Product Description
Walk your way to hiking excellence with this essential pocket-sized guide. One hundred and one nuggets of practical information take you step-by-step towards successfully trekking your way around the countryside and mountain regions.Amazon.com Review
For those just getting into hiking and backpacking, thisedition of the 101 Essential Tips series provides a handy overview ofthe basics. While some of the subjects covered will definitely requireadditional sources for a full understanding (how to use a map andcompass, for instance), most of the tips are geared to getting thereader out the door and on the trail in a safe fashion. Tips includehow to choose a backpack, what food to bring, how to pack, how todress for cold weather, and, well, 96 others. Color photos andsensible text make this a welcome guide for beginners. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Not what I thought
The cover and description of this book did not do justice describing how elementary and basic this book is.Copyrighted in 1996, much of this book is out of date.The "tips" were remedial.For example:"Be cautious, bears can be dangerous."Really? Are you sure?Most of the equipment illustrated was way out of date.The book itself was in good condition and the seller very helpful when I had a question.This one was my fault.I should have read between the lines before purchasing.MANY better books related to hiking.

nice pictures, but little useful information
i'm far from an expert in hiking, but this book really didn't tell me anything i didn't already know.i was hoping for more.

Easy to understand essential tips.
Lots of pictures, plain language.

This is great to have at your side while you prepare/travel to your hiking site.It's not really a how-to, so much as a collection of useful FYIs.

Beginning hikers (like me) should buy a more substantial book (or a mentor, even better) to learn the basics, and get this book as a companion.

Enjoy your hikes, and stay safe!

Pretty much useless.......
The problem with this book is that is doesn't play to one specific audience and by doing so renders itself useless.It offers tips that are very basic as well as advanced but it doesn't make any sense.Its a small book meant to be taken with you while you hike but so it doesn't cover any one tip in too much detail.Because of its brevity, some tips are actually incomplete and could be dangerous on top of not containg enough information.

TIP 2- Choosing Companions- walking with a group is safer than walking alone, and walking with friends is preferable to walking with strangers.(Rocket science folks!)Find a walking association and make an effort to talk to everyone early on.
--so here the book is supposing that you are somebody who has never hiked before.

Other tips go on to talk about choosing clothing, food, tents and backpacks so here the book is assuming you are going on a multi night camping trip which is fine but the information here is not thourough enough for inexperienced hikers so it really ends up being useless.Tips 8-24 aren't bad as they talk about boots, fitting you pack and how to pack it as well as foot care and the layer system.It pretty much goes downhill from there though as we get the myriad of misinformation and common knoweldege.

TIP 25- Sleeping Bags- says nothing about the temp rating system or down bags or the difference between house sleeping bags and camping sleeping bags.

TIP 30- Bring Portable Foods- no duh!

TIP 36- Bring First Aid Kit- yikes!

TIP 38- goes into detail about planning your route on a multi night hike.Does not talk about distance planning and makes it seem like a breeze.This is misleading and you shouldn't be making your own routes along places without trails unless you actually have some unmarked backcountry experience.

TIP 41 and 42- How a compass works and setting your compass.-great except for the fact that again, someone who doesn't know how to do this should not be getting them in a situation where they need to do for the first time from a book!

TIP 46- Navigating by stars-see problems with 38, 41 and 42....

TIP 61-63- crossing dangerous water alone, in groups etc...oy vey don't get yourself into this please!

There are some usefull tips here and there but for the most part I don't like this book.There are some usefull first aid tips but most kits contain this information in them already or you just get a pamhlet of the internet that does.

Bottom Line:Anyone new to hiking should check out other bigger books at their bookstere which go into more detail about types of shoes, conditioning, safety etc..

Anyone who wants to get into more serious day hikes or multi night trips should try out the Backpackers Handbook by Chris Townsend.This is an excellent book that pretty much covers everything this book does but in much more depth.

Excellent Novice Hiker's Guide
This a great companion for the beginning hiker. It is small enough to carry on camping or day trips and is a nifty reference. The full color pictures make for an easy way to understand and remember the author's points. The book is filled with practical know how. Many of the topics covered may seem remedial for more advanced hikers but are nonetheless a good survey of the basics. The 101 tips cover a wide range of information from breaking camp to reading maps and planning routes to life-saving first aid. the book is easy and quick to read, consisting of only 69 short pages. It is an excellent and inexpensive aid for any new hiker. ... Read more

Product Description
Rich in human history and wildlife, Shenandoah NationalPark is truly one of the jewels of the East.Located in northernVirginia, Shenandoah is an easy drive from the Washington, D.C., metroarea.Park trails lead to sweeping views, rushing waterfalls, andhistoric points.With over 196,000 acres (79,000 of them designatedwilderness), Shenandoah offers a wide variety of hikes for allabilities.Recently updated, Hiking Shenandoah National Park providesdetailed descriptions and maps of 59 of the best hikes in the park. From easy day hikes to strenuous backpacking trips, this guide willprovide you with all the latest information you will need to planvirtually any type of hiking adventure in the park.Hiking Shenandoahis divided into sections according to the park's three districts: North,Central, and South.Each hike description includes the distance, levelof difficulty, elevation information, a trail map, and a detailednarrative of the hike.This guide also includes overview maps andcomprehensive information on backcountry safety, minimum impacttechniques, and the park's human and natural history.Don't forget toinclude Hiking Shenandoah on your next adventure in the park. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Not a bad guide, but there is another option
I generally like the Falcon guides and this one, while not their strongest effort, is not bad. It covers the Park from top to bottom and offers the usual Falcon blend of easy to read but over-simplified maps, helpful elevation gain graphs and informative trail directions. But, because this is Shenandoah National Park, I cannot help but compare the 'one size fits all' format of the Falcon guide to the best hiking guide ever written: Henry Heatwole's Guide to Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park (Bulletin / Shenandoah Natural History Association). Heatwole's book is out of date -- the resources needed to keep publishing updated versions simply weren't there after he passed away. But it was never meant to be a way to make a lot of money. Heatwole simply loved the Park and its trails and he poured that love into each page (he did each map, for instance, by hand). After using Heatwole for years, the Falcon guide is like synthetic crabmeat. It's ok, but it sure isn't crab. So here is the good news. Heatwole's guide has been so missed that volunteers, working with the Park Service, have issued an updated virtual version on the web: [...]

You might want to try that first, then come back here if you're still hungry.

Great for day hikers.
I've had very good luck with the older edition of this book.In fact, I bought it a while ago.I've enjoyed it enough that I wanted to review it and Amazon.com seemed like a good place.

Thus far I've been on five of the hikes, the shortest being about six miles with most in the nine to ten mile range.I've hiked almost forty miles in the last six weeks with no problems.

It might be a bit elementary for an experienced hiker, though.The topographic profiles are very, very general, so if that bothers you, then it might not be the book for you.The maps are obviously simplified, if it shows one switchback, then you might encounter eight on the actual trail.More exact information can be found in the text.

Hey, if you're a serious hiker, then you're going to have a "real" map, anyway.Although, I will admit to leaving with this book as my only guide.Zero trouble.I always stick to the path, never improvise, check the book often, follow signs, and use common sense.

There are plenty of overly complicated, wordy hiking books out there with overly busy maps that many day hikers find intimidating.A relative was showing me two such books this weekend.The maps were very detailed, but hard to read.Route summaries were pages and pages.For those reasons, she's never used any of them.

