Customer Reviews

100 Classic Hikes in Texas

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

 

 

I got this book because I was spending time in the Texas Hill country and wanted hikes that covered that large area. However, even though there are 12 Hill Country hikes in the book, the majority are less than a mile and a half long; many hikes in the book are 0.1 or 0.25 miles! That's not a hike -- it's a destination. So although the book is beautiful with many photos, it failed at its main purpose for me.

I am an avid hiker. When I purchased this hiking guide it was all I needed to complete my hiking plans in Texas! It is so well written and I enjoy all the specific details mentioned for each hike whether its a long or short hike and the maps really are nice to have as well. I highly recommend this guide to people who enjoy being outdoors, even if they are beginners they must pruchase The 100 Classic Hikes in Texas.This guide will lead them from point A to Z without a problem. This guide is the best hiking book I ever purchased and laid my hands on.
El Vaquero

I've always enjoyed Dan Klepper's writing, and as a fellow hiking guide book author, I can say he really knows his stuff. Texas has some of the best hiking in the country, if not the world, and this guide is a must for anyone who enjoys this great activity (and if you don't already, give it a try). Hiking some of these trails should be one of those things to do before you die; I recommend you get this book and get started!

I've been using Mr. Klepper's guide since 2009 and have found it to be very practical, funny and punctilious. Dan has chosen a sensible range of hikes both in the geographical sense and degree of difficulty, which makes this guide perfect for finding a Sunday afternoon stroll west of Austin or a strenuous 8 hour hike in Big Bend National Park. Mr. Klepper is also a very fine outdoor writer and peppers each hike description with factoids about interesting flora and fauna the hiker could encounter along the way. I would recommend this guide to all Texans as well as visitors to our vast and diverse State.

This book by Mr Klepper makes for a great hiking reference whenever you find yourself on a fortunate weekend road trip tooling around looking for some few hours getaway in an unexplored state park. Texas is blessed by many roads, but for its size, it has very few large public wilderness areas. For over 25 years I've visited many of the small, medium and large (mostly western) parks described in his book, and now wished I'd had this handy reference to better target my wanderings on park trails once out of my vehicle.
I have walked quite a number of the described hikes in the book and found his writing on them both amusing and accurate. Get a copy and keep it handy in your car for those occasions you feel the urge to leave town and look for the road less taken with a quiet park at the end of it. And don't forget drinking water, trail snacks, and a broad brimmed hat!
Thumbs up!

Great book, lacks some detail. New to Texas so was hoping for some easy to get to trails, however Texas is pretty big so...

As a general overview of possible hiking spots in Texas it mostly serves its purpose; however, the text is full of numerous typos and other mistakes. One nice feature of the guide is the inclusion of a photograph of the area the trail being described is in. Unfortunately, most of the photographs are uninspiring and do not include the signature feature of the trail. As an example the McKitrick Canyon trail photo is not of the wonderful grotto, which is the primary reason for hiking this trail.

In addition the author provides deliberate misinformation in the etiquette section, probably as a result of personal political beliefs. "It is illegal to carry, display, or discharge a loaded firearm on a state park trail unless hunting regulations apply." First this statement is untrue, persons who are eligible to carry a concealed handgun under Texas Penal Code 30.06 are allowed to do so in state parks, and due to recent changes in the law also on federal parks, forests, and wildlife management areas. Secondly, since anyone who is legally able to do so, should already know this, the entire section on Guns in the Hiking Etiquette is superfluous...

There are better books about hiking trails in Texas, I'd pick one of them over this.