CALIFORNIA – TRAIL BOOKS

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100 Classic Hikes in Northern California

Fraternal coauthors John and Marc Soares celebrate the beauty of Northern California’s extensive wilderness, drawing from a varied collection of treks in the Sierra Nevada, Cascade, Coast, and Klamath Mountain ranges as well as the San Francisco Bay Area. Hike selections include the long trek to Caribou Lake that takes you “deep into the heart of the Trinity Alps”; the easy three-hour hike to Peener Lake; the trail to Cinder Cone, which leads you to surreal painted dunes; and the “isolated Lost Coast, “one of the most coveted get-away paradises in the country.” Like the other volumes in the 100 Classic Hikes series, this easy-to-use guide includes at-a-glance information detailing trail length, hiking time, difficulty, seasonal considerations, and additional contacts. Color maps and commentary on each trail offer directions to trail heads, campsites, views, and swimming holes. Amateur botanists will appreciate the notes on trees and wildflowers, including the rare red snow plant. –Jenny Burritt

101 Hikes in Southern California: Exploring Mountains, Seashore and Desert (101 Hikes)

All the best hikes in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties, a land of incredible diversity with sparkling beaches, rugged mountains, and sunswept deserts. From the author of our bestselling Afoot and Afield series.

101 Hikes in Northern California: Exploring Mountains, Valleys, and Seashore (101 Hikes)

Author Matt Heid has taken the best hikes in Northern California and put them in one, easy-to-read reference book. Covering the entire northern two-thirds of the state–from Big Sur to the Lost Coast, Sequoia/Kings Canyon to the Modoc Plateau–the featured trips range from easy strolls to strenuous treks. All hikes can be done in a single day, but many are ideal for overnight backpacking trips. Each trip includes easy to read symbols that allow the reader to determine the nature and difficulty of the hike, a detailed route description, accurate directions to the trailhead, location of the nearest campground, and extensive natural history information. 101 Hikes in Northern California will quickly become the first guidebook you reach for when you want to explore the best of Northern California’s fabulous backcountry.

Falcon Hiking Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (Falcon Guide)

Lace up your boots and sample some of the finest trails in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, situated in California’s rugged Sierra Nevada. From towering groves of giant sequoia trees and crystalline trout rivers through the jagged peaks and alpine meadows all the way up to Mount Whitney, the highest mountain in the lower 48, Sequoia and Kings Canyon have routes to please hikers of every stripe. Let veteran hiker and nature lover Laurel Scheidt lead you through eighty-six trails that vary in difficulty from easy strolls for the whole family to challenging treks for the more experienced hiker. 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, and 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 throughout Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. (6 X 9, 296 pages, b&w photos, maps, graphs, charts)

Hiking Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park, in the heart of John Muir’s Range of Light, encompasses almost 1,200 square miles and almost 800 miles of trails through some of the most dramatic and beautiful scenery on earth. From the rolling oak woodlands of the western slope to the jagged mountain crest, Yosemite’s amazing diversity helps earn the park’s place as one of America’s most popular destinations and still offers solitude and a genuine wilderness experience for those willing to seek it. In Hiking Yosemite National Park, journey with veteran outdoor writer Suzanne Swedo through groves of giant sequoias and miles of meadows rich with wildflowers and wildlife. Visit the towering domes, booming waterfalls, and jagged peaks thatt inspired some of the greatest artists and thinkers of our century. Swedo is your personal guide through nature’s finest classroom, sharing the region’s rich history, useful hiking tips, and accurate, up-to-date information. With stunning photos, detailed maps, and elevation graphs, Hiking Yosemite National Park is a long-awaited companion for the hiker eager to fully experience one of our nation’s natural treasures.

Exploring Southern California Beaches

From the bustle of the Mexican border to the isolated beauty of Point Conception, sit back and enjoy the ride as veteran writer and beach bum David Crowell takes you on Safari in Exploring Southern California Beaches. Discover the diversity of life in a rocky tide pool; unwind with a game of beach volleyball, either as a spectator or a participant; soak up some rays; or catch a wave–the full range of beach fun awaits in this introduction to California’s premier natural attractions. Complete information on services and concessions complements Crowell’s concise, thorough, and often wry look at California’s beach culture. Conveniently divided into 19 clearly mapped regions, the 170 different beaches described here grace the coast with an unmatched variety of fun and discovery. So grab a towel and your shades–the day’s a-wasting and the surf’s up somewhere along the sunny coast of Southern California.

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