I'm not looking to plan my own route or backpack the AT.I want to have a good time, go at a moderate pace, and follow the hike as described.I want to know where the trails are, the route, the landmarks, and the general lay of the land.This book gives it to me.It's easy to read, easy to understand and laid out very logically.

A great source of information...
I bought this book with my girlfriend about two years ago and we've done three hikes in the book... all of them of the 'strenuous' variety ranging from 7.5 to 10.0 mile hikes.This past weekend we did the Cedar Run/Whiteoak Canyon hike... nine waterfalls (it seemed like more) and what a wonderful hike it was.

The book is very well organized.It has all of the pertinent information about what to expect on the hike and gives highlights of things that you'll come across (and the approximate mile marker that you can expect to find them).The information includes, Skyline Dr mile marker to find the trail head, length of hike, difficulty of hike, vertical elevation, a map of the hike that includes some geographical information, a vertical elevation map that includes the mileage markers, a short mileage marker summary of the hike, and a descriptive page that takes you through every step of the hike.

Now, the only thing I've found wrong with this book is that some of the names of the trails aren't as advertised.For instance, this weekend on the Whiteoak Canyon Trail, at First Falls it told us to cross a foot bridge and continue on the Whiteoak Fire Rd, but the cement post did not advertise the Whiteoak Fire Rd.Using the trail map provided in the book and a sense of direction, we found the road, but still weren't sure if we were on the right trail, since we did find a marker for the road until we made the turn back to the trail head (about 1.7 miles of hiking).

We experienced similar problems on the other hikes we did, but that was the worst of it.With all of the information provided in the book, even if the written directions are a little fuzzy, the maps and additional information will keep you on the right track.

If you don't make this your main book for hiking SNP, I would definitely have it handy to plan trips and recommend it to anyone who likes to hike.

Very informative and useful information
I bought this book on a spotaneous day trip to SNP. I had planned to hike one of the few trails I knew about in the area and stopped at a wayside to look throught the books to get more info on the trail or even consider an alternative. I discovered this book in the store and was suprised to know that there are so many good trails in the park. I think most people are only aware of the most popular trails and this guides has many alternatives. So far I havetried 2 of the trails listed and the descriptions and maps were excellent and accurate. Most importantly this book has informed me of many new trails within 2 hours of where of live that I had not been aware of. The descriptions of the trails provide me with great information to decide which ones I want to try. I expect that this guide will be very useful for many years to come.

3rd edition review
NOTICE READERS OF THESE REVIEWS:
seems the reviews for the 1998 edition is the same reviews for the 3rd edition (Jan'06), I'm sure there's been updates and corrections in the past 8 years. (different ISBN numbers)
more comments added 9-27-2006:
I'm beginning to appreciate this book the more I use it.
Table of contents lists all the hikes in order of MilePost on Skyline Dr.
Each Hike # has the Milepost at starting Trailhead, difficulty, traffic,
and other useful info. Then a description of the hike, a graph chart of
the Topo vertical change, and signicant 'encounters' broken down to .01
of a mile. and of course a "Trail Map"
But wait there's more: Dont overlook the APPENDIX in the back,
where each hike is categorized by difficulty (Easy, Moderate, Strenuous)
and by type (Views and Waterfalls). SO, in my case, instead of reading
every single hike in order, I jumped to the Appendix and planned
all my Waterfalls hikes.
Aug'06
I have the 3rd edition, and it helps fill-in the gaps to the waterfalls books of virgina I bought. I like hiking to waterfalls, and this book adds more hiking details, than the waterfalls books.
Any one interested in hiking trails in SNP, can also access the National park service web page and choose Shenandoah and they have trail "maps". ... Read more

Product Description
Produced in association with the Keystone Trails Association, this is a guide to the best of Pennsylvania s 3,000-plus miles of hiking trails. Descriptions of each trail provide location, directions to the trailhead, suggested times to hike, terrain, special features, recreational activities, and suggestions for planning a trip. Maps and a selection of stunning full-color photographs from the trails are included. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Good Catalog of Hiking Trails in PA
This book is a good catalog of hiking trails in Pennsylvania.It is NOT a book of trails with step-by-step hiking directions (for example "take a left at the intersection of the red and blue trails).

This book describes hundreds of hiking areas, breaking the state into 9 geographic regions.The description for most hiking areas opens with a few interesting facts or history, followed by an overall description of the type of terrain, trails (sometimes a brief list of a few of the trails), and ends with specific driving instructions to get you there.The vast majority of trails do NOT have accompanying maps or trail sketches, so do not rely on this guide alone if you are a beginner.If you like exploring, take your compass or GPS and enjoy!

I liked the book because due to its brief descriptions it contains many more trails than the more detailed books, and I discovered some areas I didn't know existed.It's a great source of hiking ideas.

Hiking in Pennsylvania
As an amateur hiker in Pennsylvania I found this book extremely helpful.I was unaware of all the marvelous hiking trails in our state.If you are not from PA then this is also the book for you.Informative, colorfully written with a great picture section. I hope everyone will purchase this book and come to PA to discover our many beautiful hiking trails. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Great Book
While I sympathize with "Bluebird" for not being able to complete her thru-hike of the AT in one year, her book, and the many people that will enjoy it, will hopefully make up for it. The book tells the truth about hiking the AT. It's not all about beautiful views and level, well-maintained, paths and the book accurately describes the pain and suffering that the author goes through on her hike. Rain, rain, and more rain, and the reader feels the torrential downpours that "Bluebird" (the author) goes through.
The book is well written and uses "Bluebird's" journal entries to describe her trek. With the help of her transcriber, the reader can feel like they are right next to "Bluebird" enjoying the "highs" and sympathizing with the "lows" of the hike.
A great read for the AT enthusiast or the occasional reader looking for some enjoyable reading. There are numerous great books written by hikers of the Appalachian Trail and this is certainly one of them.

"Bluebird" Lands in Damascus
I met Terry "Bluebird" a couple weeks ago during Damascus Trail Days 2010!
She was very impressive; we talked for a while - she sold me her book - I went
home and am almost finished.She is a great inspiration.Especially to ladies like myself, a 48 yr old woman who has dreams of doing the trail in its entirety!She keeps a good sense of humor, of the utmost importance! I am finding her book very practical and helpful but I love her pictures and poetry scattered throughout!Good Job on and off the Trail Bluebird!
Snowbird @[...] - Keep on Hiking!!

Footpath My Ass! - A must read for any AT hiker
You will want to start reading this book on a Friday night, because despite the many attempts to set it down for the evening; it won't happen that way. I made ten attempts to bookmark my page and call it a night, only to find myself reading about another day in Terry Croteau's amazing account of her hike of the Appalachian Trail, and before I knew it, I had crossed another state line with her.This book is like no other book I've read on the AT; this book encompasses the heart and soul of the author and weaves her day-to-day activities in a mystical way. This book is a 'must read' book for anyone contemplating the hike or folks like myself who can only sit back an envy those courageous enough to commit to six months of walking over terrain that doesn't even remotely look like a footpath at all. Terry provides helpful hints that go beyond what you may see in other books. Terry's brilliance in realistically depicting the trials and tribulations of her journey, plus her original penned sketches throughout the book is as good as having her sitting in your family room telling you first-hand the ups and downs of her amazing trek. Men, women, and children will be inspired by Terry. This is a book that you will read again and again.

