Customer Reviews

50 Classic Hikes In Nevada: From The Ruby Mountains To Red Rock Canyon

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I'm never sure what to make of Nevada's outdoor opportunities. On the one hand the state has some spectacular scenery. I think Red Rock Canyon is the best Vegas has to offer for hiking and sight seeing. I also like exploring (spring time only) the Lake Mead Recreation Area. Mt. Charleston offers fine mountain hiking and Great Basin National Park is a real gem in the national park system. On the other hand, I also like being able to drive an ordinary car to trailheads, and it is here that Nevada presents obstacles not found in my home state of California. A significant percentage of the hikes Mike White describes in this book require a high clearance vehicle just to get to the trailhead. On top of that, in many cases trails are not maintained. Fortunately White provides very detailed route descriptions, an absolute necessity when attempting Boundary Peak and several lesser known hikes in the state.

On the whole this is a good book. It is not intended to be comprehensive, but is rather a selection of what the author thinks are the best walks in the state. The Ruby Mountains receive a lot of attention, as does Nevada's half of the Lake Tahoe region. I was pleased to see that Cathedral Rocks State Park also received a nice write-up. Sharp pictures and decent location and hike maps will help those who want to further explore the Silver State. But in the final analysis, for many casual dayhikers (I am often in that category and my wife always is) the rigors of getting to the trailhead will discourage attempting many of these trips. What Nevada needs is an outdoors book along the lines of 'California Hiking' by Steinstra and Brown. Such a book would be far more comprehensive than this one and list hikes for all levels of walkers. It would also provide more opportunities for those whose sense of adventure does not include replacing the transmission pan on their vehicle after, or worse yet during, a trip to the mountains. But if you are willing to risk it, this book is for you. It offers high adventure without the crowds found in other western states.