found on the web, guides like this can serve to highlight some lesser-known hiking destinations that are not as easily found.This guide doesn't take that opportunity.

In summary, while the lack of variety in lands is enough to dock this guide a star, this is still the most comprehensive guide to hiking the entire state available on the market right now.Thus, if you are interested in hiking in the Peach State, this guide should probably find a place on your bookshelf. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a canyon hiking guide to the Colorado Plateau, which covers the southeastern half of Utah, the northern half of Arizona, the western 1/5 of Colordo, and a small part of NW New Mexico.This new 4th Edition has been undated significantly beyond the 3rd.The author went back to almost all canyons, or at least to the trailheads, to check out the mile post markers, etc.Also, about half a dozen less-interesting canyons or hikes from the 3rd Edition were eliminated; while about a dozen new & more challenging hikes have been added, plus another 32 pages. This 4th edition contains 320 pages and 191 fotographs, about 90 of which are new.

The new canyons are from scattered locations in southern Utah, primarily in Zion National Park, and the Escalante River, San Rafael Swell & Robbers Roost country, along with major updates on slot canyons on the Navajo Nation.Other big changes to this edition are the addition of about a dozen new technical slot canyons; that is, canyons where you need ropes and rappelling gear to get through.This adds another dimension to excitement and challenge, and opens many new hiking areas previously closed to many of us.All these technical canyons are now either bolted-up, or have slings or webbing around boulders, making them ready for rappelling.

The general direction for this book, is toward slot canyons, which everybody likes; but it retains easy & fun hikes to canyons with Anasazi ruins, another favorite.So if you're looking for petroglyphs or pictographs, and cliff dwellings or ruins, which some people try their best to hide, then this is your book.In the back of this book is a section listing the Best Hikes, including for the most part Slot Canyons, then best hikes to see Indian ruins, and Native American rock arts sites. Below is the Table of Contents. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

Great ideas in this book
I found this book very helpful in overall ideas of where to hike and what to expect.There is a lot of detail.What I think could be improved is the overall formatting of the information.It is fragmented and the reader has to dig a bit to get the necessary info.Also, a more detailed description of what to see during each hike (like petroglyphs, ruins etc).But, these criticisms are minor compared to the vastly useful information contained within.Excellent book and a "must have" for hikers to this area.

Good news, bad news
This book has the most thorough coverage of the canyon country available.It's allowed us to find several sites that we couldn't find in any other guidebook.That's the good news.The bad news is that what Kelsey considers non-technical often requires a harness and rope.He's obviously a climber, and on several occasions we've had to backtrack because we came to an impassable pour-off or cliff.So just be advised that hikers will often find the non-technical to be more technical than they'd expect from the descriptions.

Colorado Plateau Hiking Bible
For anyone who is serious about hiking the Plateau, this book is an absolute must.Despite the environmental hacks and the elitist "new" generation hiking authors, Kelsey is the original and the best.Kelsey's maps have guided me through some of the most remote and scenic canyons on earth.If you have ability to route find, read a map and a sense of adventure, Kelsey's books are invaluable.If you are going with Boy Scouts, better take a more watered down guide book with "how to" pictures and rosy Harvard prose.Simply put, Kelsey is the best in the biz and runs circles around others - literally, he has hiked more places on the Plateau than anyone else and no one will ever get close.

Kelsey's book is excellent!
It's perplexing to see so many poor reviews written towards Kelsey and his wonderful books.After some research I have come to the conclusion that most were written by elitist, selfish, environmental extremist hypocrites that seem to hate him because he opened up their personal playground to everyday people like the majority of us.

His books are not perfect...but only an idiot would expect them to be.This book is a basic guide designed to point you in the right direction with some items of interest along the way.Just take his data subjectively and no big deal.So what if he spells some words different, I had no trouble understanding anything.I will admit, the metric system is a pain, but I simply convert all info before I go.I guess he does brag a little, big deal, if he wants to toot his own horn go for it.If I could do what he's done, I'd toot mine too.

This book has an immense amount of information about a lifetime of hikes for the average person.Although this particular book doesn't include a lot of historical info, it looks like there just weren't enough pages (or smaller type).That's ok though, because I've read his other books that have it all.I do like the way he alerts the reader to the best trailheads and informs us whether or not we need to drive the Jeep or not.

Like I said before, if you use his data subjectivly, hope for the best--prepare for the worst, know your limitations and let basic common sense be your guide; the average hiker will have an excellent time and can't wait to tell all their friends.As for the self absorbed fringe extremists (you know who you are)--sorry for the intrusion on "your land" and hope to see you out on the trail.

Buy the book, the majority won't be dissapointed.

Thank you Michael Kelsey and keep up the excellent work!

Best book on the internet
What hikes have been left out?Nothing worth doing.Michael Kelsey is the absolute authority of high adventure on the colorado plateau.Yes make no mistake there are others who make at best a weak imitation of a guide book and claim superiority because they are more of a environtmental "green nutjob".Other authors need to have mostly naked young turks do all the technical aspects of their canyon hiking and criticize Kelsey for being practical.Every Mexican I have ever talked to loves all of Kelsey's books.Think about it. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (11)

Very useful book
This book is very easy to navigate through & the author gives great topgraphical maps for each hike section.I've been using this book to plan my trip this year & it will let you know what to expect on the terrain mile by mile.Each trail has a difficulty rating, appx. travel time, seasons best to hike, GPS compatible, and some VERY basic info on contacting the park.