Inspiration for women who want to do it all!
I followed Bluebird's journal in 2006-7 as a precursor for my own Appalachian Trail hike, and I was thrilled that she decided to publish her journal. It was a true inspiration for me as I prepared for my own journey, just to see another older woman like me get out there and enjoy creation at its finest. Ladies, if you want to dream a dream and see how one has lived it, even when the going gets rough, read Bluebird's book.

Bluebird spread your tiny wings and WALK 2000+ miles!
Simply couldn't wait to buy this book. It was my pleasure to get to read this amazing story while it was still in draft because the author is none other than my sister! So, no bias here then. I never quite believed that my grey-haired, middle-aged sister would succeed in her quest to walk the entire length of the Appalachian Trail, Georgia to Maine, but even more unbelievable is that she has succeeded in capturing her amazing adventure on paper.

This blood, sweat and tears tale of her triumphs and tribulations is not just a lesson for all of us in trusting our ability to meet adversity, overcome physical, mental and emotional challenges and to keep putting one foot in front of the other for as long as it takes to reach our goal, it also shows the strength we can all derive from the goodwill shown to us by others, finding humor in the most ackward situations and enjoying nature on her own terms.

The author's courage, determination and pleasure in her quest shines through every page and her beautiful illustrations add to the enjoyment of this book.

There's absolutely no way you'd ever get me out in those deep, dark woods for six months and 2,000+ miles, so for me this diary style account was the perfect way to get to walk along from the comfort of my armchair. The writing style is informal and chatty, a combination of thoughts, observations and personal experiences. For the novice hikers out there, this book is full of helpful hints learned the hard way.


... Read more

Product Description
Since its original publication in 1994, North Carolina Waterfalls has been the most comprehensive guide available to one of the prime natural features of the Tar Heel State. This new edition includes over 600 waterfalls, with detailed directions and trail and beauty ratings for the major waterfalls on public land. For the first time, waterfalls located on private land will be listed, although directions won't be provided.

Visitors to western North Carolina are often surprised at the spectacular variety of waterfalls tucked among the Appalachians all the way from Murphy in the southwest to Stone Mountain in the northeast, and surprisingly, even in eastern locations such as Fayetteville and Rocky Mount. This guide features over 100 color and black-and-white photographs showing those waterfalls at their absolute best. Its special section about photographing waterfalls in general, as well as specific hints for photographing each individual waterfall, will help readers create memorable images of their own. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Great resource!
This is a great book to help plan a trip to the waterfalls in North Carolina. Lots of tips for anyone wanting to explore and photograph the falls of North Carolina.

GREAT GIFT
I gave this as a gift to my boyfriend who is a "waterfall buff" and hiker. The book gives info on where these falls are located and how to get to them. The book was a hit and I think anyone who is a hiker and loves waterfalls would love this guide..

Definitive waterfall hunting guide
Using this book in conjunction with the [...] website, you can spend a lifetime hunting waterfalls in north carolina.Kevin Adam's separate beauty rating and photography rating is extremely helpful.Trail directions are excellent, although some waterfalls take a bit more effort to track down than others (but then again, that's what makes it fun).This book is a necessary investment for anyone who loves the outdoors and lives in or near the carolinas (or just likes to visit).You'll get your money's worth out of this book on your first outing.

Great resource for chasing waterfalls in North Carolina
My only regret is that I found this book AFTER visiting North Carolina in October.I purchased a second copy for my son right after I got my copy. Great tool for planning our next trip.This is the best I have seen.Photo tips and rating ease of access.Thanks, Dale

Spectacular reference for photographers shooting NC waterfalls.
I've read through previous versions of this book, and this by far exceeds them in content.

As an avid photographer, I was looking for the definitive reference on North Carolina waterfalls, and I found it with this book.

Kevin's passion shines through with every description, and it's evident that he is dedicated to providing the reader with the most exhaustive listing of waterfalls available in one volume!

If you plan on spending time in North Carolina shooting waterfalls, buy this book. It's that simple!

Mr. Adams takes the time to explain fundamental photography principles geared towards waterfall images, which is a nice touch for the beginner.

He breaks down North Carolina in to various hubs, which makes the book a nice companion for planning trips to certain areas of the state.

His descriptions of waterfalls, trail directions and general comments are a great resource. The rating of the falls is valuable in terms of maximizing vacation time. He tells you which falls are the (subjective) best and which ones can be avoided if time is short.

I can't imagine a better reference than this book, and I've yet to find one.

Thank you, Kevin, for your more than 20 years of hard work on this book. It's a joy to use, and a pleasure to recommend!

I'd add to his teaching that a nice set of Graduated ND filters (Singh-ray or equivalent) can be just as useful and beneficial as a circular polarizer. Especially if you're shooting mountainscapes in addition to waterfalls. There are times when you risk blowing out the sky without a graduated ND when shooting relatively dim waterfalls with the sky above them.



... Read more

Product Description
The mountains of western North and upstate South Carolina are a hiker's paradise. Rich with human history, they are also home to some of the greatest biological diversity in the world. Hikers here are treated to thousands of miles of trails offering fantastic views, stunning wildflower and fall foliage displays, and gigantic trees in old growth forests.This guide lists 57 day hikes ranging in length from 2 to 13 miles, with destinations like the waterfalls of Dupont State Forest, the Blue Ridge Parkway's beautiful Craggy Gardens; the ruins of George Vanderbilt's palatial Buck Spring hunting lodge on Mt. Pisgah; and the summit of Cold Mountain. Each entry includes everything you need to know to get out and hike: maps and detailed directions, mileage, elevation gain, trail highlights, fees and hiking regulations, a list of films and novels set in each location, and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Local author does good
This book is written by a fellow member of the Carolina Mountain Club. Good details of hikes in the area.

A Great Guide!
Having hiked extensively in the Carolina Mountains for 40 years, I open new trail guides with a weary skepticism.With this book my skepticism was unjustified. Ms. Bernstein's book does not attempt to be exhaustive, but it covers a wide variety of trails in two states. In it, you will find a trail for any hiker in any season of the year.

The trail descriptions (at least for the 35 or so I have hiked) strike a nice balance between length and detail with no sacrifice of relevant accuracy.The maps are unclutteredand well integrated with the text.

Now I can take a hike here!
This is an easy to use guide to some great hikes here in the Western Carolinas. I live here and hike with a club. Until now, I've usually been following the leader and haven't really known what the hike "looked like" or where exactly I was going. I don't have great map reading skills and I don't use a GPS. In fact, I'm a person who couldn't take my relatives and friends from out of town on a moderate hike here in the Carolina mountains. And I'm not the only one with that problem. But that will change. For each hike, the book provides detailed driving directions and a simple map. For the actual hikes, there are very clear trail maps with text that describes exactly what I'll see along the way, shows which path to take at each intersection and notes what landmarks I'll see along the trail. I did a 7 mile hike this weekend using the book and felt totally confident. It was a new experience to not only complete the hike but also to know exactly what it had encompassed. Happy Trails.

