Best Rain Shadow Hikes

* Prime hiking for fall, winter, and spring * Organized by quick access from Spokane, the TriCities, Yakima-Ellensburg, and Wenatchee-Chelan * 100 hikes, from short half-day trips (1-5 miles) to overnighters If you're used to tight, tree-lined trails through (often-dripping) evergreens, it's time for a guidebook to an entirely different world: the high desert of central and eastern Washington. It's desert, yes -- but not the Lawrence of Arabia kind. This landscape of sagebrush and rimrock canyons is starkly beautiful and rich in plant and animal life. It offers mild temperatures in fall, prime wildlife viewing in winter, and an explosion of wildflowers in spring. Best Desert Hikes: Washington is a great way to extend your hiking through three-seasons -- a Hikes at a Glance chart in the front of the book lists best time to go for each trail. Some of these hikes follow designated trails; others guide you along the contours of the land for a more individual experience. There are tips on hiking in desert conditions, too.

"...a colorful, easy-to-read, information-packed reference that offers a full year of fun in nature" -- Seattle's Child Details each activity along with related history, flora and fauna, and cultural notes Includes recommendations for different places to visit around the state to try the activity "Nature Notebook" journal prompts to inspire you to record and make the most of your adventures "Connect with Nature" ideas for experiential learning Organized by season, 52 Ways to Nature: Washington features immersive activities to keep you engaged with nature throughout the year. This twist on a Northwest guidebook offers ideas to get you outdoors and encourages you to keep track of those experiences through journal notes. Discover a geocache in your own neighborhood, drop a crab pot off a dock on Hood Canal, observe the northern lights through Goldendale’s hilltop telescope, or experience sledding paradise at Mount Rainier National Park. Newcomers and long-time residents alike will find new ways to revel in the natural world with the inspiring and accessible activities in 52 Ways to Nature: Washington.

It’s not necessary to travel far from home for a great hike. With these information-packed guides in hand, readers have everything they need for the adventure they seek, from an easy nature walk to a multiday backpacking trip. Each hike includes: location, length, hiking time, level of difficulty, and if dogs can come along. Other features include: Trail finder chart that categorizes each hike (e.g. for particular attractions such as scenic views and if it’s suitable for families with kids) Full-color photos throughout Information on the area’s history, geology, flora, and fauna Full-color maps of each trail

Best Wildflower Hikes Western Washington combines the best aspects of hiking and wildflowers into one guide. The Best Wildflower Hikes series features 40 hikes with honorable mentions throughout that focus on the best wildflowers in western Washington.

CLICK HERE to download author Craig Romano's favorite hike from the book, Bogachiel Peak * More than 100 day hikes, with options for linking them to longer routes * Compact, easy-carry size * Two color maps, charts and elevation profiles This handsome guide is full of charts and easy-to-find information that will help you quickly select your ideal hike. And once you're on the trail, you'll enjoy the sidebars on flora and fauna, and historical highlights that accompany many of the routes. There is a full-color front map and then two-color section maps, along with clear driving directions to the trail head, options for nearby camping, ratings for trail difficulty and photos of what you'll see on your hike. Hikes are typically less than 12 miles round trip. The Day Hiking series guidebooks are the most comprehensive and attractive trail guides available for Washington state. **Mountaineers Books designates 1 percent of the sales of select guidebooks in our Day Hiking series toward volunteer trail maintenance. Since launching this program, we've contributed more than $14,000 toward improving trails. For this book, our 1 percent of sales is going to Washington Trails Association (WTA). WTA hosts more than 750 work parties throughout Washington's Cascades and Olympics each year, with volunteers clearing downed logs after spring snowmelt, cutting away brush, retreading worn stretches of trail, and building bridges and turnpikes. Their efforts are essential to the land managers who maintain thousands of acres on shoestring budgets.

Best Easy Day Hikes Cedar Rapids includes concise descriptions and detailed maps for nineteen easy-to-follow hikes in and around Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Cedar Falls, and Waterloo. Enjoy scenic walks along the Cedar River, Devonian Fossil Gorge, the Mormon Handcart Trail or Wildcat Den State Park, Maquoketa Caves State Park, and the Cedar Valley Nature Trail. Look inside for: • Thirty-minute strolls to two-hour adventures • Hikes for everyone, including families • Mile-by-mile directions, clear trail maps • Trail Finder for best hikes for children, dogs, or views • GPS coordinates

Best Easy Day Hikes Sacramento features concise descriptions and easy-to-follow maps of sixteen easily manageable hikes within a short drive of Sacramento.