Resources and Books About Hiking & Backpacking

I have selected some really great outdoors readying that I have found useful, informative, and entertaining. You can support Another 100 Feet by purchasing some these great reads though Amazon.com.

Hiking California

100 Classic Hikes: Northern California: Sierra Nevada, Cascades, Klamath Mountains, North Coast and Wine Country, San Francisco Bay Area by John Soares – This book has been through different editions since I originally purchased a copy about two decades ago. It was my first hiking guide to see what was out there in Northern California, and it took me to places I never imagined.

Moon California Hiking: The Complete Guide to 1,000 of the Best Hikes in the Golden State by Tom Stienstra and Anne Marie Brown – Pack a lunch, lace up your boots, and head out to discover the best hiking trails in California. This book is my go to when looking for new places to hike.

The Creaky Knees Guide Northern California: The 80 Best Easy Hikes by Anne Marie Brown – From hikes just outside of San Francisco to long strolls in the Sierra Nevada, this book covers 80 of the best easy-to-walk hikes throughout Northern California.

Ranger Stories

“Oh, ranger!” A book about the national parks by Horace M. Albright – “Oh, ranger!” is a book that tells the history of parks in a new and interesting way. The work is written with examples from the point of view of rangers, since the author, Horace Marden Albright, served the national parks and was an American conservationist, he also knew rangers and parks better than any other person in the service.

Backpacking Guides

Backpacker The National Parks Coast to Coast: 100 Best Hikes by Backpacker Magazine and Ted Alvarez – Explore the crystal clear waters on the Summit Lakes Trail at Lassen Volcanic National Park, take in the expansive views at Shenandoah National Park’s Old Rag Mountain, or traverse the sandstone cliffs at Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park. Choose your adventure from any of the forty-four national parks profiled throughout the book. This book delivers jaw-dropping photos, detailed hike descriptions and maps, ranger essays, and more, all of which combine to create an intimate look at the best our national parks have to offer.

Tales of Survival, Tragedy and Inspiration

A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail : Official Guides to the Appalachian by Bill Bryson – Back in America after twenty years in Britain, Bill Bryson decided to reacquaint himself with his native country by walking the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Georgia to Maine. The AT offers an astonishing landscape of silent forests and sparkling lakes—and to a writer with the comic genius of Bill Bryson, it also provides endless opportunities to witness the majestic silliness of his fellow human beings.

Into the Wild by John Krakauer – In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. Four months later, his decomposed body was found by a moose hunter. This is the unforgettable story of how Christopher Johnson McCandless came to die.

The Last Season by Eric Blehm – Destined to become a classic of adventure literature, The Last Season examines the extraordinary life of legendary backcountry ranger Randy Morgenson and his mysterious disappearance in California’s unforgiving Sierra Nevada.

The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel – The remarkable true story of a man who lived alone in the woods of Maine for 27 years, making this dream a reality—not out of anger at the world, but simply because he preferred to live on his own.

The Unlikely Thru-Hiker: An Appalachian Trail Journey by Derick Lugo – Derick Lugo had never been hiking. He certainly couldn’t imagine going more than a day without manicuring his goatee. But with a job cut short and no immediate plans, this fixture of the New York comedy scene began to think about what he might do with months of free time. He had heard of the Appalachian Trail, but he had never seriously considered attempting to hike all 2,184.2 miles of it. Suddenly he found himself asking, Could he do it?

Maps

While we live in age where paper maps seem to be a thing of past, they still have vital place for wilderness hiking and backpacking. While many of us have come to depend on our GPS devices and smartphones, they can present problems. With smartphones, if you don’t have reception, you are SOL, unless you have the ability to download the map and trail before you head out and have reception, and your phone has a satellite link capability. With both a GPS and a smartphone, the other issue is equipment failure either through dead batteries, damage, or some other unfortunate event that renders them inoperable. This is where a paper map can come into play if you are in the wilderness and need to find out your way back out. Even though I rely on my GPS, I rarely head out without a paper map.

These are some of the map brands I’ve used when I head out and have in my collection.

Big Sur, Ventana Wilderness Map [Los Padres National Forest] (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map, 814) – National Geographic’s Trails Illustrated map of Big Sur, Ventana Wilderness combines unmatched detail with helpful information to offer an invaluable tool for making the most of your visit to this remarkable section of California coastline. Expertly researched and created in partnership with local land management agencies, this map features key points of interest including Los Padres National Forest, Silver Peak Wilderness, Pinnacles National Park, Fort Ord National Monument, Big Sur National Wild and Scenic River, and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park.

Death Valley National Park Map (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map, 221) – Despite its foreboding name and the fact that it is the hottest, lowest, and driest area in North America, Death Valley National Park maintains a great diversity of life in its dramatic terrain of salt-flats, canyons, mountains, valleys, sand dunes, and badlands. National Geographic’s Trails Illustrated map of Death Valley National Park delivers unmatched detail and valuable information to assist you in your visit to this land of extremes. Expertly researched and created in partnership with local land management agencies, this map features key areas of interest including Badwater Basin, Furnace Creek, Scotty’s Castle, Panamint Springs, and Stovepipe Wells.

Desolation and Granite Chief Wilderness Areas Map (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map, 802) – The two wilderness areas of Desolation and Granite Chief are tucked up against the west shore of Lake Tahoe in the Sierras of California. The land which became Desolation Wilderness was once part of the Lake Tahoe Forest Reserve, established in 1899. In 1910, when the first tourists were beginning to make their way over the narrow dirt roads of Echo and Donner summits, the area was made part of the newly-formed Eldorado National Forest. The area was named the Desolation Valley Primitive Area in 1931, and in 1969 Desolation Wilderness was Congressionally designated and included in the National Wilderness Preservation System. The Desolation Wilderness is 63,960 acres of subalpine forests, glacial lakes and valleys, and granite peaks.