Best guide to the best day hikes
This pocket guidebook to the best day hikes in the Carolina mountains deserves the highest praise. Each entry provides detailed, straightforward directions for each hike, accompanied by clearly presented maps and pictures of landmarks. While the book offers valuable resources for experienced hikers, it would also be an excellent choice to give to a friend who may be just beginning to explore the outdoors, as the introductory material explains the essentials of hiking safety and includes a checklist of necessary equipment. The lively essays placing local points of interest in their historical contexts are another major strength of this guidebook. I would never have guessed, for example, that the North Carolina and Georgia state militias fought a battle over the boundary between the two states--fifty years before the Civil War (see page 145). Milestone Press should also consider producing mp3 audio narrations of the hikes and the accompanying essays to enjoy while on the trail.

A Guide to a Hiker's Paradise
The mountains of the Carolinas are an embarassment of riches for hikers, with literally thousands of miles of trails. The problem has been choosing the most interesting hikes. There are several trail guides, but unless you are willing to spend a lot of time studying maps to create your own circular route, you'll be stuck hiking in and out on the same trail. Hiking the Carolina Mountains solves that problem by providing details of 57 hikes, most of which include loops. The book is also the first that I've seen that covers areas such as upland South Carolina and DuPont State Forest in North Carolina. Hiking the Carolina Mountains also provides detailed information on how to drive to the trailhead, interesting sidelights on the history of the area, and readable maps, all of which are usually missing from trail guides.

This is the book need to hike the Carolina mountains.

WNC Hiker ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Down the Road
I guess this review could be about how great hiking is or how beautiful the state of Texas is. However the reader may just be getting into hiking. Or the reader may have quite a bit of experience. Regardless the reader would find Parent's book useful in that it presents evaluations of the 75 Texas hiking trails.

Right after I bought this book I decided to check out the accuracy of Parent's book by comparing it with a nearby hike. The map of the hike was on target save for a finger of land which extended into the lake. Parent showed the trail as going down the center whereas it went closer to the shoreline. To me that would not be far off target.

The description of the hike's strenuousness was accurate. I decided to check out the descriptions of other hikes on the Internet. In each case Parent's description was about the same as the website description and in some cases, the website had decided to use Parent's description of its hiking trail.

Though Parent does not divide his 75 hiking trails into regions, he does provide a very useful map just after the Foreword at the beginning of the book. Just a little study will show the reader that e.g. hiking trails 1 to 13 are clustered in the Big Bend area whereas hikes 71 to 75 are clustered just north of Beaumont. One will have no trouble finding the location of any of the hiking trails except that the map shows two 62's, one of which is hike 59. This is just a typo.

Texas is not the only state in which I have hiked. I have found great beauty in each of the states in which I have traveled and lived. We have a beautiful country. However if one is looking for a hike in Texas, Parent shows the way for a hike which is ... just down the road.

Interesting, but frustrating.
To all of the worthwhile qualities of this book mentioned by other reviewers, I wish to add a deep, perplexing deficiency that will leave most any reader scratching his or her head.
The book has absolutely no chapter or regional designations for the hikes. They are merely numbered from Hike 1 to Hike 75 with no regional geographic categorization. This is a huge disservice to any purchaser, especially new hikers who may be interested in attempting some endeavor near them. Yes, the hike descriptions list a "general location" in the subtext of each entry, but how in the world does one choose an area of interest without pawing through a bunch of places identified only by number and name?
This book has no chapters. None. Simply "The Hikes" - one after another after another after another. If you wish to get out sticky notes or marker or razor knife to separate this thing into useable regions or chapters, by all means, have at it. This is the book for you.
As a hiker new to Texas, I am left frustrated and disappointed by this book and its lack of common sense organization and bookmaking courtesy.

Note on publication date
The copyright (and only) date listed in the Globe Pequot reprint edition of this book is 1992.The 1996 date listed above is presumably the date that Globe Pequot reprinted the original Falcon edition. ... Read more

Product Description
Afoot & Afield Denver/Boulder & Colorado's Front Range takes hikers throughout the Colorado Rocky Mountains and their foothills, rivers, and plains. Featuring more than 200 trips, from trails near the state's Wyoming border to Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs, author Alan Apt maps out hikes both long and short, exploring trails accessible from Denver, Boulder, and other Front Range communities.

Highlights summarize the best features of each trip. Easy-to-read maps, plus complete trip descriptions and hiking directions make sure that hikers find their way.

• More than 200 hikes ranging from short dayhikes to long weekend treks, each shown on a trail map.
• At-a-glance essential information--distance, time, elevation change, and difficulty rating.
• Additional trail-use data such as which trails are suitable for children, dogs, horseback riding, and mountain bikes.

Customer Reviews (8)

Good book but at least one big flaw
This book gives very good descriptions of hikes and parks which we found useful. One very big gripe though. We drove from the Nashville area to Colorado for one of those big trip-of-a-lifetime trips, pulled the camper and wrangled the dog all the way out there. Did our homework and planned the trip to a tee. It all came off great until we got to Roxborough State Park, right outside of Littleton, which this book describes as allowing dogs on leash. When we tried to enter the park, they turned us away because we have a dog. When we asked if we could enter and keep him in the truck, the answer was a big no. They said they had heard of this book and contacted the publisher, but it's still not corrected. They said the park has always had this rule.

That's a big error for a travel book, especially one that describes destinations where travelers will tend to travel long distances to visit, and plan entire days (those precious few vacation days 1200 miles from home!) according to its guidance.

Author and publisher deserve a black eye for this not being corrected yet. How many other errors are in this book? This is the only one we found, and this is the only park to which we referred in this particular book. Unfortunately I will not have the confidence to use this book in the future without doing thorough fact-checking, but I'd rather just buy another book.

Armchair hiking
Alan Apt's latest trail guide makes a good armchair companion during the winter months. Being an avid hiker but over 70 years old, I'm sometimes asked to take other senior citizens on hikes and Apt's trail descriptions have already given me a half dozen new destinations. Clear writing, excellent details and a little touch of humor now and then make this a favorite of mine for evening browsing and wishing.

Best Colorado hiking book
I have a bookcase full of books on hiking in Colorado. But when I'm looking to choose a hike, this is the first book I grab out of my stuffed bookcase. Why? It has a lot of variety to it: nearby hikes and hikes a bit of a drive away; challenging hikes and easy hikes; popular hikes and those off the beaten trail a bit. The descriptions are perfect. You know what to expect before you get there (so you can select hikes that fit your companions' abilities) and the directions are easy to understand and follow. This is the best hiking book I've ever owned. That's why I've bought it as a gift for others. I highly recommend it.

excellent, but somewhat Fort Collins-centric
an excellent, nearly thorough guide to hiking in Fort Collins, Boulder, Denver, Colorado Springs, southern Wyoming, and various points west.Apt is a superb writer and clearly a lover of nature rather than someone out to prove his ultra-fitness or mountaineering expertise -- a large number of the hikes are very modest outings suitable for young children or the elderly.

Just one major criticism: some strange inclusions and exclusions for a book with Denver/Boulder in the title.A number of hikes in Steamboat Springs and Wyoming are included, for instance -- both are a very sizable drive from anywhere on the Colorado front range except perhaps Fort Collins.Yet some truly awesome and popular hikes much closer to Denver/Boulder are excluded: 4th of July trailhead hikes west of Boulder are an especially glaring omission, as some of the most spectacular hiking in the country originates there.(Perhaps Apt wants to keep that increasingly popular area as much of a secret as possible.)Another strange omission, given Apt's somewhat Fort Collins-centric approach, are any of the trails in the main part of State Forest west of Fort Collins: anything north of route 14.