I would recommend buying a complete map to Yosemite which will help to plan your entire trip.I've recently purchased National Geographic Destination Map & it will give you all the additional info you need.It gives much more info on campgrounds, how/where to purchase permits for the backcountry, driving distances within the park & other accomodations.

Perfect!
This book is just what you need when visiting Yosemite National Park if you do any hiking at all. It is thorough, well written, acurate, and easy to use.

great book for casual hiker
I bought several yosemite books before my visit, but this is by far the best book I found for the many hikes now that I am here.Perhaps there are better ones, but this one is quite good.One great feature is that for most hikes it gives a 2D elevation change cutaway map for the entire route so that you can judge for youself the level of difficulty of the hike.Many books seem to disagree on this point.(You can see the big spike at half dome for instance as a comparison.)The maps even have GPS coordinates.The maps do have rough topographical shading as well (though color would be better for this).

hiking book collector
I spend all winter planning my hikes for the summer. I own and have used most of the titles for Yosemite. Hiking Yosemite National Park has most of the most popular trails but two other books do a better job:100 Hikes in Yosemite National Park and Lonely Planet Hiking in the Sierra Nevada.

My main complaint is the incomplete descriptions, too short and too vague.If you get off the trail you'll run the risk of getting lost because there are no "big picture" maps.A topo is absolutely essential if you want to understand your location.

Excellent and concise guide
This is an indispensible guidebook for any hiker who loves Yosemite. I use it almost daily during hiking season and it helps in selecting hikes, planning them, reaching the trailhead and gauging whether a hike will be worthwhile. Each hike contains an accurate, though brief, description of the rigors of each trek. Occasionally I quibble with the authors ranking of a given hike, but usually they are on the mark.

A few cautionary notes: there are no detailed maps in the book, except general maps which introduce the hiker to each specific place. Te map for the John Muir trail, for example, is very basic. Don't expect detailed maps for each hike because there are none. The descriptions of how to reach each trailhead are excellent, unless you have little experience with Yosemite.

My favorite part of the book is that the Touloume Meadows High Country area is not neglected. Swedo has various categories and list the hikes they think are best suited to be placed in every league and the valley floor is not the only area of the park that is stressed .If you spend any time hiking in Yosemite, this book is essential! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Hiking Olympic National Park
I found this book very informitive and even exciting.I am from Calif. most of my life. ( except for the last 10 yrs.) I am 66 and it's really nice to know that there are trails that even I can manage.For next year I am planing to take several trips to the Olympic Mountains.Writing reviews is not my cup of tea so please forgive the shortness of this review.
Thank you very much Art

Falcon Olympic Park Hiking Guide
Provides accurate descriptions of hikes in Olympic National Park, together with good direction to the trail heads.

Good 'In The Pocket' Guide For Casual Dayhikers
The 'Best Easy Day Hikes' series by Falcon Guides has quite a few in it. All of them showcase the "best" (and easier) hikes in a particular National Park.
I have found over the years that if visiting a park for the first time get one of the "Best" guides. You won't overwhelmed by the choices in the bigger book Falcon makes as well.

The one for the Olympic National Park is thin but will give plenty of choices. It is a choice I suggest often to non-hikers that want to go experience the Olympics. It gives a good choice from Coastal to rain forest to the river valleys to the high mountains. It can help you plan a whirl wind trip of what to see if you have only 1 or 2 days as well. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Hiking the Hawaiian Islands
I'm a big fan of Suzanne Swedo's Yosemite and Adventure Travel books.They all possess the excellent writing quality that every sentence says something of significance.They also make me want to engage in the activities she describes (except some to the more wild adventure stories!) ... Read more

Product Description
Lace up your boots and sample more than 100 trails in Idaho's vast undeveloped backcountry and wilderness areas.Discover pink granite peaks of the Sawtooth Range, "big tree" country in the Selkirk Mountain rain forest, and Hells Canyon - the deepest gorge in North America. Idaho offers hikers some of the most magnificent and rugged mountain scenery in the Lower 48 as well as peaceful alpine meadows, sparkling lakes, excellent fishing, and the chance to see high-country wildlife.

Use this guide for: up-to-date trail information; accurate directions to popular as well as less-traveled trails; difficulty ratings for each hike; detailed trail maps; zero-impact camping trips.

Whether you are a day-tripper or long-distance hiker, old hand or novice, you'll find trails suited to every ability and interest throughout Idaho. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excelent for planning backpacing trip iwth kids
I used this to figure out a doable backpack trip with kids. It gives details on how ot get ot the trailhead, park, elevation changes along the trail, distance, times of year to go, good map, and a head's up on permits/ fees/ whether fires are alowed, etc.

We had a sucessful trip and plan to use this book for any additional trip to new places. I would've not known where to go without this book. Has tons of trails for day or overnight hikes, loops, out & back, and overnight stays.

Must have for anybody planning on hiking Idaho
Great book for planning hikes, it's truly a must have with the "seet Spots" serie for anybody planning some hiking in Idaho. Information is accurate but you always need to prepare it using other tools (google earth, topo) and other.

Great information, but not as helpful as it could be.
The trail descriptions are great.The maps are great.The depth is great.

