Customer Reviews

100 Classic Hikes in New England: Maine / New Hampshire / Vermont / Massachusetts / Rhode Island / Connecticut

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Length:: 0:17 Mins

Jeff Romano's 100 Classic Hikes in New England is an easy way to pack my gear, pick a hiking spot, and get on the trail. He has done a thorough job listing multiple options for length, duration, difficulty, and fitness levels throughout New England.

Particularly, I like the following about the book:

- DURABLE stitch binding, printed on laminate heavy paper. It has been stuffed in my backpack and used for navigation on several hikes with very little sign of wear.

- CONSISTENT RATING of hikes: I was able to correctly guess my time and ability to complete hikes from ratings. While I do go faster than an average hiker, I could properly estimate how the rating of a hike applies to fitness level.

- VARIETY of hikes difficulty ranging from some I was able to do with young children to overnight backpacking trips.

- TOPO MAPS included to give an indication of the elevation profile and terrain.

- DIVERSE geography across the six states, high mountains, near the ocean, and on islands.

- DETAILED descriptions and pictures to help prepare for the hike and navigate the trail.

I only wish the book had included a CD with GPS files for each hike. I did buy the National Geographics's TOPO software used in the book, but it had very few of the trails marked in it. For the most part I had to copy the trails by hand from the book.

While some will argue that one or another of their favorite hikes belong in the list of 100 classics, I say we are fortunate to live in an area so rich in beautiful hikes. Take this book with you and enjoy it.

PS. The video is from Rugged Mountain (hike #17) in CT.

A guidebook like this belongs on every hiker's bookshelf! A regional guide, this is great because no matter where in New England you'll be for the weekend, this book has hikes for you. This is my third trail guide for the area, and it's my favorite so far. This book has a topo map for each trail, unlike the guides I've bought in the past. The book has great color photography, so I love reading through it even when I'm at home on my couch. The book is printed on glossy paper, which will help it stand up to moisture on the trail, although it's big enough that it might not fit easily in an outer pack pocket. It also would have been nice if the author had rated the trails - if you're going to drive a few hours to get to the trailhead, you want to know that your trip will be worth it. However, because this is a regional guide the author picked only the best trails in each state, so that helps make sure you'll enjoy your trip. I'm also sure you'll enjoy this book!

"100 Classic Hikes in New England" is a super guide book in many ways. The trail descriptions are diverse and concise, the maps are easy to understand, and the author's wildlife shots are spectacular. This book is a must-have for anybody interested in exploring New England's trails. We loved Romano's first book - "Best Loop Hikes in Maine and New Hampshire," and this one is just as great. I highly recommend it to hikers of any levels as there is something in here for everyone. We were glad to see the book covered in Boston Globe.

I'm so glad that J.R. took the time to put this book together. He's selected the best hikes in the region and written really good descriptions of each one. Also included are color topo maps and color photos of all 100 hikes which definitely helps in selecting which hike to do next. There are concise but accurate directions to get you to the trailhead and a chart that includes keywords of features for each trail as well. Although I don't get back to New England as much as I'd like, I've hiked several of the trails in the Green & White Mountains and I'm certainly looking forward to an upcoming trip to the Maine Coast. I heartily recommend this book to any hiker travelling in New England.

100 Classic Hikes in New England offers a fine guide to 100 can't-miss hikes in Maine, New Hampshire, etc. and is a 'must' for any New England hiker. It offers trails for all levels of fitness and abilities from day hikes to remote backpacking trips, pairs photos and topographical maps with a chart of all the trails, and comes from an author who's been hiking them for over thirty years. A 'boon' for any outdoors travel collection!

Being new to New Englandwe were looking for some hiking guide. We are doing one by one hikes from the book and like them.