Foghorn Outdoors Easy Hiking in Southern California [Paperback]

Ann Marie Brown (Author)

Book Description

Series: Foghorn Outdoors | Publication Date: March 31, 2004

Do you want a short, yet enjoyable hike in a beautiful setting? From Santa Barbara's seascapes to Joshua Tree National Park's rock formations, Foghorn Outdoors Easy Hiking in Southern California is the key to the region's great hiking destinations—regardless of your experience or ability. An avid hiker and veteran outdoors writer, author Ann Marie Brown shares inside information on 100 scenic trails suitable for first-timers, day-hikers, families, and seniors, as well as seasoned pros who just want to enjoy a good day out. Complete with photographs, illustrations, detailed trip notes, mileage and time estimates, maps and directions, contact information, advice on best seasons, and tips on making the hikes easier or more challenging, Foghorn Outdoors Easy Hiking in Southern California will help you encounter outdoor adventure.

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Avalon Travel Publishing; 2nd edition (March 31, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566916607
• ISBN-13: 978-1566916608
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #734,859 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still the best comprehensive Guide, July 8, 2004

By 

Fritz R. Ward "dayhiker" (Crestline, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Foghorn Outdoors Easy Hiking in Southern California (Paperback)

When I put together my Amazon list of Southern California hiking guides some time ago, I listed Ms. Brown's book as the best of the comprehensive guidebooks to the area. Since then several good books have been published including Rod Adkinson's 'Southern California Hiking' and Jerry Schad's 'Top Trails: Los Angeles.' Nonetheless, I still find myself looking at Brown's book first when I want to go somewhere new, although that is getting harder and harder to do since I have walked over 60% of the trips described in this book. Simply put, it is still the best book on the market.

Generally speaking, an "easy" hike in Brown's book is less than 5 miles long and can be walked by just about anyone. Although short, the trails are scenic and often lead to relatively isolated destinations. Some of the wonderful hikes Brown describes in this guide include Mt. Waterman in the Angeles National Forest, the "Champion" Lodgepole in the San Bernardino Mountains, and Needles Lookout in the newly created Sequoia National Monument. For those who want more hiking she often includes notes to make the trips "more challenging." But even when these notes are not included hikers can often combine two or more trips from this guide. On a recent visit to Sierra National Forest, I did the Fresno Dome hike and the Shadow of the Giants walk in Nelder Sequoia Grove on the same afternoon. Both are short beautiful walks and I found ample additional trails nearby to fill out my visit.

Some other reviewers have complained about a lack of maps. I too wonder why Foghorn Press does not include short sketches of the trails in their guides. That said, I have never gotten lost on any of the trails in this guidebook. They are all very well marked and easy to follow. So, if you are a beginning hiker or someone who is looking to go someplace new and scenic in Southern California, this book is still the first place to look.