Sierra South

This completely revised and updated 8th edition of Sierra South now covers an expanded region of the Sierra, from the southern boundary of Yosemite National Park to southern Golden Trout Wilderness. With new trips and old favorites, Sierra South is the classic guide to backpacking in Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks, Ansel Adams Wilderness, and Mt. Whitney.

Find the Best Hikes and Backpacking Trips in California’s Sierra Nevada The rush of trekking through nature, the thrill of experiencing new places, the reward of discovering beautiful sights—all of this awaits in the Sierra Nevada. For more than 50 years, this definitive guidebook has led readers along the top trails between Walker Pass and the southern border of Yosemite National Park. Now, with the revised and updated edition, let hiking experts Elizabeth Wenk and Mike White show you the way. Sierra South is the award-winning guide that features 80 meticulously selected trips, from new routes to old favorites. Traverse the stunning wilderness areas and national forests of the region, including Kings Canyon National Park, Sequoia National Park, John Muir Wilderness, Ansel Adams Wilderness, and many more. The trips are organized around major highways and roads, so it’s easy to choose your next adventure. Just pick an area, drive there, and go hiking. Inside you’ll find 84 trips that range from quick overnighters to 12-day excursions Complete trip details, including day-by-day trail descriptions, GPS waypoints, and elevation data 41 trailhead maps that show the routes for every trip Beginner tips and trusted advice on camping, fishing, and bear safety Information on side trips, geology, natural history, and more Planning your trip into the southern Sierra backcountry is easier than ever before. For additional hiking and backpacking opportunities, see the companion guide Sierra North. Both titles are recipients of a National Outdoor Book Award.

Awarded the 2009 Bronze Medal in the Society of American Travel Writers Foundation's annual Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition: "Whether you want to stand on a glacier or have a beer with local bikers, this is the definitive (as well as wonderfully eccentric) guide to the immensity of the southern Sierra and Owens Valley. John Muir would be pleased."—Mike Davis, author of City of Quartz and Ecology of Fear The only complete guide to California’s southern Sierra Nevada—some of the most stunning wilderness in North America—is better than ever in this revised, updated edition. Detailed reviews of lodging, dining, and recreation, plus outfitters, campsites, trails, and points of historic and cultural interest.

This complete, digital-only guide for hikers and backpackers describes the 220-mile John Muir Trail, from south to north. Stretching 220 miles from Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney and onward to Whitney Portal, California’s famed John Muir Trail (JMT) is one of the most popular backpacking routes in the US. It passes through some of the most dramatic scenery in the country: massive granite peaks, dizzying waterfalls, pristine alpine lakes, and vibrant meadows filled with Sierra wildflowers. Plus, it offers the mildest, sunniest climate of any major mountain range in the world The John Muir Trail: South to North Edition contains the information you need for hiking or backpacking the route. The comprehensive guide describes the entire passage, with detailed directions as well as UTM coordinates for important junctions, lateral trails, campsites, food-storage boxes, and other points of interest. The book divides the trail into 13 sections, and each section includes an elevation profile and a table that lists elevation, distance from the previous point, and total mileage. Inside you’ll find Detailed description of the entire trail from an expert author Trail junction locations and distances between junctions Comprehensive table of campsites 17 topographic maps plus elevation profiles Side trips to 15 notable peaks Pre-trip planning information about food resupplies, gear, permits, and more Whether you’re hiking the entire JMT or just sections of it, you’ll find expert start-to-finish advice in the updated edition of this guidebook!

In this photograph-driven field guide to California’s spectacular wildflowers, Laird R. Blackwell expertly provides several ways to find them in bloom: by month, by place, and by flower. The month-by-month descriptions—found in no other statewide guide—suggest what to see and where to go throughout the state during the blooming season. The author also supplies more than 300 locations arranged in 10 geographical regions, highlighting 67 of his favorite places with detailed driving and walking directions and difficulty, blooming times, and lists of predominant wildflowers as well as a featured flower. The guide contains more than 650 color photographs by the author, including 600 species arranged by flower, with natural history notes and places and months to find the flower in bloom. Throughout, experienced wildflower guide Blackwell shares his love of the beautiful places and flowers he has visited throughout California.

First published in 1973, The Pacific Crest Trail, Vol. 1, California quickly established itself as the "PCT Bible"-- the book trekkers could not do without. Now thoroughly updated and redesigned into two portable volumes, Pacific Crest Trail: Southern California starts at the Mexican border and guides you to Yosemite's beautiful back country. Its companion volume meets the trail at Tuolumne Meadows and drops you at Oregon's door. Thru-hikers to Canada will find the rest of their journey in Pacific Crest Trail: Oregon & Washington. Our PCT gurus help you locate the trail, water sources, and resupply access routes with detailed descriptions, customized maps, and tips on alternate routes. Whether you're planning day hikes, weekend or week long backbacks, or an ambitious thru-hike, everything you need to know about--from bears to trees--is here.