BUT, there are two things this book is missing that any good hiking book has.Each and every trail description in this book has a 'quick glance' section which lists a quick description, general location, maps, special attractions, difficulty, season and contacts for more information - BUT not trail LENGTH or an estimated time to complete!You have to read the entire description to find the length and probably won't find an estimate of the time required.Sure, this is OK if your friend recommended hike 'X' and you want to look it up.But, it is terrible if you are looking for a hike of, say, 6 miles that you can complete in 3 hours.It's just not readily available - you'd have to read the whole book!Even better, many guides have an index of sorts where you can see this information (and the availablity of backcountry campsites) for all trails at a glance, then go to the specific trail(s) that interest you.

This is what this otherwise great guide is missing.I returned mine and picked up 'Trails of Western Idaho' by Margaret Fuller instead - which does contain this information.Ms. Fuller's book is older (1992 vs. 1995 for this Falcon Guide), but not terribly so.She has some newer revisions for her other quides and I'm hoping this one will be reviced soon as well! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

A wealth of information
The depth and breadth of this guide are downright impressive. The author obviously spent a lot of time exploring Death Valley and this book is one of the most comprehensive guides I have seen to this or any other area. Highly recommended.

Another big thumbs up for this one!
I just wanted to add another 5 star vote for this book: my wife and I spent a week in Death Valley at the beginning of April and this guide was invaluable!

The ultimate guide to Death Valley
While the focus of this book is on hiking, there is so much information on the history, geology, flora and fauna of the region that this served as the primary information source during our visit to Death Valley.Our only regret is that we didn't have far more time to explore.Fortunately, Digonnet's writing style is engaging and lucid enough to allow us to vicariously see areas that we didn't have time to physically visit.

The book eschews several popular road accessible visitor destinations.Most of the roads in the area are treated simply as access routes to the hikes even though there is much to be seen, especially along the 4WD routes.This is not to be taken as a criticism of the author.It simply is not Digonnet's focus.

The book is over 500 pages long.If you are planning your first visit to Death Valley, you would be best served by reading "Part I. A Few Basic Facts" plus the introductions to the remaining eight Parts.With this information you will be able to choose where to begin your exploration.With that settled, read the balance of the Part that covers you selected region and narrow down the trails that you want to travel.Unless you have months of time you will only scratch the surface in one visit.

Wonderful Book!
I have just returned from Death Valley and this book was an excellent resource both before and during my trip.I found the author to be very straight forward about the information presented and very realistic about the wonders and realities of Death Valley.It's a truly amazing place and this book covers an incredible amount of information and detail that will serve me for years to come and many more visits!

Great travel resource
This book is a great resource tool. A fairly inclusive area guide with historical, geological and physical details. More than adequate for most visitors to choose an advanced plan of daily activities. It is not attempting to be a USGS map nor a hikers bible. It is a fairly descriptive summary of things to see, do and where they are.

I purchased this book for helping us plan a 5 day stay in Stove Pipe Wells. Well worth the money spent. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Running from Mount Whitney to Yosemite Valley in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, the 212-mile John Muir Trail passes through some of the most dramatic mountain terrain in the United States. Each year thousands of backpackers traverse some or all of the trail, relying on Wilderness Press's John Muir Trail. The new edition of this Sierra classic has been completely updated and revamped, and includes significant information found nowhere else. The new John Muir Trail meticulously describes the entire trail and is written for today's hikers, many of whom rely on GPS units. The book includes GPS coordinates for every junction, but also for every established campsite, bear box, and mountain pass that the trail crosses. The guide has separate descriptions for northbound and southbound hikers; for each direction a junction chart shows elevations, distance from previous point and total mileage. Incorporates Tom Harrison's 13 section maps of the trail that JMT hikers have relied on for years. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

up to date; authoritative natural history material
Wilderness Press has been steadily bringing out new editions of this book, so it's likely to remain fairly up to date. I only found a small amount of out of date information (separate wilderness permit now required for a side-trip to Half Dome, some out of date info about public transportation between Lone Pine and LA). The price is fairly reasonable for a trade paperback in a two-color format, and the color is used pretty effectively, e.g., by marking mileages and altitudes in red at various places in the text.

What really makes this book shine is the natural history material. Wenk is the perfect person to write this, since she did her PhD on a topic that involved both the botany and the geology of the Sierra. There are helpful alphabetical lists of plant species in the back. She also has a thorough personal knowledge of the Sierra.

Although there are black and white, condensed versions of the Harrison maps in the book, you're going to want the real Harrison maps on the trail. I don't consider this a point against the book, because its purpose isn't to replace the Harrison maps.

The level of detail seemed about right to me. The book is lightweight enough that some people take the whole thing on the trail, while others cut out the relevant pages. I just took notes from it on the backs of the Harrison maps, then left the book at home.

Nice, Complete
I bought this book to check out and help plan a John Muir trail.Seems excellent, plenty of solid detail delivered in an organized and accessible package.I will know more after the trip.

JMT source book
A lot of positive reviews here.When I did the JMT a few years ago, I cut out the pages I needed, and used this with the Harrison map pack.
The information on campsites ahead, terrain, and water availability was right on.

The do it all book!
This book, along with the JMT map-pack, is all you need to plan & complete the JMT! To me the most useful part of the book was the camps, along with the mileage. This allowed me to plan where I wanted to camp & how many days I'd be on the trail. Very Informative!!

