Customer Reviews

The Trails of Virginia: Hiking the Old Dominion

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Allen de Hart's The Trails of Virginia:Hiking the Old Dominionis a classic and exhaustive study of places to hike throughout a statethat is known for its beauty and history but less acknowledged for its vast array of outdoor recreational opportunities. The author doesn't just cover his personal favorites or the 50 best walks, but every trail in the state. He's included information on distance, history, scenic features, degree of difficulty, and directions - every piece of information the hiker will need. I've used this book countless times in not only planning a hike, but also in the process of researching and writing my own outdoor guides. No matter where you plan to hike or what your level of fitness is, a well-worn copy of the Trails of Virginia should sit on your bookshelf as it does on mine.

When I was shopping for books about Virginia trails, I was looking for a overall good book with well laid out trails, simple maps, and trail insights. This book is not that book.

I have the DeLorme atlas for Virginia so I could use these in tandem, but that would be much more time consuming given the alternatives available.

I have used various online resources and the FalconGuide for Virginia to layout a much better hike. The book excels at telling what to expect along trails, but has too large of a scope to cover any one portion of the state in depth.

If you are a long term resident and hiker in Virgina, this would be an interesting book to add to your collection as a reference. Do not buy this book if you are looking for pre-determined hike.

This is the most comprehensive resource available for hiking trails in Virginia. It is not for the novice seeking advice on good loop hikes for an initial journey into the mountains. Nor is it optimal for someone seeking information on trails in Shenandoah National Park. There are other books for that.
This book contains information on trails that are not found in other guidebooks, and has given me a wealth of new hiking opportunities. I wish it had maps, but I can also get out my own maps and figure out trail locations. If you are interested in lesser used trails in Virginia's National Forests and Wildlife Management Areas and want to get past the same trails described in all the other guidebooks, this is the best resource available.