Books

TRAIL GUIDES

null Trails of the Angeles – 100 hikes in the Angeles National Forest, many of which have been written up on Modern Hiker. Provides a decent amount of information, some great history, and includes a good trail map of the Angeles National forest. Definitely a must-buy if you plan on doing any hiking in the Angeles National Forest.
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null 101 Hikes in Southern California – The first book on hiking I bought here in L.A. This book covers trails from the Santa Monica Mountains down to San Diego, and features clear directions and maps for each hike. The maps in this book are better than the Dayhiker’s Guide, but you’ll probably also want a topo map when you go out on the trail.
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null San Bernardino Mountain Trails – 100 trail write-ups for the San Bernardino Mountains, San Jacinto Mountains, and Santa Rosa Mountains – great for snowshoeing and winter desert hikes alike. The included map with this book is pretty much useless, other than seeing the general area of where the trails are. You will definitely need a supplementary map for these hikes.
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null Hiking California’s Desert Parks – If you’re doing a desert hike in California, this is the book you’re going to want to read beforehand. 114 hikes in Anza-Borrego, Joshua Tree, the Mojave Preserve, and Death Valley get the Falcon Guide treatment here, with detailed maps, directions, and mile markers so you know you’re on the right track.
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null On Foot in Joshua Tree National Park – A comprehensive hiking and backpacking guide for Joshua Tree National Park. This book will definitely get you off the beaten path and away from the crowds to some truly spectacular destinations. Ranges from simple nature walks to multi-day backpacks, and includes 11 detailed topo maps in the appendix.
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null California Hiking – Foghorn Outdoors’ monster of a guide book is a great resource and first-stop when you’re planning a trip outside your local area. This book covers more than 1000 hikes in the Golden State and rates them on their difficulty and the beauty of their scenery. This book has a ton of information, but no trail maps – so use it to find an area you’re interested in before picking up a more detailed map.
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{ 1 trackback }

A Few Minor Additions | Modern Hiker: December 15, 2009 at 8:13 am

{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Raphael December 15, 2009 at 10:20 am: I personally like the “Afoot and Afield” series. Have you used those? The new LA County edition should be out soon.
2 Marc December 15, 2009 at 10:39 am: James Kaiser’s “Joshua Tree” is a great guide. I agree with Raphael, I’ve used “Afoot and Afield in San Diego” since its first edition.
3 Modern Hiker December 15, 2009 at 2:44 pm: I think I have an old version of the Afood and Afield guide for LA County – when I was looking for places to buy it, no one had the new version yet … when they do, I’ll check it out!