NICE VERY NICE
Afoot & Afield is a great find for a transplant to CO. The descriptions of the trails and the maps are right on. This book is just as accurate as the trail guides but out by the AMC in New England The difficulty of the trails and length of time to take the hikes were very accurate a great feature. I have come out of the woods well after dark because of some misinformation.
A stranger in a strange land. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

The Best Little Book for Hiking in the Smokies
I have used this book as my definitive guide to hiking in the Smokies for the past 15 years.It gives very detailed descriptions, a bit of history, and elevation guides that can't be beat.The only downfalls (and the reason I took away a star) are the weight of the book and its lack of waterproofing material.While it is compact, it is dense with pages and information making it weigh quite a bit in a backpack on a trail.Overall, this book is well worth the money!

Great book.
Along with a good map, all the info you need about hiking in the Smokies.

The one to get
This book (sometimes called "The Little Brown Book" is by far the best guide to hiking trails in the Smokies.By some miracle of book design, they managed to get comprehensive descriptions of all the officially-maintained trails in the park into a book that you can fit into a jacket pocket.If you only get one book on trails in the Smokies, this is the one you need.

Most comprehensive book on trails in the Smokies
I have several books on the trails in the Smokies, but this is by far the most comprehensive in terms of the number of trails covered and the information covered on each trail. A "must have"for anyoneplanning a hiking trip in the Smokies. The trail profiles are great.

A must-have for those who love to hike in the Smokies.
This book is all you will ever need for any existing hiking trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It details hundreds of trails and includes a trail map of the park. Each trail description is highlightedwith an altitude profile that shows elevation changes over mileage. Theprofile also pinpoints junctions with trailheads, scenic areas, or otherlandmarks. The book is lightweight so it is easily carried in a pack and itis a bargain for the information it contains. ... Read more

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HIKING MONTANA 3RD

Customer Reviews (3)

useful book
delivery was slower than usual, but the book is easy to use and will come in handy

Woah!!!
Well I would say this is a basic overview of Nevada... Not really super detailed to any one particular area, but a good general description of some key hikes in the great state of nevada. If you buy enjoy it....

Some of Nevada's Finest:A Review of the Second Edition
Bruce Grubbs is the author of a very good hiking guide to Great Basin National Park, so one might expect that his guide to hiking the whole state of Nevada would also be a gem.And indeed, this book does list some nice hikes throughout the state ranging from short day hikes to multi-day backpack trips.Directions to trailheads, route descriptions, hypsometric maps (where appropriate) and such useful information as "canine compatibility" (ie. where you can walk with your dog) are all more than adequate.In addition, the second edition features a little more than a dozen new hikes in the Silver State.

Nonetheless, I cannot give this book more than 3 stars, and this despite the fact that it has very few competitors in the market.In the first instance, I don't really like the format which, like the first edition, is more a work of compilation than a work of authorship.In many cases, Grubbs simply prints comments from brochures (or other sources) by Nevada Parks, the Forest Service, or the Bureau of Land Management.I prefer authors write their own trail descriptions.It helps assure me that they have personally hiked (and rechecked) the trails.Beyond that, I still wonder about some of his trail selections.Red Rock Canyon, outside Las Vegas, gets a lot of (well deserved) attention, but Mt. Charleston Recreation Area has only 1 trail listed.Insofar as this recreation area offers some of the premier hiking in the southern portion of Nevada, I'm curious why a guide to the state would mention so little in this region.On the other hand, some of the "trails" listed, especially in northern Nevada, have long dirt roads for access and offer little in the way of such amenities as trail tread.After reading this book, I certainly don't feel much desire to go explore the area around Winnemucca and Denio.

So in the final analysis, I think this book could offer more in terms of really scenic hikes and drop some of the long desert washes.Still, you can find some neat little out of the way trails with it.Last winter, my wife and I explored the Grimes Point Archeological Area, a short leg stretcher just off our route from California to Boise, Idaho and really enjoyed the place.We would never have found it without this guide, so until something better comes along, this is the book to get for Nevada outdoor recreation. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (6)

Good Guide, Found some hidden gems with it:)
Picked this up for an extended Northern California hiking and riding trip. I purchased about four others as well and I used all of them as each has a little something different. Not a single one was useless and none warranted less than 4 stars. I would reccomend doing the same rather than just picking one for your trip.

Great!
Like all other Afoot and Afield guides I own, this one is excellent and very useful. The Bay area is so large and wonderful that a truly comprehensive guide would take 10 volumes, but this book does a great job at summarizing the main hiking areas, and I found it very useful when I stayed in the area for a few months. I did not find most of the text too useful, given that it largely describes directions which can be easily inferred from the map. But the brief highlight description of each trail is very useful to decide where to go, and equally useful are indications of difficulty and length of each trail. Take into account that if you are in good shape and you hike without many stops, the hike duration indicated in the book are likely an overestimate of how long it will take you to complete a trip. Most trips categorized as "difficult" are actually easy, but they are just long. What I really LOVE about this book, however, are the maps. A large map of the whole Bay area is subdivided into smaller zones, and the book reports a more detailed map for each zone. Then the zone map clearly indicates the location of each hike, and finally you will find one very detailed and very reliable map for each hike. These maps are really well done, and there is pretty much no way you can get lost using them. Highly recommended!

If You Choose Just One Hiking Book for the SF Bay Area, This Is It
Wilderness Press has a series of books on the SF Bay Area hiking trails (two of which are written by Weintraub):East Bay Trails, South Bay Trails, North Bay Trails, and Peninsula Trails.Those books are excellent and obviously have the kind of complete and detailed coverage that a single book of the same size cannot offer for the same vast area.But if you wish to buy only a single book on hiking in the SF Bay Area, this one is the best I've seen.It discusses hiking opportunities from Santa Rosa in the north to just outside Santa Cruz in the south.It discusses more hikes than any other book (except the Foghorn one, which however offers no maps).It has excellent maps, along with detailed directions, the attractions of each hike, the best season for the hike, and so on.Unlike those in some other books, the maps included cover more than just the hikes discussed, so in essence it leads you to many more trails than those listed in the book.It also mentions (though does not have the space to discuss in detail) some of the flora and fauna you might notice on the hike, and offers some photos.If you don't get separate books on each area, this is almost certainly the one to get.

An invaluable, "user friendly" guide
The newest title in the outstanding "Afoot & Afield" series from Wilderness Press, Afoot & Afield San Francisco Bay Area by David Weintraub features no less than 102 memorable hiking trips around the greater Bay Area ranging from a 1.5-mile stroll through Golden Gate Park, to rigorous10-mile treks. From M. St. Helena (near Caistoga) the tallest summit in the North Bay (4339 feet), to the Sonoma coast's Kortum trial skirting the Pacific ocean, to the waterfalls of the eastern Santa Cruz mountains near San Jose, to the Peninsula's Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve, this is the ideal guide for hikers, dog walkers, bikers, backbackers, and outdoor enthusiasts. An invaluable, "user friendly" guide to personally exploring the coast, canyons, and ridges around the San Pablo and San Francisco bays and beyond, Afoot & Afield San Francisco Bay Area is the ideal and enthusiastically recommended planner for day trips, weekend excursions, or holiday outings.

