Foghorn Outdoors 101 Great Hikes of the San Francisco Bay Area (Paperback)

~ Ann Marie Brown (Author) "If the wind is howling on the Sonoma Coast or the fog has smothered the beaches in a cool, white-gray blanket, you don't have to..." (more)
Key Phrases: free park map, following trail description, wooden stairsteps, San Francisco, Point Reyes, Bay Area (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Think getting away from the more than six million neighbors one has while living in the San Francisco Bay Area is difficult? This region possesses more parkland and a greater number of diversity of trails than any other comparably sized metropolitan region in the country. All of these outdoor havens are remarkably accessible and author Ann Marie Brown offers the best ones in Foghorn Outdoors 101 Great Hikes of the San Francisco Bay Area. This book provides detailed information on the trails found in the regions' numerous state and national parks -- from mountaintop rambles on Mount Diablo and Mount Tamalpais to seashore strolls at Point Reyes and Ano Nuevo. All trails are rated according to difficulty and the time required for hiking, and offer tips on weather, ways to avoid the crowds, best family hikes, and much more. Special attention is also given to wildlife habitats and areas of botanical interest. Insightful, informative, and enlightening, Foghorn Outdoors 101 Great Hikes of the San Francisco Bay Area is a must-have for casual or experienced hikers alike.

About the Author

The author of ten outdoor guidebooks, including Foghorn Outdoors: California Hiking, Foghorn Outdoors: Southern California Cabins & Cottages, and Foghorn Outdoors: Day-Hiking California's National Parks, Ann Marie Brown is a dedicated California outdoorswoman.

Product Details

• Paperback: 350 pages
• Publisher: Avalon Travel Publishing; 2nd edition (May 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566915783
• ISBN-13: 978-1566915786
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #784,129 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Foghorn Outdoors has done it again!, May 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Foghorn Outdoors: 101 Great Hikes of the San Francisco Bay Area (Paperback)

Foghorn Outdoors is one of our favorite publishers. Among their authors, we thoroughly enjoy books by Maria Goodavage (The California Dog Lover's Companion), Tom Stienstra (California Hiking), and Ann Marie Brown. Ann Marie Brown writes fantastic hiking guides; especially for folks like us that love to do dog friendly, easy day hikes while on vacation. It's a great way to enjoy an area. All hikes include information as to whether or not they are dog friendly (wonderful for planning purposes). All are from one to a few hours. The hikes are graded as to their difficulty, from easy to strenuous, and, yes!, the hikes are rated with two to four stars for overall quality and scenic beauty. Icons are included to provide additional information on the trail. All these features are great for planning, especially when you're a visitor to the area and want to find those hikes that are most appealing to your interests. The directions to the trailhead and for the hike are clear and easy to understand. Areas covered are the San Francisco Peninsula, the East and South Bay, Marin, Napa, Sonoma, and the Santa Cruz Mountains. We've done some of these hikes and have picked out more for our next trip. They truly are the 101 Great Hikes of the San Francisco Bay Area. If you are heading to the Bay area and like to hike, we highly recommend a copy of this book to accompany you on your travels.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Pass, May 29, 2003

By A Customer

For advanced hikers this book misses the mark. I would have liked more detailed hiking descriptions and more off the beaten track destinations. Longer distance hikes are also needed in this book.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Take a Hike!, May 8, 2002

By	sporkdude "sporkdude" (San Jose, Ca United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Foghorn Outdoors: 101 Great Hikes of the San Francisco Bay Area (Paperback)

I've lived in the Bay Area for 7 years now, and I never thought of it as anything but and urban and suburban mesh. I wanted to start hiking, but I felt that I needed to travel to national parks far away to enjoy it. I was really mistaken. This book is beyond amazing.

I'm not going to say this is the bible of hiking, but whenever I open it, a beacon of light shines upon it and the air is filled with cathedral like chanting.

I was totally unaware of the natural beauty and ambience that was located locally. Some of these places described are amazing. I went on all the strenuous hikes described in this book, and I enjoyed each one. From redwoods, to waterfalls, to beaches, to mountain vistas, it's all there.

The author provides ratings, directions, description, difficulty, approximate times, pricing, and weather information for each hike. If it weren't for these descriptions, I would never have seen the huge redwoods in the peninsula or the amazing beach and postcard views at Point Reyes.

There are only a few minor flaws in this book. The strenuous hikes are pretty easy for anyone is shape, and only take about 3/4ths the time suggested. The directions are sometimes a bit bare, but I never was really lost so it's not too much of a problem.

If you want to enjoy the outdoors, no matter what fitness level, get this book. It's everything you need to have many nice enjoyable day hikes.