Product Description

A planning guide to 25 of America's most alluring and most attainable long-distance trails..

If you dream of tackling the Appalachian, Continental Divide, or Pacific Crest Trail but lack the time or resources for a 2,000-mile-plus journey, the Thru Hiker's Guide to America provides a cache of manageable alternatives. Here are 25 beautiful trails that can be hiked during a vacation of one to eight weeks. From Washington�s 95-mile Wonderland Trail to the 1,300-mile Florida Trail, this thoroughly researched guide covers the entire spectrum of North American geography, climate, and terrain. Whether you're looking for rimrock or alpine meadows, mountain panoramas or forest cloisters, seaside or desert, the Thru Hiker's Guide to America will help you decide which trail is perfect for you..

Following the easy-to-use format, you can quickly find the key attractions of each trail, including natural wonders, scenic vistas, flora and fauna. You'll also learn important particulars about access to drinking water, campsite availability, and prevailing weather conditions for each trail. E. Schlimmer also includes trail-specific advice from experienced long-distance hikers and Forest Service employees..

All the options and answers to the question, what do I want to hike next? are contained in this book. Choose your season, your distance, your terrain, read this guide, and head off to hike the trail that fits your personal criteria.--Dick Anderson, International Appalachian Trail president.

E. Schlimmer has lived in the mountains of the Northeast for nearly two decades. He has worked as a seasonal forest ranger, Appalachian Trail caretaker and ridgerunner, wilderness trip leader, wildland firefighter, and trail crew leader. He surveyed and interviewed experienced hikers and Forest Service employees around the country to compile this work.