Most comprehensive hiking guide to the CA bay area
Great guide to the bay area.If you want just one book for a hiking guide to the bay area this is the one to buy.Truly up to date and will probably surprise most bay area outdoor enthusiasts with the comprehensive hiking coverage of the area.Even after living here for more than a decade I found new reasons to visit parks that had faded in memory.This guy has truly walked these trails.When you see the accuracy of the trail descriptions, the abundance of information on wildflowers and the choice morsels of local lore you know you are walking with a guide whose heart is in his boots.Another great guide book from this author. ... Read more

Product Description
All you need for every step of the trip

Do more than explore the outdoors. This guide goes beyond the trails to let you discover the best of Hawaii's breathtaking natural beauty. It leads you to nearby attractions, comfortable places to stay, and satisfying places to eat so you can enjoy the best of Hawaii—indoors and out.

• 60 of the best hikes for every ability level, with planning information for everything from hour-long escapes to week-long itineraries

• Maps and step-by-step instructions for every route, including detailed directions and GPS coordinates to the trail heads

• A full-color wildlife viewing guide to help identify what you'll see on the route along the way

• Accommodation and dining recommendations located close to the trail

• Written by local experts who tell you what's worth your time and why

Find great deals, the latest travel news, trip ideas, and more at Frommers.com ... Read more

Product Description
·More than 100 hikes, with over 35 new to this edition
·Expanded to include Dinosaur National Monument, Salinas National Monument, Snow Canyon State Park, and northern San Rafael Swell
·Includes trips in recently designated national monuments and wilderness areas-Grand Staircase-Escalante, Canyons of the Ancients, Black Ridge Canyons, and more

Hiking the Southwest Canyon Country will take you from the Colorado Plateau to the Grand Canyon to the banks of the Rio Grande. Perfect for hikers off all levels, this updated guide features trips that highlight the dramatic scenery of the Four Corners Region, from waterfalls and natural bridges to slot canyons. Each itinerary offers options such as day hikes, backpacking trips, scenic drives, raft trips, and visits to archaeological sites. This new edition also includes a "Best Places Adventure Chart" that compares features of hikes such as rock art, arches, and serene rivers.Amazon.com Review
With its first-rate information on how to make your trip to the AmericanSouthwest's Canyon Country a safe and pleasant one, this is an excellentguidebook. But if you're interested in learning more about the geology,archeology, native cultures, and natural splendors of red rock territoryalong the way, it's downright indispensable.

In this new edition, six completely revised two- and three-week trip itineraries give information on some of the high desert's most enjoyable trails and breathtaking scenic attractions in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. For each trip cluster, Hinchman provides handy, easy-to-read maps and enticing photographs, along with natural and human history of the area, basic geologic and archeological history, and an overview of the area's climate and plant and animal life. Hikers will come to understand and appreciate, for instance, the Anasazi dwellings at Mesa Verde as well as the natural forces that converged to create the Grand Canyon.

Whether planning to stake out whimsical hoodoos in Goblin Valley, exploreChaco Canyon, or feast your eyes on any number of cliffs, arches, andpetroglyphs, this is one guidebook you'll be glad youpacked. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Allow Much More Time
This is an excellent book for planning trips in the Southwest. My wife and I used it for a three week tour based in Albuquerque and going on excursions that included Petroglyph, NM, Acoma Res., El Malpais, El Morro, Canyon de Chelly, and Chaco Culture NHP. We found the time estimates in the book to be far short of the time we spend touring an area and/or a destination. Unless you do "New York Minute" tours you will need to double many of the time allotments in the book. That said, the book is excellent for an overview of things to see and do in an area. It can serve as the one book to plan your trip and to take along with you.

Lots of Good Short Hikes
The best characteristic of this hiking book is that it is more focused on the day hiker than the backpacker, describing an abundance of shorter and easier hikes than the average hiking guide catering to the young and strong.Longer hikes are here; but there's plenty also for the duffer, i.e. yours truly.

Hinchman describes 160 hikes in the deserts and canyons of the Four Corners region of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah, including the Grand Canyon and several magnificient National Parks in Utah.Along the way she also points in the direction of other lesser known walks. For example, despite my familiarity with New Mexico, I never knew that Petroglyph National monument just outside Albuquerque had good short hikes. I'll visit there next trip.

Along with all the good, I have a complaint that the guide is somewhat difficult to use, divided as it is into six different, sometimes overlapping "tours." I had to search for a while to find hikes in Mesa Verde which were placed in Chapter IV rather than Chapter V which seemed a equally logical place to find them.Once you get the hang of the author's methods and madness, however, the guide is easily usable.An improvement would be a map showing the location of hikes described and a less complex numbering system.

Smallchief

Somewhat useful but could be much better
I got this book at my local REI, it was the best they had on the four corners area. That said, it falls short of the standards set by many other hiking or travel books:

1. I wish the maps were better. It made me think that most of the famous arches in Arches NP were in the Fiery Furnace area, while in fact they are not there -- just the map is rather crude.
2. I wish it had better overall area maps with clearly marked areas of interest etc. Something to help better plan your trip if you only have a long weekend at your disposal. The book is organized instead in multi-day linear itineraries which seemed at best arbitrary and useless to me.
3. Does not mention (beyond a couple of sentences) some obvious top spots like Antelope Canyon and other slot canyons in Arizona.
4. No ratings of hikes according to scenic-ness. Many other books do this and I appreciate it. Although the SW is usually great, some hikes and sights are way more impressive than others.
5. Black-and-white photos of the colorful Southwest (almost a crime!), and no photos of many of the landmarks...

In a nutshell, you should already know where you want to go (from reading on internet etc) and then pick up this book to glean some more detail. And then go again on the internet and search some more to determine if the specific sights are worth it.

UPDATE (July 2007):

After my second consecutive trip to the Southwest, I am impressed how comprehensive this book is. If something is worth *hiking* it will be in there, and sometimes the directions to the trailhead will be better than the "official" ones in the BLM / NPS leaflets. So my opinion of the book is somewhat higher, plus its idiosyncrasies grew on me.

That said, the weaknesses remain:

- organization is abysmal (although the index in the back helps a bit)
- maps are relatively bad
- not enough photos, B/W mostly, quality is rel. low

A Superb Guide to Canyon Country
This guide is excellent in many respects: the maps are well-drawn without drowning in detail, the multi-day itineraries are useful (but by no means necessary and can be broken into day trips), and the descriptions of the trails and the many photos let you know that you are on track. (Never underestimate the utility of a good photo to help you get your bearings.)

This is a hiker's guidebook--thick paper and glossy covers ensure it can handle occasional moisture and repeated stuffings into packs. The book's strengths are is comprehensiveness and its detail. The focus is on the southwest canyon country--a large area indeed, but nearly every worthy hike is discussed and each with enough detail to ensure no highlights are missed.

Finally, the author provides a good summary of the archaeological finds--including the amazing, ancient petroglyphs and pictographs--you will see along the way. If you are going to be hiking in the canyon country of the southwest, this is the book to have.

