Golden Gate Trailblazer: Where to Hike, Stroll, Bike, Jog, Roll in San Francisco and Marin (Paperback)

by Jerry Sprout (Author), Janine (Author), Janine Sprout (Author) "Midway along the Coast Range of California is a single opening one-mile wide called the Golden Gate..." (more)
Key Phrases: adventure runners, ridge fire road, hiking descriptions, San Francisco, San Rafael, Mill Valley (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
A new edition of the book has been published for 2004. It is completely revised and updated and contains twelve new maps. See: GOLDEN GATE TRAILBLAZER: WHERE TO HIKE, WALK, BIKE IN SAN FRANCISCO AND MARIN, isbn 0967007275.

With 102 recreational trailheads covering San Francisco and Marin County - which are linked by the famous bridge - Golden Gate Trailblazer is a complete guide, for both first-time visitors and lifelong locals. Dozens of city strolls and cultural attractions are offered along with the book's 300 plus hikes. Joggers and mountain bikers will find some 200 paths. Parents pushing baby strollers and wheelchair riders are offered complete listings. Trailblazer also includes special sections for family outings, dog-friendly trails, kayaks, camping, and inline skating. All public lands are covered, including the Golden Gate national Recreation Area, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin Headlands, Muir Woods, seven California State Parks, several dozen Marin County Open Space Preserves, California State Wetlands, Golden Gate Park and numerous city and neighborhood parks. City strolls take in Fishermans Wharf, Alcatraz, Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, Palace of Fine Arts, Haight-Ashbury! , the Embarcadero, downtown, Victorian neighborhoods and some of San Francisco's best kept secrets. Strolls are offered for Marin's hip and historic towns such as Sausalito, Mill Valley, Tiburon and Bolinas.

From the Publisher
A new edition of the book has been published for 2004. It is completely revised and updated and contains twelve new maps and a section for kids. See: GOLDEN GATE TRAILBLAZER: WHERE TO HIKE, WALK, BIKE IN SAN FRANCISCO AND MARIN, isbn 0967007275.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Diamond Valley Company (August 10, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967007224
• ISBN-13: 978-0967007229
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,587,877 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This is item 2 in The Trailblazer Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eye Pleasing, Entertaining, and Oh So Helpful, September 9, 2001

By	Greg Hayes (Carson City, NV United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have reviewed lots of travel-related guidebooks over the years, so I can say with some authority that the Golden Gate Trailblazer--the third title in the popular Trailblazer series--is a real find. Although I lived for a number of years in the San Francisco/Marin area, I was simply overwhelmed by the amount of new information I learned about this most wonderful place. The choices of hikes, walks, jogs, and off-road (and sometimes on-road) cycling options are simply overwhelming. The "Best of San Francisco and Marin" section thankfully helps to break down all these choices into dozens of useful categories to help you get to where you want to go faster (for example: Short Walks to High Places; Wildflowers; and Raptors and Woodland Birds; Family Rides; Beach Runs; etc.). The "Free Advise and Opinion" section near the back, while only three pages in length, is nothing short of fabulous in dispensing loads of cryptically written, helpful information and side-splitting humor in equal proportions. And the black-and-white photography throughout the book are stunning in creating a visual sense of place (In my view, the quality of the photos sometimes reaches award-winning status--I would certainly love to see enlargements of some of my favorites!). Including hundreds of trail descriptions, jogging paths, and so forth in a book less than 300 pages long is no mean trick. The Sprouts accomplish this by using a consistent, well-organized, yet compact format, well-selected abbreviations, and carefully crafted yet succinct directions. One important note: This is one book where reading the "How to Use This Book" section will be time well spent. The organization of the book works and works well. But the reader will benefit by taking a moment to orient him or herself. And buying a good street map of the area is another essential, as the authors themselves so indicate. Map drawing, especially in the backcountry of Marin County, is a major challenge and the authors were wise to leave that job to the cartographers. With a copy of the Golden Gate Trailblazer and a good street map in hand you will be ready to explore places you may have never even heard of in a lifetime of living in the Bay Area. And if you are first-time visitors you will be thrilled to have so much well-informed guidance in selecting the activity that is just right for you. And, oh yes, a final tip of the hat to the authors for taking the time to include dozens of good ideas for outdoor exploration for those in wheelchairs and parents who opt to push the little one(s) in a baby stroller.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Super Plus, June 30, 2003

By	C.T. Rosenbaum - See all my reviews

Complete is the best way to describe this guidebook. I wasn't planning on visiting the Marin side but was forced to when the fog in San Francisco made it too cold and wet to enjoy the parks and trails. Marin was in complete sunshine everyday.

This book stands apart from all the rest because it was written by hometown authors who definitely know their turf and didn't mince on destinations, more than any other book on the subject. It mades a good companion with the Lonely Planet San Francisco book. If you like to explore the outdoors on your vacation buy this book. It will keep you entertained as well as busy.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Bay Area Guide, February 26, 2003

By	schneider (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

This book is filled with good ideas. There's no other book quite like it that covers the entire San Francisco coastline and every trail imaginable in Marin County. As hostel managers, we refer to it constantly to answer questions posed by our guests who want to get out and hike, learn some California history and soak up what's cool around here. We keep extra copies on hand to loan out and, because the maps are so good, most often end up directing folks to where they can be purchased. We like this book.