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Take a Hike Book List

Dec 20, 201913 min read





















by Jerry Schad

Southern California’s residents don’t have far to go to find high adventure in their own backyard.


Mountain, desert, and coastal environs are all only an hour or two’s drive from almost any point in the Southland. Authors Jerry Schad and David Money Harris reveal 101 of the region’s very best hikes, from 1-mile family strolls to challenging 20-mile treks.

This book takes the guesswork out of determining whether a particular trip is right for you. For each hike, you’re given its total distance, elevation gain or loss, hiking time, highlights, difficulty rating, and whether dogs or mountain bikes are allowed, plus a full description of the route.



One of the most extraordinary survival stories ever told—Aron Ralston's searing account of his six days trapped in one of the most remote spots in America, and how one inspired act of bravery brought him home.


Between a Rock and a Hard Place -- a brilliantly written, funny, honest, inspiring, and downright astonishing report from the line where death meets life -- will surely take its place in the annals of classic adventure stories.



by Laura Randall

Seattle is home to a wealth of fabulous hikes, and 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Seattle shows you the best of the best. There are few places anywhere that can match the varied landscape of Western Washington, and 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Seattle is the perfect guide to it all. From the heights of the Cascade Range to the shores of Puget Sound, local hikes explore ancient trees, thundering waterfalls, towering peaks, and ice-clad volcanoes, some of the most enduring symbols of the region. But 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Seattle also leads to many lesser-known but equally accessible and spectacular destinations, including high bluffs and tide pools along the Pacific, abandoned mines and railways that explore Washington's rich pioneer history, and even stands of old-growth forest well inside the Seattle city limits. From short walks in neighborhood parks to epic mountain treks, 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Seattle has something for everyone, on some of the best trails the Pacific Northwest has to offer.



Discover Southern California’s best dayhikes along the coast, in foothills, and on mountains.


This completely updated and expanded edition in the Afoot & Afield series is the classic guide to hiking opportunities throughout Southern California’s Orange County. Featuring more than 100 trips from serene summits to sparkling seaside strolls, Afoot & Afield Orange County covers the beaches and bays, Crystal Cove State Park, the Chino Hills, Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve, county wilderness parks, the Santa Ana Mountains, and more. Trips ranging from short strolls to rigorous daylong treks are all within a short car trip of the Southland’s cities. Every trip was rehiked by coauthor David Money Harris for this new edition.



This book features twenty hikes in and around Riverside, California.



Allen Riedel and his canine trail companions, Chewbacca and Socrates, have hiked thousands of miles together in southern California to select the best dog-friendly, dog-fun, and dog-safe hikes in the region.

More than two-thirds of the trails in Best Hikes with Dogs Southern California are lesser-known, where travel is light and where you're unlikely to meet horses, bicycles, or motorized vehicles. On nearly half of the trails, off-leash hiking is permitted. The hikes avoid steep, rocky terrain and many offer lakes or streams as a reward. Paw comfort rating (whether you'll be walking on sand, dirt, or pavement) is clearly noted in the information block at the beginning of each hike description; potential dog hazards such as ticks or poison oak are described in the text.




California’s Coastal Parks features 150 of the state's best coastal hikes from Mexico to Oregon. Each hike includes directions to the trailhead, a detailed description, history and fun facts about the area, and a map. McKinney’s engaging descriptions will motivate both California residents and out-of-state visitors to hit the coast for a hike.



This lively and engaging California guide by The Trailmaster John McKinney is now published by Wilderness Press. California's Desert Parks features more than 100 hikes in California's deserts, including those in Death Valley, Mojave, Joshua Tree, Palm Springs, Anza-Borrego, and Imperial Valley.


Hikes range from easy nature trails and interpretive paths to daylong desert treks. Active hikers and families with small children will all find the perfect trips, along with clear directions, trail maps and, the Trailmaster's expert advice.