An unusally good guidebook. Highly recommended.
This is an unusual guidebook, in that the author lays out a series of suggested itineraries for the Colorado Plateau country, sized for a 2-3 week vacation. This would be an ideal guidebook for a first-time hiker-visitor to the US Southwest. But old hands won't feel left out, or condescended to -- Hinchman writes clearly and directly, and knows her stuff. She notes that her guidebook is directed towards the "non-jock" reader.

I've been to many of the places and specific hikes that she recommends, and I saw no errors, though I haven't yet used her guidebook in the field. The cartography, by Hannah Hinchman, is unusually good for a small-format guidebook. About the only flaw I noted was that about half of the color photos are poorly reproduced. The text index is sketchy, but the index maps are excellent. Previous Mountaineers guidebooks have been sturdily-bound and hold up well in the field. Highly recommended.

Happy hiking--
Peter D. Tillman
Desert Rat ... Read more

Product Description
Lace up your boots and sample fifty-three of the best trails in New Mexico's Aldo Leopold Wilderness - a vast, 202,016-acre wonderland of canyons, valleys, mesas, long ridges, and lofty peaks. From great volcanic spires and spectacular cliff formations to dry pinyon-juniper woodlands and rolling virgin ponderosa pine forests, the diversity of the trails in Hiking New Mexico's Aldo Leopold Wilderness should please nature lovers and history buffs alike. Let veteran hikers Bill Cunningham and Polly Burke lead you through day hikes, two- or three-day backpacks, and rugged wilderness hikes.

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 tips.

Whether you are a day-tripper or long-distance hiker, old hand or novice, you'll find trails suited to every ability and interest in New Mexico's Aldo Leopold Wilderness. (6 x 9, 288 pages, b&w photos, maps, charts) ... Read more

Product Description
Can a boy-hungry Jersey girl survive the wilds of Canada with her eco-identity intact? A witty new YA novel from the author of SOPHOMORE SWITCH.

Jenna may hail from the ’burbs of New Jersey, but Green Teen activism is her life. So when her mom suggests they spend the summer at Grandma’s Florida condo, Jenna pleads instead to visit her hippie godmother, Susie, up in rural Canada. Jenna is psyched at the chance to commune with this nature she’s heard about — and the cute, plaidwearing boys she’s certain must roam there. But after a few run-ins with local wildlife (from a larger-than-life moose to Susie’s sullen Goth stepdaughter to a hot but hostile boy named Reeve), Jenna gets the idea that her long-held ideals, like vegetarianism and conservation, don’t play so well with this population of real outdoorsmen. A dusty survival guide offers Jenna amusing tips on navigating the wilderness — but can she learn to navigate the turns of her heart? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Perfect summer read
Green Teen activist, Jenna, convinces her parents to let her go visit her godmother, Susie, in rural Canada in order to avoid spending her summer in Florida with her grandmother and the rest of her grandmother's elderly friends. She is convinced that she will be able to commune with nature and view all of the things she has been fighting to protect. Jenna quickly finds that it's not what she was expecting as she encounters bears, moose, her godmother's goth step-daughter, and a trio of handsome teenage boys that she manages to alienate right almost from the moment she meets them.

I really enjoyed this book more than I expected. We see Jenna mature and realize that not everything in life is black and white. I love seeing how her friendship slowly develops with Reeve, Ethan, and even Grady and the reader even starts to see a softer side of the wicked step-daughter, Fiona. It was also fun to watch Jenna take part in "nature" activities like kayaking, hiking, dirt biking, etc. This is the perfect summer read.

Reviewed by: Debbie Suzuki

Fun Summer Read
Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots was a really fun, adventurous read with a few more serious matters thrown in.

Jenna is a 17 year old girl who grew up in the suburbs of New Jersey. She's a member of a Green Teen, a club for environmentalists who hold protests and spends her free time sending letters to government officials to protect the environment. Over summer she chooses to spend time with her godmother, Susie, Susie's new husband, and his daughter Fiona in Canada wilderness.

When Jenna arrives into town she goes in wanting to change everything from preventing global warming to adding solar panels. I'm all for protecting the environment, but with Jenna it just became too much and came off somewhat forced. The step-daughter Fiona was the most annoying. She spent most of her time reading Sylvia Plath, listening to depressing music, and just being bitchy for no reason. Fiona was pretty much the stereotypical "goth". What I enjoyed most about the book was the Jenna stepping out of her comfort zone and roughing it with the boys, by going kayaking, climbing walls, fishing, etc. By the end of the book, there was quite a bit of change in a few of the characters some for the best and others for the worse.

Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots was a really enjoyable book that made me laugh out loud... a moose in the middle of the road. There were also a few touching moments that I was able to relate to and a few surprising moments that I didn't see coming. Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots is a perfect, fun, light summer read.

Review From Books & Wine
Boys, Bears, And A Serious Pair Of Hiking Boots by Abby McDonald is pretty much exactly what it appears to be, a cute book about a girl who goes into the wilderness. To be honest, I thought this book did an excellent job of serving it's purpose. It kept me entertained, I awwwwed in the right places, and definitely enjoyed the romance as well as the twists.

Jenna, our intrepid main character, hails from New Jersey. She is leader of this group of students called the Green Teens which basically means they are Earth-crunchy. I loved that she was an activist. Let's please have more of this, as yes, teens do have opinions! Anyways, Jenna's family decides to go on vacation for the whole summer to Florida at her Grandmother's place. Jenna is all, oh hell no, and goes to her godmother Susie's place in Stillwater, Canada instead. Her adventures in Stillwater are what really make the book. Here, Jenna is living in pristine nature conditions, and interacts with people who have a somewhat different outlook on life from her.

I like that we get to see Jenna's coming of age. We get to see her decisions on ideals and values in relation to reality. She's definitely got a heart of gold, and well it's nice to see one teen who isn't all in your face, I do drugs and rebel. In essence, we really see Jenna mature. Granted, this is in the space of one summer, but I do think certain events and experiences are life-changing. Jenna totally holds her own on the adventures she takes, and to me was a strong character in that she takes no b.s., she was caring, kind, held fast to her ideals, and was pretty much straight-forward with everyone.

The teenage characters of Boys, Bears, And A Serious Pair of Hiking Boots are definitely more flushed out than the adult characters. There's Fiona, who is Susie's stepdaughter and going through that bratty rebellious phase. There's Ethan, who holds a secret. Reeve who is hot, but gruff. There's Livvy, who is Jenna's best friend from home -- who is basically present via text messages and phone calls. I definitely appreciated the dynamic cast.

I was definitely engrossed by this book and would recommend it if you want something lighter between heavy reads.

Fun story set against Canadian wilderness
Abby McDonald's BOYS, BEARS, AND A SERIOUS PAIR OF HIKING BOOTS is a fun adventure centering around a strong-willed, sensitive and intelligent teen. Jenna is an assertive narrator who isn't content blending into the pack -- but isn't a troublemaker, either. As a narrator, I appreciated her humorous and funny take on life in Canada, which is decidedly different from the halls of her New Jersey high school.

The progression of Jenna as a character is really what made this book for me. She wasn't annoying or intolerant in the beginning -- not exactly -- but by the close of the novel, we can really see a change in who she has become. This all felt organic to me; I never felt like Jenna had suddenly morphed into someone new in the spaces between page turnings. The sweet love story that develops, centering around glances and barely-brushing fingertips, was really endearing, too.

