Customer Reviews

John Muir Trail: The essential guide to hiking America's most famous trail

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Wilderness Press continues to update some of their classic guides regularly and this new version of their John Muir Trail Guide is well written with a new author, Elizabeth Wenk. At its heart, the guide is similar to previous editions in giving a mile for mile description of the trail. I found it very accurate for all portions of the JMT that I have hiked. It also includes new features: numerous GPS coordinates for landmarks, updated regulations, appendices listing campsites, mileages, and resupply points, and new topographical maps from Tom Harrison.

All these new features come at a small cost, however, in that the book is more than twice as large as the previous edition, by Kathy Morey and Thomas Winnett. And while you will need these new features in planning your hike, they are less important on the actual trail. Backpackers trying to save space and weight have a couple of options. One is to simply tear out the sections of the book you will be using. You hardly need the classic South to North directions if you are hiking the other way. Another is to use this edition for planning, but to get one of the older editions for the actual trip. These can be found here (1998) or here (1986). But this book is still worth purchasing. Having it will improve your odds of completing the trail and dramatically increase your enjoyment of it as well.

This is the new edition of the Morey/Winnett (sp?) book but it's much, much more than that. I've hiked the JMT a couple of times and done a fair amount of hiking in the Sierras. Basically tho I'm a city boy and can't tell one tree from another and know nothing about geology. This book will - I haven't had the chance to hike with it yet - fill in the ignorance and satisfy the curiosity about what I'm hiking past. The author knows her stuff. But, wait, there's a whole lot more. Aside from a large number of GPS coords, more than I've found anywhere on the Web, there's all kinds of info you need to orchestrate your hike - names, addresses, prices, policies, regulations, campsites, side-trip peak-bagging, Harrison maps, informed suggestions - it's all here. One more item - it's only occasionally you read a book that makes you feel the author really worked hard to make it "complete", didn't cut corners, "pushed" when the going got hard - this is one such book. If you're thinking of hiking the JMT or any part of it, buy the book. If you're not thinking of doing the hike, buy the book and discover what you're missing.

The previous version of this book was, I believe, considered to be the definitive JMT book, and this new version must be also. In it are all the details anyone attempting or thinking of attempting the John Muir Trail will need to know; what clothes to take, which food is appropriate, permits needed, bear information, a guide to the flowers of the area, history of the trail, geology, directions and even maps and a list of possible campsites. In fact, details are the thing about this book - it's ram-jam with them, and I couldn't think of any detail that I'd like to know that wasn't covered (I've hiked the trail once)!

This is a guidebook for those intending to hike the trail, not an account of someone's experiences, but even so it must get even the most couchy potato interested in getting out and walking! I did find the referencing of the sections and maps a little confusing, but it's a small point. And it might be a little large too, so I'd probably elect to photocopy parts of it, or rip out sections to take on the trail.

Haven't hiked it yet, but this book gives the most comprehensive look at the JMC, both North bound and South bound. The reason I bought this book was because it gave details on both directions. It doesn't give you a daily guide because it knows that each person will have his or her own pace. The only thing I didn't like is that it spends too much time describing fauna and not the trail.
It is also meant to be a trail companion and to be read on the trail. Why? If I'm on the trail why do I need to read about it? Some of the detail is useless unless you are right there looking at it. However, the description of the trail and the maps are valuable (I especially like the elevation maps given for each section)
It also gives very important information on how to get to the trail, permits and where and when to get them along with some great mileage charts.

Great book for on the trail, a good book for preparation.

A lot of positive reviews here. When I did the JMT a few years ago, I cut out the pages I needed, and used this with the Harrison map pack.
The information on campsites ahead, terrain, and water availability was right on.

This book, along with the JMT map-pack, is all you need to plan & complete the JMT! To me the most useful part of the book was the camps, along with the mileage. This allowed me to plan where I wanted to camp & how many days I'd be on the trail. Very Informative!!

I am getting ready for the John Muir Trail in 2010 and this is a great book. Lists good camping spots, mileage charts and lots of other useful information.

Wilderness Press has been steadily bringing out new editions of this book, so it's likely to remain fairly up to date. I only found a small amount of out of date information (separate wilderness permit now required for a side-trip to Half Dome, some out of date info about public transportation between Lone Pine and LA). The price is fairly reasonable for a trade paperback in a two-color format, and the color is used pretty effectively, e.g., by marking mileages and altitudes in red at various places in the text.

What really makes this book shine is the natural history material. Wenk is the perfect person to write this, since she did her PhD on a topic that involved both the botany and the geology of the Sierra. There are helpful alphabetical lists of plant species in the back. She also has a thorough personal knowledge of the Sierra.

Although there are black and white, condensed versions of the Harrison maps in the book, you're going to want the real Harrison maps on the trail. I don't consider this a point against the book, because its purpose isn't to replace the Harrison maps.

The level of detail seemed about right to me. The book is lightweight enough that some people take the whole thing on the trail, while others cut out the relevant pages. I just took notes from it on the backs of the Harrison maps, then left the book at home.

Well written and good details. Writers include excellent content beyond directions. Includes both north to south and south to north trail descriptions. As good of a hiking trail specific manuscript as I've ever read.

This seems to be a good primer for those taking their first stroll down the JMT (me!). it has a good list of how to prepare and sources of additional information. The Transportation section (pp. 12) with information on how to get from one trailhead to the next is particularly helpful.

Descriptions of each section seem good. However, while trying to describe each section from both directions is admirable, a description from one direction only could have provided an opportunity for additional detail. The trail profile diagrams at the front of each segment are very useful. I wish that they were larger though.

I am looking forward to the walk and hope that I have room in the pack for this book.