California’s glorious natural wonders are preserved in its state and national parklands, and chronicled here in a guide by John McKinney, hiking columnist for the Los Angeles Times for 18 years. McKinney, known to his readers as “The Trailmaster,” has identified the finest hikes that each parkland has to offer. In California’s State Parks, McKinney has selected 150 of the best hikes in state parks, preserves, beaches, wilderness areas and historic sites, from the well known Anza-Borrego Desert State Park to lesser-known gems such as Manchester State Beach. McKinney’s rousing descriptions of each park will inspire both first-time California travelers to explore the state by foot, as well as California residents in search of new trails. Also included are maps of each park, fun facts and natural and human history, scenic and historic photos, and the distance and elevation gain of each hike.



It has been nearly three decades since Shirley MacLaine commenced her brave and public commitment to chronicling her personal quest for spiritual understanding. In testament to the endurance and vitality of her message, each of her eight legendary bestsellers -- from Don't Fall Off the Mountain to My Lucky Stars -- continues today to attract, dazzle, and transform countless new readers. Now Shirley is back -- with her most breathtakingly powerful and unique book yet.


This is the story of a journey. It is the eagerly anticipated and altogether startling culmination of Shirley MacLaine's extraordinary -- and ultimately rewarding -- road through life. The riveting odyssey began with a pair of anonymous handwritten letters imploring Shirley to make a difficult pilgrimage along the Santiago de Compostela Camino in Spain. Throughout history, countless illustrious pilgrims from all over Europe have taken up the trail. It is an ancient -- and allegedly enchanted -- pilgrimage. People from St. Francis of Assisi and Charlemagne to Ferdinand and Isabella to Dante and Chaucer have taken the journey, which comprises a nearly 500-mile trek across highways, mountains and valleys, cities and towns, and fields. Now it would be Shirley's turn.


For Shirley, the Camino was both an intense spiritual and physical challenge. A woman in her sixth decade completing such a grueling trip on foot in thirty days at twenty miles per day was nothing short of remarkable. But even more astounding was the route she took spiritually: back thousands of years, through past lives to the very origin of the universe. Immensely gifted with intelligence, curiosity, warmth, and a profound openness to people and places outside her own experience, Shirley MacLaine is truly an American treasure. And once again, she brings her inimitable qualities of mind and heart to her writing. Balancing and negotiating the revelations inspired by the mysterious energy of the Camino, she endured her exhausting journey to Compostela until it gradually gave way to a far more universal voyage: that of the soul. Through a range of astonishing and liberating visions and revelations, Shirley saw into the meaning of the cosmos, including the secrets of the ancient civilizations of Atlantis and Lemuria, insights into human genesis, the essence of gender and sexuality, and the true path to higher love.


With rich insight, humility, and her trademark grace, Shirley MacLaine gently leads us on a sacred adventure toward an inexpressibly transcendent climax. The Camino promises readers the journey of a thousand lifetimes.



Anza Borrego Desert State Park is the largest desert park in the United States, drawing approximately 650,000 visitors per year. Combining detailed narrative with GPS-based trail maps, Day and Overnight Hikes: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park breaks down the best of the best hikes, both day and overnight. Whether it's the best view over Culp Valley, a walk through Hellhole Canyon, or a flat walk through hills and dales near the Salton Sea, Day and Overnight Hikes is the definitive go-to guide to enjoy the largest desert park in the United States, just an hour's drive from San Diego.









Explore sections of the famous Pacific Crest Trail between the Mexican border and Los Angeles County. Travel writer Marlise Kast-Myers includes both easy day hikes and extended overnight trips. Each route is accompanied by a detailed topographical map and the book is filled with spectacular color photos.


The Pacific Crest Trail is one of America’s great long-distance hiking routes. The PCT folllows the mountains from the Mexican border in the south all the way to the Canadian border in the north. Cheryl Strayed’s bestselling Wild led huge numbers of Americans to hear about the PCT for the first time. Now Kast-Myers gives you the tools you need to get out and explore sections of that fabled route for yourself. 100 Color Photographs throughout



by Andrea Lankford

Ghosts! Curses! Hoaxes! Unsolved mysteries! Paranormal events! Take a walk on the creepy side of North America's National Parks! Andrea Lankford, a 12-year veteran ranger with the National Park Service, has written a thoroughly investigated yet often tongue-in-cheek guidebook that takes the reader to the scariest, most mysterious places inside North America's National Parks.


