100 Classic Hikes: Northern California: Sierra Nevada, Cascades, Klamath Mountains, North Coast and Wine Country, San Francisco Bay Area

The previous editions of "100 Classic Hikes in Northern California" set a very high standard for hiking guides covering the vast, varied, and beautiful landscapes of Northern California - and this new edition is frankly even better.The biggest improvement is the maps - gone are the flat drawings and tangled trail markings of the past, now replaced by straight-forward topographical maps with a clear route in red (with of course side trails, landmarks, roads, etc, all easy to take in at a glance). It would be nice if campsites were consistently marked (full-service campgrounds are usually depicted, others sometimes not), but they are mentioned in the text so it's not a dealbreaker. Another upgrade is the "Getting There" section with details on finding the trailhead, including GPS coordinates. An infobox contains details like 'best season to go' & elevation gain/difficulty, and accompanying trail descriptions are clear and informative. The trail selection is good too, with a varied sample across the state and a range of difficulties/distance.As good as the book is, there are a few nitpicks - it's almost crazy to complain since so many iconic trails are covered, but I do think they missed a few classics: Grizzly Lake, Devil's Punchbowl / Wilderness Falls, Snow Mountain, the Palisades, Salt Point State Park, the Independence Trail near Nevada City (that flume!), Tinker Knob, some of the other approaches on Mt Shasta. There's definitely room, since there are eight(!) variations of similar - some almost identical - lake hikes in the Desolation Wilderness, plus nearly every possible trail near Lassen seems to be included... surely those could be condensed into several of the best. Alternate routes & side trips could (& should) be added to the "Extend Your Trip" sections, but instead they're just shout-outs to other hikes in the book, which is a waste. Variety is good! And while there are some nice pictures for each hike, the quality doesn't quite measure up to the high standard found in the other "100 Classic Hikes" guides. There's always room for improvement.That being said, this is a good option if you want a one-stop resource for NorCal. The binding and pages feel sturdy and high-quality, but the book is also bulkier and heavier than most - I usually snap a photo or use a copier (remember those?) for pages as needed. If you're from out of state and just visiting a certain area like Lake Tahoe, Lassen, Shasta, or San Francisco, I'd consider a more focused book - Falcon has reliable guides on National Parks and wildernesses, while "60 Hikes Within 60 Miles" has a good one for SF, and Moon publishes nice guides for both (the downside being no topograpical map). Hiking Northern California by Bubba Suess (what a name) is another great alternative/companion piece.

I bought this book while researching a trip to the Trinity Alps. John is a fantastic writer. He provides all of the necessary detail that readers crave, without inundating us with too much info. I particularly appreciate his careful description of trails, providing full accounting to enable safe, efficient, and fun travel. He also has a deep fondness for native plant species which makes the experience more fun. More outdoor writers should take note of his style, and his passion for the outdoors.

I love this book! Great descriptions, exciting photos, knowledgeable writing. All around excellent. Sure, you can search the internet all day long and try to find trails but this book has everything all together in one handy package.My first trip from this book was to Little Bear Lake in the Trinity Alps which was amazing. I'm about to hike some more this morning near Mt. Shasta. I wish I could retire already and hike them all!Get this book, you won't be disappointed.

Great hiking book. Had a ton of hikes for us to try

I've used this book on many hikes Northern California, and have been continually impressed with the clear layout. Well-designed maps allow me to plot out the route ahead of time, and I usually make color photocopies of the map and writeup to take with me on the hike to keep the book from getting beat up. Excellent photographs are perfect for dreaming and helping me prioritize. Overall, an outstanding purchase, and I hope for many more like it from the author in years to come.

My old edition of this book was put to good use, and often. It offers wonderful places to go, well-written descriptions, and accurate information.The new edition is a cut above, its new design a visual treat, with great maps. New trails were added and old ones researched anew.John Soares is a gifted and dedicated naturalist and author.

This is the book I go to when I'm looking for a fresh hike in northern California. The descriptions of hikes are complete so you know what to expect. And very important, information about getting to a trailhead is included, so those of us with limited clearance vehicles have a clue! Thank you John, for such inclusive information!

Very well written, filled with tons of tips for hiking around Nor Cal. We live in the Bay Area so this has really helped us plan our trips a lot! Thank you!!

My copy just arrived. I can't wait to review it.