JMT trip
I am getting ready for the John Muir Trail in 2010 and this is a great book.Lists good camping spots, mileage charts and lots of other useful information.
... Read more

Product Description
Globe Pequot Press Guides And Maps By Globe Pequot Press ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Hiking Alabama
We have researched hiking books and bought some but this is the BEST we've found yet.It's very detailed and reader friendly.The maps are great!!If you want a GREAT hiking guide, buy this one.The biggest help throughout the book is the fact that you are given "ratings" of diffuculty and the mileage.Believe it or not, there are guides out there that do give give these 2 basic pieces of very much needed information. ... Read more

Product Description
This rich, enthusiastic guide to the Tucson, Rincon, Santa Catalina, and Santa Rita Mountains has been completely revised. Betty Leavengood's third edition of her bestselling Tucson Hiking Guide offers new routes and updated access information, detailed maps, and clear descriptions to area trailheads. This third edition includes: 37 hikes rated easy to difficult by mountain range; revised information on precautions for desert hiking; historical notes, photographs, and anecdotes; and detailed maps and descriptions with elevation/distance. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Updated Tucson Hiking Guide
I used the original guide written by Betty Leavengood frequently - it was well put together and gave just the right level of hiking detail.The newest edition improves and updates the original, which is helpful since some trails have been altered over the years.The book is like an old friend - happy to have it.

Very comprehensive and helpful guide.
This guide is amazing, I'm new to hiking and was limited with what material I initialy could find to help me persue my new hobbie in my area and after some research I purchased this book.

The author of this book did an amazing job to get as much detail and information about the trails written about, she also give such great background and history of the trails that if you were not a hiker but happened to pick this book up and read a little you would be compelled to start hiking!

Overall this book is just amazing and covers all you need to know to get you out there and enjoying the trails in the Tucson area, not sure I would have stuck with the idea of hiking and thoroughly enjoying it as much as I have been had it not been for this book.

Good, but...
The text for the descriptions of the hikes is fantastic.The directions are generally good, although the directions to a lot of the Sabino Canyon hikes is a little lacking.

What really irritates me about this book is the trail profiles.For example, the Agua Caliente trail profile begins at an elevation of 5420'.It ends at 5420'.It goes up in the middle, but it is nearly impossible to tell how far -- there are no other elevation marks besides the first and last.This pattern is repeated on a number of different profiles, and is the only thing that prevents me from giving 5 stars.

Those familiar with reading topo maps may be able to decipher altitudes, but for the rest of us the profiles are useless on many hikes.

Journies past superb scenic mountain vistas
Now in a thoroughly updated second edition, Tucson Hiking Guide by experienced Tucson hiker Betty Leavengood offers thirty-four hikes grouped by mountain range, and ranked from easy to difficult. Most of these journies past superb scenic mountain vistas are only a short drive from downtown Tucson. Maps, photos, elevation/distance profiles, trail access information, historical notes, personal anecdotes, and much, much more fill this solid and thorough guide from cover to cover enabling anyone to see and experience the natural splendor of the Tucson area on foot.

A guide good enough to read as BOOK!
Each trail has a profile, topo map, and other trail data includingdistance and difficulty.Descriptions are complete and very well done. There is a good balance of trails surrounding Tucson.Honestly though... research is outstanding!Trail history digs deep to find out how the trailnames came about.Information on the Pontatoc Trail name set my mind atease having grown up in Oklahoma.Several trails sparked my interesthaving seen little information previously in print.Highly recommended forall and a must have for Tucson residents- joe bartels Webmaster -HikeArizona.COM ... Read more

Product Description

Sunrise atop Fuji-san, steaming volcanoes, natural hot springs, ancient temples and pilgrim trails, wild subtropical jungles, spectacular gorges, unique wildlife and nature's seasonal shows - explore the wonders of Japan with this meticulously researched guide.

• detailed trail notes with kanji for more than 70 day and multi-day hikes
• 70 detailed, custom-drawn contour maps with kanji
• accommodation options from gateway cities to remote camp sites
• tips on transport to and from the trailheads
• practical advice on local culture, responsible hiking and pre-hike preparation
• quick reference language section, glossary and gazetteer with kanji

Customer Reviews (10)

Lacks motivation for selecting hikes
This guide is unfortunately exactly average for a hiking guide.

The hike descriptions often only have one sentence discussing why you would choose a particular hike.You can read through the trail descriptions and front highlights to find more hints, this is often limited to quick phrases: "great ridge views".And, only a small percentage of the hikes have any photographs.If you don't know which hikes to choose, this book is unlikely to be much assistance.(IHMO "Don't Waste Your Time in the Canadian Rockies" is a good example of the right way to do it.)

When it comes to the technical hike details, the description of how to get to the trail and hike seems acceptable, however the maps are generally quite small and missing elevation lines, making them nearly useless for all but travel planning.And, the trail descriptions lack the detail that one would expect from say a Cicerone guide.(Cicerone's excellent trail descriptions almost make up for their typically not describing which hikes to choose.)

You'd Think They Would Try to Update a New Edition
I was looking forward to the updated edition for some time but when I picked it up today I was very disappointed to see that very little was changed from the last edition.Most troubling was that information which was long out of date was still included in the guide.For example, the Kumotori hike which is described in the Tokyo section recommends taking a cable car up to the starting point for the hike.Unfortunately, the cable car stopped running several years ago and so anyone following this guide book will have a much longer hike on their hands than the one they may have planned (an extra 800 meters of climbing to get where the actual hike in the guide book begins).It is a useful book for those new to Japan but I am very disappointed that LP did not make the effort to make sure the information in this new edition was still accurate.