Grand Teton National Park Map (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map, 202)– Expertly researched and created in partnership with local land management agencies, National Geographic’s Trails Illustrated map of Grand Teton National Park provides an unparalleled tool for exploring this magnificent region. This map offers unmatched detail of the entire park and features key areas of interest including Jackson Hole, Jackson Lake, Colter Bay Village, Jenny Lake, Phelps Lake, Teton Crest Trail, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Caribou-Targhee National Forest, Gros Ventre Wilderness, Jedediah Smith Wilderness, and John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway.

Lake Tahoe Basin Map [US Forest Service] (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map, 803) – The largest alpine lake in North America, Lake Tahoe straddles the border of California and Nevada. It’s unusually clear waters and surrounding Sierra Nevada mountains make it one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. National Geographic’s Trails Illustrated map of Lake Tahoe Basin delivers unmatched detail and valuable information to assist you in enjoying the year-round recreational opportunities this region offers. Expertly researched and created in partnership with local land management agencies, this map includes Desolation Wilderness; Prosser Creek Reservoir; Granite Chief and Mount Rose wilderness areas; and El Dorado, Humboldt-Toiyabe and Tahoe National Forests. In addition, the following state parks are included: Donner Memorial, Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point, Emerald Bay, D.L. Bliss, Lake Tahoe Nevada, Burton Creek, and Washoe Lake.

Mount Rainier National Park Map (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map, 217) –The highest point in the Cascade Range, Mount Rainier is an icon of Washington state. It is an active volcano and the largest single-peak glacial system in the lower forty-eight states, spawning 6 major rivers. National Geographic’s Trails Illustrated map of Mount Ranier National Park is designed to meet the needs of outdoor enthusiasts by combining valuable information with unmatched detail of this spectacular landscape of glaciers, old-growth forests, subalpine meadows, and valleys. Created in partnership with local land management agencies, this expertly researched map features key areas of interest including Paradise, Longmire, White River, Mowich Lake, Ohanapecosh, Chinook Scenic Byway, Crystal Mountain, and Glacier View Wilderness.

Mount Tamalpais, Point Reyes Map (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map, 266) – Marin County, just north of San Francisco, is rich is recreational opportunities as well as diverse coastal landscapes of striking beauty. National Geographic’s Trails Illustrated map of Mount Tamalpais and Point Reyes combines unmatched detail with helpful information to offer an invaluable tool for making the most of your explorations of this extraordinary region. Expertly researched and created in partnership with local land management agencies, this map features key areas of interest including Point Reyes National Seashore; Golden Gate National Recreation Area; Tomales Bay, Angel Island, Mount Tamalpais, and Samuel P. Taylor state parks; and Muir Woods National Monument. The print map features a detailed inset of Mount Tamalpais.

Redwood National and State Parks Map (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map, 218) – Let National Geographic’s Trails Illustrated map of Redwood National and State Parks guide you on your adventure among the tallest trees in the world. Expertly researched and created in partnership with the National Park Service, California States Parks, U.S. Forest Service and others, the map has bountiful information and safety tips that are essential when exploring the area. Some of the key points of interest included are Six Rivers National Forest, Smith River National Recreation Area, North Fork Smith River Botanical Area, Siskiyou Wilderness, Humboldt Lagoons State Park and Yurok Indian Reservation.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Map (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map, 205) – In Sequioa and Kings Canyon National Parks you can walk among the world’s largest trees, hike the alpine landscape of the Sierra Crest, and marvel at the towering granite cliffs of one of the deepest canyons in the United States. National Geographic’s Trails Illustrated map of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks provides unmatched detail of these parks, meeting the needs of amateur and experienced outdoor enthusiasts alike. Created in partnership with local land management agencies, this expertly researched map features key areas of interest including Sequoia Grove; Giant Sequoia National Monument; John Muir, Golden Trout, Jennie Lakes and Monarch Wilderness Areas; John Muir Trail; Pacific Crest Trail; and Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States.

Tahoe Rim Trail Map (National Geographic Topographic Map Guide, 1013) – Conceived in 1978 and completed in 2001, the 175-mile Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT) circumnavigates the beautiful Lake Tahoe Basin and traverses some of the most spectacular scenery in the Sierra Nevada and Carson Ranges.

For more than 50 miles the TRT coincides with the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), a national scenic trail extending from Canada to Mexico through the western United States. The lowest point along the TRT is approximately 6,200 feet above sea level where the Truckee River enters Lake Tahoe; with the highest point at Relay Peak, 10,398 feet. While the average segment elevation gain is 5,400 feet, the total elevation gain of the entire trail is greater than 40,000 feet.

Yellowstone National Park Map (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map, 201) – National Geographic’s Trails Illustrated map of Yellowstone National Park is designed to meet the needs of outdoor enthusiasts by combining valuable information with unmatched detail of America’s first national park. Expertly researched and created in partnership with local land management agencies, this map features key points of interest including Mammoth Hot Springs, Canyon Village, Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone Falls, Grant Village, and Old Faithful geyser area.

Yosemite National Park [Map Pack Bundle] (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map) – Yosemite National Park has some of the most stunning landscapes in the world. This four title Map Pack Bundle helps explorers of all levels see everything this astounding park has to offer. The maps offer detailed views of each area of the park from Yosemite Valley, to Tuolumne Meadows, the Ansel Adams Wilderness and Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. Each map offers an enlarged view of a specific portion of the park. With all four maps visitors are ready for just about anything, from a day hike in Yosemite Valley to a multi-day packback adventure in the backcountry. Each trail and road has been carefully researched with the help of the National Park as well as other public land management agencies. The trails include mileages between intersections.