Hawaii: A Walker's Guide [Paperback]

Rodney N. Smith (Author)

Book Description

Series: Hawaii | Publication Date: April 1995

Hunter Publishing is proud to offer travelers this collection of unique titles that are not part of any series and often stand alone in their field of coverage. The eclectic selection of topics includes cultural and historical travel, as well as books that are tailored to specific interests, such as fall foliage and nature. All books are written to the high standards you expect from Hunter and provide detailed, up-to-date information.

A handy pocket-size guide featuring hundreds of hikes on the islands of Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Hawaii, Kauai and Oahu. Trail maps accompany informative descriptions that point out historical sites and wildlife you might see. Excursions range from one-hour beach walks to overnight volcano treks and day hikes. Mileage and anticipated hiking time given for each walk.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Hunter Publishing (NJ); 2 edition (April 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556506945
• ISBN-13: 978-1556506949
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 4.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,732,429 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not so practical guide..., June 15, 2000

By 

Martin P. Roth "LumberCartel" (Norwalk, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hawaii: A Walker's Guide (Paperback)

I used this book extensively in April 2000 while hiking on the island of Oahu.

First the good news -- the guide was invaluable in mentioning hikes and walks on parts of the island that even the locals didn't seem to know about. I saw more of the hidden and beautiful Oahu than most tourists ever get to see, even if they join one of the Eco-tours.

The other news is that there are some basic omissions in the guide that make it very hard to recommend.

1. There are few detailed maps of any kind indicating the trailhead locations or the trails themselves, and no indications of topography. Trailhead directions often give "street names" but they are just as often non-existent or vague e.g. "Kuaokala Road in a military district". All the trails I walked were totally unmarked and difficult to gauge without a map.

2. It mentions that "permits required" for some trails but does not tell you where or how to apply for them.

I wrote to Hunter Publishing asking for an explanation of these omissions from the author, Rod Lewis, and after two months and several follow-up requests for comment, I never received a reply.

I looked on amazon.com and Rod Smith is listed as author or editor for a number of other books, none related to hiking or Hawaii, although it appears there may two Rod Smiths. My guess, based on his non-response, is that the author catalogued the trails from other sources (unmentioned) and never did the on-ground verification of trailhead locations or actually walked the trails himself. Perhaps he relied on others for the verification, but overall I found it lacking, and not the "practical guide" he purports it to be.

In sum, if you are looking for a "practical" walking guide for Hawaii, look elsewhere.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Hawaii. A Walker's Guide (2nd Edition) by Rod Smith, June 26, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Hawaii: A Walker's Guide (Paperback)

I read the previous review by Marty Roth and have to agree totally. I don't think the author has tried using his directions in Hawaii.

I have been all over the island hiking. The book was helpful in so much as mentioning where to hike but the directions were not much help at all.