Pretty good starting point - but complement with the map
If you don't speak Japanese this is a pretty good starting point to identify interesting hikes in Japan. I wouldn't say that all the facts in the book are accurate. Many other reviewers have commented on this. Still without this book I wouldn't be able to know where I would do the hike. I've done three hikes using the book and the information has been accurate for me.

Some information is easy to double check. However, Japan Rail has an excellent website in English giving all the train schedules you need. You must alsoomplement with the 1:50,000 hiking maps. These are only availabe in Japanese but shouldn't create a problem as long as you are proficient with maps. You can buy them on amazon's Japanese site through the Enlish interface, but it is a bit hard to know which maps you need, but it certainly is possible even if you don't speak any Japanese. When you have the maps you will see the whole system of trails so you might decide to change the route. The maps come in a new edition every year so they will be fully updated.

Undependable
I have to comment on this book because it's not reliable anymore.

I enjoyed the array of hikes that the editors chose, but it looks like they just translated some out of date Japanese books. Some of the trails in this book have been long closed and you will find yourself confused at night in the mountains if you attempt them. For example, the suggested descent from Aka-dake hasn't been maintained since an earthquake at least five years ago.

On the other hand, the book covers a fantastic variety of paths and makes it easy to find what you want. If you want to try a hike in this book, make certain you get current info on the state of the path as well as lodging along the way. This means call yourself, and ask specific questions.

But really, you're better off just getting a good Japanese book.

It's okay.
Only a few pictures, and the maps are very basic. You're really going to need to buy hiking maps at any book store once you arrive in Japan (maps aren't carried in most outdoors stores). I could wish for a few more stories or ratings on which mountains are the best and must be hiked, but the book is useful. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Unique hiking adventures abound in Tennessee where trails meander through hardwood forests with roaring waterfalls and hidden caves and to rocky mountaintop vistas and barren balds.Tennessee is also a place where human and natural history are inescapably intertwined, and each hike is not just an exploration of the natural world but a slice of Americana that shouldn't be missed. From natural wonders of Great Smoky Mountains National Park to the historical Civil War battlefields of Shiloh and Lookout Mountain, Hiking Tennessee is a state-wide hiking guide that features 62 of the best hiking areas-including the Appalachian Trail, the Natchez Trace, Land Between the Lakes, and the diverse Cumberland region.Special sections focus on hiking with children and Civil War stories, and detailed trail descriptions will lead you to great fishing spots and campsites.Accurate maps and first-hand information will get you to the trailheads and help you plan your trip. Whether you are interested in a challenging backpacking adventure deep in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains or an easy day hike or leisurely stroll through a historic state park, Hiking Tennessee is an indispensable part of your next outing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great book on the topic
We recently moved to TN and like to hike.TN has some of the best parks for hiking and just visiting.I recommend both the book and the State if you like challenging hikes and beautiful natural scenery.

Experienced Hiker's Review
I have been an avid hiker for over 30 years in the Malibu area of Southern California. Over the years I have read many books on hiking. I will be relocating to the Nashville area and wanted to get an idea of what kind of hiking exists in Tennessee. This book does a fair job of presenting the information and overall is well organized by geographical area. The reason I am only rating it three stars is it is light on pictures and the maps presented do not give enough detail. There is a great book by Milt Mcaully called "Hiking Topanga" which does a far better job and rates a five compared to this book. The author would do well to revise the book following the example set in "Hiking Topanga".

Excellent introduction to Tennessee's many beautiful hikes
We moved to Tennessee two years ago and bought this book in the first bookstore we visited. We've bought others since then, but this is still our favorite. The hikes are well described and there is enough extra info to provide interest without making you dig for what you need. Each hike gives you a goal (waterfall, overlook, wildflowers, etc.), and the trail difficulty is rated. There are simple maps which combine hikes in the same area, making it possible to plan a weekend without a lot of flipping back and forth. Others must like this book as well- I notice it's quoted on several popular hiking websites. ... Read more

Product Description
Hiking Illinois is your complete guide to 107 of the most scenic day hikes within the Land of Lincoln. No matter what region you wish to explore or how easy or hard a trek you want, this handy guide will lead you to the right trail.

In this one-of-a-kind resource, you'll find the following features:

* Detailed descriptions of every hike, in every region, including special points of interest, estimated hiking time and distance, and difficulty ratings for each trail
* Phone numbers and Web sites, park hours and rules, and available facilities for 60 of the state's most scenic sites
* Easy-to-read maps for every park and trail to help you navigate your hike and locate landmarks and other points of interest
* A convenient trail finder providing a summary of each trail's features and available facilities

Hiking Illinois brings to life the history, terrain, flora, and fauna of each area. And the descriptions of nearby recreational and sightseeing destinations ensure you won't miss anything on your trip. Hiking Illinois is your guide to enjoying the great outdoors! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Let's Go Hiking!
As described, this book includes detailed descriptions of 107 hikes, from easy strolls through city parks to demanding treks in magnificent, remote portions of Illinois that will amaze those who may be somewhat unfamiliar with the natural beauties available within the state.However, it is far more than just a trail guide summary. It also includes a wealth of information on the geological, biological, and human history of some of the more unique regions within the state. Area descriptions provide vivid accounts of their geological origin, geopolitical influences (including early and modern human habitation) shaping them, and even local legends and lore.Natural history buffs, or those aspiring to be, will enjoy the accounts of the variety of flora and fauna that may be encountered at each location.

Driving directions and area maps help guide hikers to each region and the individual trailheads.Sections describing facilities within each location and other nearby areas of interest make this an important resource beyond a hiking guide.

