Discovering the John Muir Trail: An Inspirational Guide to America’s Most Beautiful Hike

Here is a book that can only be described as simply awesome. It fits on the most discriminating coffee-table collections. Discovering the John Muir Trail by photographer, rock climber, long-distance hiker, and nature lover Damon Corso is written with superb writing skill that’s a pleasure to read whether you are an arm-chair traveler or considering the strenuous hike of the two-hundred sixteen-mile John Muir trail. The trail starts at the bottom of California’s Yosemite Valley and extends all the way to Mount Whitney. But don’t be discouraged—Corso breaks up the hike into six sections, each of which is long and demanding by itself. You’ll read about geology, flora and fauna, weather, hazards, and hiking details. Besides good writing, most of the photographic illustrations would be fit for gallery exhibits. There is stunning landscape photography, but Corso also includes closeups of flora and fauna. For each section of the trail, he encloses a detailed topographic map including a text you must read, photographic tips, geology notes, resupply locations, and other useful information. Though these hikes are for experienced, sturdy hikers who can cope with discouraging elevation gains, the book is for any nature and art lover.