Customer Reviews

The Hiker's Hip Pocket Guide to the Mendocino Coast (Hiker's Hip Pocket Guide Series)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book contains 54 hikes on the beautiful Mendocino coast. They're organized geographically from north to south, and there is also an extra table of content that orders them by activities (for runners, for backpackers...). Each of the descriptions comes with a side bar with the essential info on the respective hike (how to get there, difficulty, distance/time etc. etc.), some come with a map. All of this is arranged in a way that makes sense and is practical.

However, while the choice of hikes has to be commended for the beauty and the awesomeness of them, the descriptions and the maps certainly could use some more accuracy. E. g., we wanted to do hike 34 (Forest History Trail), but never found the start of it. The book says "... go 6.95 miles down this road, the last mile being gravel, then look for a level area for parking and a trail sign post." No level spot, no sign. Not there. Not a mile farther down. Not a mile farther up. A typo? Or maybe we were just too stupid... ;-)

Anyway: It is the only book about hiking on the Mendocino Coast, it is certainly useful, but take what it says with a grain of salt.

We go to the Mendocino Coast at least twice a year so we're fairly familiar with the area. We wanted this guide to give us ideas of different day trips that we could take while we're in the area. The last time we went we used this guide to go on a day excursion to the waterfall in the Jackson Demonstration Forest. The directions were excellent and we had a great time. I can't wait to go back and try another hike from this guide!

My husband and I bought this book before our first week long trip to the Mendocino Coast (stayed in Point Arena). We hiked every day using this book to guide us and were very happy. I had read reviews prior to the trip about some outdated directions so we were aware. I'm pretty sure you can go to the website and get extra info on any changes. We only had one issue in getting to a trail head but it was easily remedied. Without this book I'm sure we would have missed out on most of the great hikes we enjoyed as they were not listed any where else we looked. We hiked trails from Gualala to FOrt Bragg and out to Anderson Valley.

Excellent guide to the Mendocino trails. Couldn't be better and a must for anyone wanting to hike in the Mendocino area.