The maps, visual waypoints, mileage markers, and flowing descriptions of geological features, plants, and animals along the way give readers the impression of actually hiking along with the author. Hikers will never feel the need for a GPS unit to find their way along the trail.I particularly enjoyed the author's brief, personal notes italicized at the beginning of each hike's description.These informational tidbits and overviews highlighted the author's experiences or impressions of each hike and really set the stage for the information that follows.

This guide is very well written and was exceptionally easy to read.In fact, it read much more like a narrative rather than a "how-to" or "where-to" guidebook.Hiker or not, this book will make one vastly more knowledgeable of the natural history and beauty of Illinois.And, be forewarned; read a segment or two and even the most avowed couch-potato will want to trade in that remote for a pair of hiking boots.

A Siren Song to Hidden Wonders
More than just a list of trails and directions, "Hiking Illinois" is a siren song luring the reader to lace up his boots and explore the hidden wonders of the Prairie State.For example, describing one hike, the author observes that "monarch butterflies cluster on Joe-Pye weed blooms, white ladies' tresses orchids bloom along the spring runs, giant robber flies with orange-red eyes sally forth seeking prey, a large walking stick may hitch a ride on your backpack, and violet-blue-fringed gentians add a bit of the fall sky to the marl flats."Who wouldn't drop the remote and leap from the La-Z-Boy?

With each of the 107 day hikes chronicled by author Post, the reader receives a lesson in the surrounding flora, fauna and geology.Have you noticed that shooting star blossoms emit an odor similar to grape juice?Can you guess the members of a puddle-club?What is the origin of Liesegang rings?Are you still seated?I, for one, couldn't wait to begin following Ms. Post's footsteps.

My first hike was at the Morton Arboretum near Lisle, Illinois."Hiking Illinois" provided a brief history of the arboretum, clear directions for driving there, a list of amenities at the site, rules and restrictions as well as hours of operation.An overview map of the entire arboretum property offered perspective as to the size of the park and the portion in which I would be hiking.I chose to hike the East Main Trail and found the starting point with ease following Ms. Post's directions.My hiking companion and I made no wrong turns, despite numerous intersecting trails, with the guidance of both step-by-step written instructions and an inset map for the East Main adventure.(Yes, the large ash with the alligator-like bark was there on the right.)

The author didn't prepare us for the two White-winged Crossbills that appeared in the grove of pines as we began our hike, but how could she have known?And ear plugs should have been recommended as we approached the marsh at the 3.3 mile mark.The din created by tens ofthousands of Western Chorus Frogs was deafening.The author did inform us that the marsh was a glacial pothole created when a chunk of retreating glacier broke off, melted and filled with water.And we were also unprepared for the flock of fifty Sandhill Cranes that floated overhead on the thermals as we approached the end of our 4.5 mile hike, but the dolomite prairie was along our route just as described.

If the reader was not an outdoor enthusiast before reading this book, he is sure to be a convert after just a few pages.And for the veteran hiker, the numerous accounts of adventures from all regions of Illinois are sure to open new vistas.I highly recommend "Hiking Illinois" as a must read.

Seeing the best of Illinois
The second edition of Hiking Illinois is not just a hiking guide, it's really a guide to many of the states best natural areas, with a few cultural and historical trips thrown in. It's packed with information that is easy to follow and interesting. The most outstanding feature is the author's vast and clearly presented knowledge of the biological and ecological side of the hikes. She knows every one intimately. She has directions to trails in several sites that you wouldn't find on your own, and in general she guides you to the better trails at sites. The guide is clear and quick enough refernce to let you move though the hikes briskly if you choose, but at the same time it has enough info that if you want to slow down and spend time quietly paying attention to the flora and fauna and scenery, there are plenty of points of interest to choose from. Most of the hikes tend to be on well manicured trails, so you can usually make them as strenuous or light as you like, by varying your speed.

I wish that all guide book writers put as much into their books, and knew as much about their subject, as Sue Post. Many of these hikes have fantastic scenery, but because this is Illinois, the landscape can sometimes be unspectacular, which is why it is so welcomed that the author spends time describing and pointing out the little things that usually miss our attention. I own other guides for the region, and this is my favorite. Do a couple of these hikes, at the right time of year, and you will see amazing things, do enough of them, and you won't think of Illinois in the same way.

A great guide to Illinois hikes
This book provides beautiful imagery of the author's experience making the hikes all the more appealing.The author provides incredibly helpful information about each hike: approximately how long it will take, how hard it will be, what facilities are available and how to find the trailheads.

The turn by turn directions and descriptions of what I will see along the way help me know I am on the right track and not getting lost on some hours long hike I didn't plan for.The background information provided about each of the areas makes you appreciate them even more.

For each location, the author also provides the rules of the area, including those pertaining to pets.Knowing which hikes can be hiked with four legged companions is a definite plus for dog owners and eliminates the frustration of showing up only to find a "no dogs allowed" sign.

The easy to use Trail Finder at the front is great to quickly see what is available in a given area.If you are looking for a hike through forests and wetlands in the northern region, the Trail Finder quickly identifies hikes that are sure to please.

In addition to the 107 hikes that are written about in detail, additional nearby hikes are provided.I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for interesting hikes in Illinois.

Get outside in Illinois with this book.
Most people don't think of Illinois when they think about hiking. Yes, much of the Illinois landscape is flat, boring agricultural fields--no evident opportunities for hiking. Luckily Illinois has Susan Post.

