Foghorn Outdoors: 101 Great Hikes of the San Francisco Bay Area [Paperback]

Ann Marie Brown (Author)

Book Description

Series: Foghorn Outdoors | Publication Date: March 2000

Most people think of the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman's Wharf when they think of San Francisco, but the Bay Area's best-kept secret is its natural beauty - the hundreds of square miles of parks and wildlands that contribute to the region's quality of life. These breezy outdoor havens are remarkably accessible, and author Ann Marie Brown presents 101 of the finest hiking trails of the region.

This book provides detailed information on the trails, which range from mountaintop rambles on Mount Diablo and Mount Tamalpais to seashore strolls at Point Reyes and Ao Nuevo. All trails are rated according to difficulty and the time required for hiking. Tips on weather and how to avoid the crowds are included. Special attention is given to wildlife habitats and areas of botanical interest.

Product Details

• Paperback: 250 pages
• Publisher: Avalon Travel Publishing; 1st edition (March 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573540684
• ISBN-13: 978-1573540681
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,645,650 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Foghorn Outdoors has done it again!, May 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Foghorn Outdoors: 101 Great Hikes of the San Francisco Bay Area (Paperback)

Foghorn Outdoors is one of our favorite publishers. Among their authors, we thoroughly enjoy books by Maria Goodavage (The California Dog Lover's Companion), Tom Stienstra (California Hiking), and Ann Marie Brown. Ann Marie Brown writes fantastic hiking guides; especially for folks like us that love to do dog friendly, easy day hikes while on vacation. It's a great way to enjoy an area. All hikes include information as to whether or not they are dog friendly (wonderful for planning purposes). All are from one to a few hours. The hikes are graded as to their difficulty, from easy to strenuous, and, yes!, the hikes are rated with two to four stars for overall quality and scenic beauty. Icons are included to provide additional information on the trail. All these features are great for planning, especially when you're a visitor to the area and want to find those hikes that are most appealing to your interests. The directions to the trailhead and for the hike are clear and easy to understand. Areas covered are the San Francisco Peninsula, the East and South Bay, Marin, Napa, Sonoma, and the Santa Cruz Mountains. We've done some of these hikes and have picked out more for our next trip. They truly are the 101 Great Hikes of the San Francisco Bay Area. If you are heading to the Bay area and like to hike, we highly recommend a copy of this book to accompany you on your travels.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Take a Hike!, May 8, 2002

By 

sporkdude "sporkdude" (San Jose, Ca United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Foghorn Outdoors: 101 Great Hikes of the San Francisco Bay Area (Paperback)

I've lived in the Bay Area for 7 years now, and I never thought of it as anything but and urban and suburban mesh. I wanted to start hiking, but I felt that I needed to travel to national parks far away to enjoy it. I was really mistaken. This book is beyond amazing.

I'm not going to say this is the bible of hiking, but whenever I open it, a beacon of light shines upon it and the air is filled with cathedral like chanting.

I was totally unaware of the natural beauty and ambience that was located locally. Some of these places described are amazing. I went on all the strenuous hikes described in this book, and I enjoyed each one. From redwoods, to waterfalls, to beaches, to mountain vistas, it's all there.

The author provides ratings, directions, description, difficulty, approximate times, pricing, and weather information for each hike. If it weren't for these descriptions, I would never have seen the huge redwoods in the peninsula or the amazing beach and postcard views at Point Reyes.

There are only a few minor flaws in this book. The strenuous hikes are pretty easy for anyone is shape, and only take about 3/4ths the time suggested. The directions are sometimes a bit bare, but I never was really lost so it's not too much of a problem.

If you want to enjoy the outdoors, no matter what fitness level, get this book. It's everything you need to have many nice enjoyable day hikes.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book with maps and essential information, April 4, 2001

By 

iamcdn "iamcdn" (San Jose, California United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Foghorn Outdoors: 101 Great Hikes of the San Francisco Bay Area (Paperback)

Day hiking is one of my passions and I have been looking for this kind of book ever since I moved to the bay area. I have been dreaming of packing a light day pack and hitting the open trails in this ever so stressful valley. This dream came true a couple of weekends ago when I found this book. Finally I have started to put some miles on my boots again.

What can you expect from this book? Well, you will find a wealth of information on the trails in this area. Each trail comes with a pretty detailed map with short but good directions. The book also rates the level of each trail, elevation change and distance. It also points out things like pet accessibility, parking and times to go. The information is precise and detailed. There are also additional hiker information for the trails. I love this book and would consider it a great price for the freedom it gives you.