Lankford shares such eerie tales as John Brown's haunting of Harper's Ferry, the disembodied legs that have been seen running around inside the Mammoth Cave Visitor Center, and the "wailing woman" who roams the trail behind the Grand Canyon Lodge. Lankford also uncovers paranormal activities park visitors have experienced, such as the chupacabra that roams the swamps inside Big Thicket National Preserve and the teenage bigfoot who rolled a park service campground with toilet paper.


She also reports on long-forgotten unsolved murders, such as the savage stabbing of a young woman on Yosemite's trail to Mirror Lake, and the execution style shooting of two General Motors executives at Crater Lake. The witnesses to the supernatural occurrences are highly credible people-rangers, park historians, river guides, and the like-and each tale has factual relevance to the cultural or natural history of the park.


Haunted Hikes provides readers with all the information they need: for each hike: a "fright factor rating" is listed along with trailhead access information, detailed trail maps, and hike difficulty levels. Most of the haunted sites included in the book can be reached by the average hiker, some are wheelchair accessible, and others are for intrepid backpackers willing to make multi-day treks into wilderness areas. Intriguing photographs of many sites are included.


Haunted Hikes is sure to satisfy readers looking for those spine-tingling moments when you begin to wonder if maybe, just maybe, we are not alone.



This is the most detailed guide to hiking and backpacking in Big Sur. Explore the endless hiking and backpacking possibilities in 76 trips (plus numerous side trips) on the rugged coastline and isolated backcountry trails of Big Sur, Ventana Wilderness, and Silver Peak Wilderness with this brand new guide. Stretching 90 miles from Carmel to San Simeon, Big Sur consists of coastal cliffs, jagged rocky promontories, ancient redwood forests, and lush riparian woodlands. This invaluable resource gives the latest information on the trails, roads, camps, and beaches in Big Sur, plus all of the area's state parks and wilderness areas.








Strap on your boots and get out on the trail! Drawing from personal experience, Michael W. Robbins describes what to expect when hiking in various terrains — from forests to fields and lake edges to mountains. Informative and fun, The Hiking Companion combines tips for trip planning, equipment, navigation, and safety with exciting stories of once-in-a-lifetime adventures. Whether you’re an expert hiker or setting out on your first overnighter, this inspiring guide is full of practical advice to make your next outing a success.



by Ron Adkison

Boasting a mild climate, incredible diversity, and thousands of miles of hiking trails, Southern California offers a gem for every hiker. Hiking Southern California is your ticket to rewarding adventures in the backcountry of the southern third of the Golden State, including Death Valley National Park, Mojave National Preserve, the San Gabriel Mountains, and Joshua Tree National Park. This handy guidebook features detailed descriptions of more than 50 classic hikes, with accurate and up-to-date trail maps and all the information you need for planning enjoyable outings year-round. This book describes short, leisurely strolls and demanding excursions of several days. The hikes follow routes varying from gentle, well-graded trails to rugged, cross-country scrambles, including old favorites known to many and obscure routes known only to a few. Surveying the most awe-inspiring scenery in the region, Hiking Southern California will satisfy both beginning and veteran hikers.



This four-season guide samples 140 of the best hikes from every quarter of the range, geared to differing levels of skill and experience.




















  • Hiking, trekking, camping, climbing, biking, skiing, snowboarding, swimming, whitewater rafting, and mountaineering with children of all ages

  • 50 family adventure trips--close-to-home, budget-wise, and national parks

  • How to plan, pack, and organize trips, especially tricky with infants and toddlers and extended, mixed, or blended familiesA helpful guide for parents who want to keep traveling, remain active in the outdoors, and get their kids interested in nature and the environment. Blends interactive parenting and coaching skills with outdoor sports, adventure, and travel. Taking children on camping trips or rafting trips can be a challenge, but by balancing safety and adventure, independence for older children, and family participation, everyone can have fun. A section on safety includes basic first aid and what to put in emergency kits.