I like the easy to interpret Trail Finder table that gives at-a-glance information about the hikes featured in the book, but I most appreciate the detailed hike descriptions. What will I see? Are there interesting plants or birds? Where do I turn? What do I need to watch out for? The author has personally hiked every trail, and she takes the time to describe not only the physical trail attributes but tidbits of nature as well. She also points out culturally unique or historical features along each hike.

This fairly large soft cover book will not readily fit in your back pocket, but will not take up too much room or weight in a daypack. I'm likely to be leaving this book in the car when I hike. I tend to pick up local trail maps that will fit my pocket. Lucky for me the author has meticulously included contact information for each park.

Not every possible hike in Illinois is featured, and the reader will notice large areas of the state with no hikes. Don't despair, that's just the nature of Illinois. With over 100 hikes to choose from spread from north to south, there's more than enough trails to keep the avid hiker or intrepid naturalist busy. ... Read more

Product Description
There are ancient treasures hidden across the AmericanSouthwest.Tucked away in remote canyons are hundreds of ruins,cultural treasures that provide a wealth of information about thepast--and most people never visit them.Hiking Ruins Seldom Seen isyour ticket to these enchanted, little-known sites.It will lead you onwonderful day hikes and overnight trips to some of the most spectacularareas of the Southwest.Hiking Ruins Seldom Seen is for amateurarchaeologists and those who enjoy heading into the wilderness.Itcontains maps and detailed directions to remote sites, provides wateravailability information, and points out hazards on the way.Adescription of each archaeological site is provided, along with notes onthe scenery and wildlife of the area.All of the ruins and rock-artsites in Hiking Ruins Seldom Seen are located off the beaten path andare relatively unknown to the public.Don't forget to take Hiking RuinsSeldom Seen on your next Southwest adventure. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Great book
I live in Phoenix and never knew there were ruins near me I could hike to - not a part of a museum, etc.Makes me want to travel to some of the other sites and check them out, too!Road trip!

Hiking Ruins Seldom Seen
Well researched and interesting historical narrative, very detailed instructions to the sites, and realistic detail of what you will find once at the site.

Review of "Hiking Ruins Seldom Seen"
Having grown up in the Southwest, I sometimes get a bit weary of all the newcomers who think they have to write a book about their "discovery" of this region. This book stands in contrast to many of those books in that it invites the reader to come along on the path of discovery.
The text is written clearly and competently edited. Directions to the sites are easy to follow, and the difficulty level of each hike is realistic if the adventurer is healthy and in good shape.
The information the author gives about the sites is fairly accurate, considering he is not a trained anthropologist. In fact, that may be an advantage in that the text is not cluttered up with a bunch of incomprehensible jargon; however, the author's explicit demand that those wishing to visit these sites show them complete respect should satisfy any professional in the field since they are notoriously picky about laymen visiting sites without the company of an expert.
In all, it's an enjoyable read that gets me excited about taking a hike.

You can find the same info on the internet
This book was okay, but you can pretty much find all of this info (and more) on the internet.Most of these ruins didn't really seem that "seldom seen" to me.However, if you don't want to do the research on the web, I would recommend this book as a good resource.

Good book for Arizona
The ruins are mostly in Arizona which really doesn't have the best ones. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (6)

Great Hiking Guide
The book contains nice maps for each of the hikes and even an elevation profile for the hikes that warrant one.I especially like the classifying of the hikes at the end of the book in several categories such as flat hikes, elevation gain, or one night back country stay etc...

very good
Very clear guide,but spending only few days in the aerea, I would have loved one photo for each road to figure out what you see

Excellent trail book
This book covers only Grand Teton Nat'l Park, which is great beacuse most trail books throw GTNP in with Yellowstone trail books and those never seem to give the attention GTNP deserves. I have vacationed and hiked GTNP several times over the past ten years and purchased more than a few of these books looking for details on the longer hikes while being mindful of the abilities of my children (pre-teen and early teen). This book allows you to plan for both. The author provides elevation profiles for each hike as well as the usual distance and difficulty rating. Like most people, the ratings are always a bit hard to match with one's ability and stamina. The elevation profiles give you a real sense of what you're in for! In addition, each hike is described to you in detail: what you experience, what you'll see, what to watch for, how much time the hike will take, and offer some options for shorter or longer combined hikes. Excellent! If I had to recommend only one of the dozen or so that I have read about GTNP, this would definitely be the one!

Best all-around guide for hiking the Tetons
This guide lists 35 trails, organized by region.Unlike (say) the Yellowstone guide it does not sort the trails into short, medium, and long hikes.Like other Falcon guides, it provides maps of each trail and valuable information about elevations and steepness.Each listing include elevation diagrams that are very useful for letting you know what you are getting yourself into.

This is probably the best all-around guide to hiking the Grand Tetons.It's especially useful for finding good hikes while sitting at home.Bill Schneider writes well and does a good job describing the hikes so that you can decide which ones are best for you.Like other Falcon guides it has a chart listing best flat terrain day hike, best wildlife viewing, most strenuous, best scenery, and so on.