I read this novel over the span of a few hours and really felt like I'd been dropped in a Canadian river alongside our narrator. I loved Susie and the bed and breakfast she and husband Adam were renovating, and I even came to love -- shock of shocks -- Fiona, our rebellious and fiesty friend. Each of the characters were well-drawn and, in addition to all the Johnson boys, I felt like I had gotten to know them well by the close of the book. And I have to make a special note of how much I loved and was satisfied with the ending! I couldn't have asked for a better one.

Fans of young adult fiction will appreciate a heroine who isn't a cookie-cutter cut-out of any other I've read, and the addition of environmental issues made this an interesting read without it becoming heavy-handed. I never felt like McDonald was trying to pull one over on me by forcing me to change out my lightbulbs or recycle every can of soda I drink (though I do those things!). Basically, just a really fun and light summer story -- a great read for lazy afternoon.

Perfect summer, beach read
Green Teen activist, Jenna, convinces her parents to let her go visit her godmother, Susie, in rural Canada in order to avoid spending her summer in Florida with her grandmother and the rest of her grandmother's elderly friends.She is convinced that she will be able to commune with nature and view all of the things she has been fighting to protect.Jenna quickly finds that it's not what she was expecting as she encounters bears, moose, her godmother's goth step-daughter and a trio of handsome teenage boys that she manages to alienate right almost from the moment she meets them.While Ethan softens towards her and they become friends, his older brother Grady and the moody Reeve are tougher nuts to crack.

I really enjoyed this book more than I expected.I wavered based on the book description but since I enjoyed McDonald's book, Sophomore Switch, I decided to give it a chance.I'm glad I did.We see Jenna mature and realize that not everything in life is black and white.I love seeing how her friendship slowly develops with Reeve, Ethan and even Grady and the reader even starts to see a softer side of the wicked step-daughter, Fiona.It was also fun to watch Jenna take part in "nature" activities like kayaking, hiking, dirt biking, etc. I felt like this book was a fun story and also manages to deliver the message about being environmentally conscious without being overbearing.This is the perfect summer, beach read. ... Read more

Product Description
Lace up your boots and sample forty of the finest trails Massachusetts has to offer. This hiker's paradise offers not only mountaintop vistas but also historic landmarks and pristine seashore. Hike along cranberry bogs in Massasoit State Park, trace the edge of a cliff overlooking the Merrimack River in Maudslay State Park, follow the Appalachian Trail over Becket and Walling Mountains in October Mountain State Forest, or walk the state from Rhode Island to New Hampshire on the Midstate Trail. Veteran hiker and outdoor writer Ben Ames will introduce you to these trails and more. Use this guide for: detailed route maps for each trail; accurate route profiles showing the ups and downs of each hike; tips on equipment, trip planning, and hiking with dogs and children; accurate directions, difficulty ratings, trail contacts, and more. (6 x 9, 240 pages, b&w photos, maps, icons) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fantastic Book
This is the perfect book for people wanting to hike/backpack in MA.I borrowed a copy from a friend and ended up buying my own.You will not be disappointed.

Thoughtful, well-designed
This series stands out from other hiking books for its organization and informational approach. Best feature: for each hike there is an elevation graph which displays a line which represents a cross-section of the trail. The line rises and falls with the elevation of the hike. This feature alone is worth the price of the book, as you can tell at a glance how steep your hike will be. The book also has a generous helping of maps and photos, and generous informational sidebars (where to eat, schedule, fees, surface, who owns the land, what other trail users you can expect, and more more more). ... Read more

Product Description
The Central Cascades offer some of the most accessible wilderness areas for urban Seattleites, with trails no less stunning or enjoyable than those in more remote regions. Day Hiking: Central Cascades includes 50% more hikes than other regional guidebooks and focuses on cream-of-the-crop trails in these areas: Whidbey Island; Skykomish, Wenatchee, and Icicle River Valleys; the Entiat Mountains; the Lake Chelan area; and more. Compact in size, this is the most up-to-date guide for the area, organized along highways and other travel corridors, and with an emphasis on trails that are 12 miles or less, round-trip, each of them hiked by the author. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Great Guide but lacks maps
The Southern New Hampshire Trail Guide is on par with AMC's most popular White Mountian Guide. The SNHTG has great details on the trails as we have come to expect from AMC. So this guide is a must have for the hiker who wants to see more of NH besides the northern part of the state.

The reason for the three stars is the lack of maps and the poor quaility of the map that is included. As most hikers, I use the guide to tell how to get to the trail and what the trail is like so I have an idea of what to expect on the trail. But once I start the trail, I use the maps to keep track of where I am and the terrain ahead of me. Some trails are more difficult to follow, but a good map will tell if you have strayed off the path.

The one folded map included is of Mount Monadnock, Mount Carigan, and Sunapee and Pillsbury State Parks. These are just small slivers of Southern New Hampshire and what areas that are covered are not in the detail that you will find in the maps with AMC's White Mountian Guide. There are no maps for The Lakes Region, The Merrimack Valley, and Southeastern New Hampshire, which are sections in the SNHTG covering the trails in the respective sections of the NH.

There is a small guide put out by the Lakes Region Conservation Trust (LRCT), that includes a map of the trails in the Castle in the Clouds Conservation Area. This map was done by an AMC map maker that is a basic map, but lacks details like GPS grids. The map also lacks trails that lead into the LRCT trails but are not part of their trail network. This is LRCT's first trail and map publication and hopefully future publications will improve on this. This guide and map can be found at [...]. I do not know if there are maps or guides available for the other areas lacking maps in the SNHTG.

The SNHTG is still well worth the money for trail information. You'll just have to seek other sources for maps like a USGS map.

great local hiking guide
AMC has produced another great guide for hiking. I appreciate the listing of hikes by difficulty. I only wish we had better maps. The Monadnock region map covers such a small part of Southern New Hampshire. I know we will refer to it often. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (7)

Excellent resource
We purchased this book just before our trip to the Upper Peninsula.It was definitely the best investment we could have made.We referred to the book time and time again during our 10 day vacation.The clear and descriptive information provided us with many wonderful hikes at a variety of levels.The author never steered us wrong.We were able to explore and experience places that we would not have otherwise known about.We would highly recommend this great resource.

Very Useful Book
I found the trail descriptions and directions very good. The book helped me pack a lot of very nice hikes into a 5 day trip.

Six for Six on hike descriptions vs. hike reality
I used Eric's book Memorial Day weekend 2007 to plan a series of day hikes in the U.P. The hikes he chose to highlight are indeed spectacular. The trail descriptions are helpful and accurate, to the point where I took one of the Norwich Bluff alternative routes and found the suggested, little traveled side trail with no problems. I also used this book for some route planning in the Porkies a year or so ago. Thanks for the great guide!

What a great guy
I met Eric randomnly while on a camping trip with some friends. We came upon him while he was fishing and he just struck right up about hiking and camping and ended up giving us a suggestion for finishing up our day in the area, casually mentioning later on that he had written a guide about hiking the UP. A girl and I took him up on the idea and it was easily one of the most magical things I have ever done. Don't know as if it's in the book or not, but as it turned out my mom had bought it that same day by coincidence. Just wanted to say thanks to Eric (and I'm going on the other trip too) and tell all you people out there that he really knows what he's talking about!!!

Good and Practical
Didn't refer to the book a whole lot, but what we did try was successful. Information was timely and our experience was better for it. ... Read more