San Diego County is full of great places for you and your dog to appreciate the fabulous scenery and famous climate, from dog beaches to desert hikes. Now local journalist Donna Lawrence has gathered the 77 best places to hike with your canine companion into one book. With dozens of trips easy to difficult, short and long the book is sure to provide inspiration for planning fun day trips for years to come. In Part One, Traveling with Your Dog, Lawrence gives tips on planning a trip, including preparing your dog and yourself for a hike before you go, how much obedience training is necessary, what supplies to pack for you and your pet, and what you need to bring in case of emergencies. Part Two begins with general tips for hikes with your pooch, describes the great wealth of exploring to be done in our National Forest, then moves on to California State Parks, including Palomar Mountain State Park and Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. Part Three, Desert Dogs, concentrates on trails in and around Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Part Four lists all the City of San Diego regional parks and open spaces, plus county parks. Part Five, Rex in the City, lists all of the San Diego dog parks from Balboa Park's Morley Field to Escondido's Mayflower Dog Park; plus dog beaches from O.B. to Del Mar; and finally some urban walks for you and your dog, from Shelter Island to Oceanside Harbor. Appendix 1 lists all the walks by their location, and Appendix 2 lists many local hotels and inns that welcome your best friend.



Legendary Maine guide Gil Gilpatrick offers you the benefit of his 65 years of wilderness wisdom in this comprehensive guide. Freshly revised and expanded with new color photography, this handbook includes expertise from a seasoned team of professionals in year-round hiking, camping, canoeing, hunting, and fishing.


Master Guide Handbook to Outdoor Adventure Trips takes you step-by-step through every stage of planning and conducting a successful outdoors experience. It's packed with field-tested advice, handy checklists, real-life stories, and practical examples.


Wilderness leadership skills are essential for anyone who plans to spend more than a day in the woods. This is a book that helps all types of outdoor leaders to help others. Even if you are not a professional guide, you'll use the advice in these pages to keep your friends and family safe while you enjoy your time outdoors together.




If you dream of tackling the Appalachian, Continental Divide, or Pacific Crest trails and lack the time or resources for a 2,000-mile-plus journey, the Thru Hiker's Guide to America provides a cache of manageable alternatives. Here are 25 beautiful trails that can be hiked during one to eight weeks. From Washington's 95-mile Wonderland Trail to the 1,300-mile Florida Trail, this thoroughly-researched guide covers the entire spectrum of North American geography, climate, and terrain. Whether you're looking for rimrock or alpine meadows, seaside or desert, Thru Hiker's Guide to America will have you answer the question, "What long trail do I want to hike next?"



Two Steps Forward: A Novel by Graeme Simsion

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Rosie Project comes a story of taking chances and learning to love again as two people, one mourning her husband and the other recovering from divorce, cross paths on the centuries-old Camino pilgrimage from France to Spain.

“The Chemin will change you. It changes everyone…”

The Chemin, also known as the Camino de Santiago, is a centuries-old pilgrim route that ends in Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain. Every year, thousands of walkers—some devout, many not—follow the route that wends through quaint small villages and along busy highways alike, a journey unlike any other.

Zoe, an artist from California who’s still reeling from her husband’s sudden death, has impulsively decided to walk the Camino, hoping to find solace and direction. Martin, an engineer from England, is road-testing a cart of his own design…and recovering from a messy divorce. They begin in the same French town, each uncertain of what the future holds. Zoe has anticipated the physical difficulties of her trek, but she is less prepared for other challenges, as strangers and circumstances force her to confront not just recent loss, but long-held beliefs. For Martin, the pilgrimage is a test of his skills and endurance but also, as he and Zoe grow closer, of his willingness to trust others—and himself—again.

Smart and funny, insightful and romantic, Two Steps Forward reveals that the most important journeys we make aren’t measured in miles, but in the strength, wisdom, and love found along the way. Fans of The Rosie Project will recognize Graeme Simsion’s uniquely quirky and charming writing style.



In order to regain her spiritual footing, Sonia turned to the age-old practice of pilgrimage and set out to walk the legendary Camino de Santiago, an 820-kilometer trek over the Pyrenees and across northern Spain. Day after day she pushed through hunger, exhaustion, and pain to reach her destination. Eventually, mortification of the flesh gave way to spiritual renewal, and she rediscovered the gifts of humility and forgiveness that she needed to repair her world.











At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by blind will, she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State—and she would do it alone. Told with suspense and style, sparkling with warmth and humor, Wild powerfully captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her.


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