Pretty good overview of the Teons
This book gives a pretty good summary of the hiking trails in Grand Teton National Park.My one complaint would be regarding the trail for Granite Canyon/Rendevous mountains (Chapter 3). The elevation map showed the trail being flat at the end.You actually ascend a bit at the end. I wish I had known that before because I was pretty tired at the end. Other than that, I found the book accurate, and a a great guide to hiking in the area. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (8)

The older editions are more complete.
Stienstra et al's California guidebooks have been the gold standard for hiking, climbing, and fishing in the Golden State.However, this latest edition of California Hiking falls short of previous editions. While I'm not very familiar with hikes in northern California, I can say that this latest edition has some glaring omissions as far as southern California is concerned. Two omissions that stand out are hikes to San Jacinto Peak via the Devil's Slide trail and up the East Fork of the San Gabriel River to the famous Bridge to Nowhere. These are two premiere hikes in SoCal, but they are not included here. They are included in earlier editions of this book. I suggest purchasing an earlier edition of this guide when it was published by the Foghorn Press.

Good overview but lacks detail
For a guide of it's scope I think it does a good job, but I find myself having to do a lot of further research into each individual area (the authors do provide good resources for maps and additional contact info). For the amount of information and detail I'm looking for, I would have been better off going with individual regional guides. Also, I'm from the Oroville area and I was disappointed how few hikes were listed in the Sacramento/Gold Country section. With only 10 hikes it is the shortest chapter in the book. The driving directions to traiheads, rating system, and additional info (such as which trails allow dogs or bikes) is very useful.

Very useful for hikers new to CA
I moved to California from the east coast and so wasn't familiar with the tremendous richness of hiking opportunities that the state offered. My brother, and Angelino, gave me this book as a gift. I spent a bunch of my weekends in grad school going from great hike to great hike using this book. The hard-core, lifelong Californians may find fault with some omissions, or disagree with some of the trail ratings, but for an newbie looking for a comprehensive guide to the opportunities in CA, this book is hard to beat.

Great Book, very Complete
I recently used this book, together with "101 Hikes in Northern California" by Matt Heid and "Best Coast Hikes of Northern California" by Marc Soares, as a guide for a series of day hikes out of Santa Cruz. It was an invaluable resource, giving me lots of options with the hikes (and difficulty level) well described. I found all of the descriptions to be accurate.Of the three books, it is the most complete, with 1000 hikes included (versus 101 and 75 in the other two).The tradeoff is that the descriptions tend to be a bit more brief.The biggest downside to this book is that it is heavy enough that you may not want to take the book itself along on your walk.

My California Hiking Bible!
I am so pleased with this book, and it gets used so often, I am on my second copy. I don't consider hiking a trail until I have checked it out in this book.Brown and Stienstra's rating system is dead-on, based on my own expectations, from the degree of trail difficulty to rating the beauty of a particular trail. The directions to trailheads are excellent (even an ice cave in Modoc County, which was just an unmarked hole in the ground following 20 miles of forest roads, was an easy find!). This information has made it easy for me to know how to prepare and pack for a trip, whether its an easy day hike or a moderate weekend excursion.

They have also endeared themselves to me with their commentaries about the hikes/trails. I especially appreciate input about the history or special nature of hike or area, as this feature has attracted me to many of the trails listed in the book. I am a fan of waterfalls and trails of a historical nature, my daughter loves caves, and my son loves special or unique features, such as finding hundred-year-old mining equipment on a botanical trail in Del Norte County. Adding this type of information makes finding the perfect trail a snap. My family is trying to work its way through as many hikes as possible, and believe me, there are many hikes worth taking over and over.

I noticed that their book on Northwest hiking is not as comprehensive, which is a shame, but this California hiking book should be on every California hiker's bookshelf, from beginners to extremists. My only wish would be to break the book down into a northern and southern California version, as this book is very thick. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

I Wouldn't Leave Home Without It
This is the most comprehensive and up-to-date guide on the Catskill Mountains available, and the fact that it includes a map makes it the smartest buy. Bravo Mr. Kick! I found his historical and geographical references to be informative and accurate. And I especially liked the details about identifying distant landmarks. The guide is well-organized and contains all the pertinent information in a compact and packable format.

Catskill Mountain Guide
I found the trail descriptions very clear and easy to follow.We camped at Woodland Valley Canpground and hiked to Mount Wittenberg. I especially appreciated the authors' comparisons of different trails and mountain peak options.

Contrary to Amazon's suggestion, it is not necessary to purchase the accompanying trail map as a separate item as it is already included with the book in the back pocket.Following Amazon's suggestion I ended up with 2 copies of the same map.

What is missing from the book, when comparing it to similar guide books i have used (mostly related to Western National Parks), is it has very limited history and natural history background.For example, My Mountaineers Yosemite book has pages and pages of historical background as well as a basic introduction to the flora and fauna. This makes good reading during down time on a hike or backpacking trip.

Overall I am satisfied with this guide book and would definitely recommend it to anyone contemplating a trip to the Catskills.

Lacks very important details....
Got this to prep for a backpacking trip.For my particular hike (Wittenberg, Cornell, Slide Mountains) it mentions one difficult spot where hand over hand scrambling is needed.Well that was true, problem was, there were numerous other similar (steep, dangerous) spots.I'm the type that can conquer most anything as long as I know about it in advance and can mentally prep.What I learned from others on the trail was, lots of other people knew from experience the AMC guides lack such details, which can really make a serious difference when choosing a hike or knowing who to bring along and who to leave home.Also, it's too bad Amazon shows the topo map as a "frequently also purchased item"---because although it's not very clear on the book's cover, the book contains the exact same map.Totals two disappointing purchases.Luckily, I was with a great trip leader and my trek in the perhaps often overlooked but beautiful Catskills was a great success despite the book! ... Read more