Rating: 
Summary: I thought this was a comprehensive book but...
Review: I went to look for a hike in the Sacramento area and there was only one! In all fairness, my book is an edition or two old, but the most recent version only has two! So, if you live in the Sacramento area, don't expect to find a lot of local hikes. Other than that, I think it's a fairly good book if not a bit overwhelming.
Rating:
Summary: Useful, but not without flaws.
Review: I've used the first edition of this book fairly extensively over the past three years. My primary criticism relates to the trailhead directions: sometimes they are inaccurate. I've stopped grizzled locals (including rangers) in some areas and pointed to the directions in the book, only to draw puzzled looks. There's no frustration quite like driving several hours to a destination that ultimately proves elusive. On the other hand, this book has introduced me to some great areas and hikes at Pt. Reyes National Seashore, Sequoia National Park, and elsewhere in N. California.
Rating: 
Summary: Great detailed information
Review: I've used this book a few times when back home from college, and I was really surprised to see that it included trails I always thought minor or didn't consider to be "trails." This book is so thorough! I most recently used it as a reference when I was in Yosemite, and the description listed side-trips and very clear information about what to expect (landmarks, bridges, etc.) at the top of the Yosemite Falls trail, things I otherwise would have overlooked had I just followed the trail signs. The book generously estimated 6 hours round trip, and it took me that amount, with a nap and lunch included. The difficulty and time estimates are accurate, I think. This is a great book because it's really easy to find something that's just right (a suitable distance/time/difficulty) in whatever area you may be in. There is even some cross-referencing, so that multi-day backpacking trips can be planned by linking up several trails.
Rating:
Summary: A must!
Review: In looking at all the good hiking books, this is the only one that has the whole state, like a thousand hikes! I keep it in my car all the time and it is all tattered after this year, but I would never part with it. If you can't find a bunch of great hikes wherever you go, I'd have to say the problem is with you, not the book. Enjoy your trails!
Rating: 
Summary: If this is your only Ca hiking book, you've made a mistake!
Review: Just completed a hiking trip to California, September 2004. I am a weekend hiker from Ohio. I was looking for a guide for the best hikes to take - FOR SIGHTSEEING. I thought that this book would lead me to the most scenic hikes in the Redwood area of Northern California. BIG MISTAKE. The point of my review is this: you CANNOT Trust this book to get you to the Best Hikes.
We did 5 hikes recommended in this Book. Two Costal Hikes, which were nice. THe book was helpful, and the rating Equitable.
We then did 3 hikes in Redwood Country. Two of his recommendations we a total bust, and a waste of TIME.
While the book has impressive reviews from newspapers and other sources, I offer my real world examples. It is my great disappointment in this book that has lead me to warn potential buyers. Not based on how it is written, but on my actual experience, IN THE FIELD, of going out, using the author's reccomendations, and hiking some trails.
1. Redwood Hike - Toumey Grove Trail Hike, rated a 9, at Richardson Grove State Park. What a joke. Nothing special about the hike. The Redwood Grove that you reach is very smallish, and not all that spectacular. Rest of the hike was nothing special either.
2. Redwood Hike - Rathert Grove Hike at Grizzly Creek State Park, rated a 10. Same story as above hike. We did speak with the camp host family, who directed us to the Cheatham Redwood Grove, several miles away, which was truly magical. This is where they filmed Star Wars, "Return of the Jedi." Not a lengthy hike, but this Grove of old Redwoods was truly magical, and the best Grove that we saw, espically after having just wasted TWO HIKES on Tom Stienstra's suggestions.
3. Redwood Hike - Prairie Creek State Park. While book lists one hike here, Fern Canyon, rated a 10, which we did - it was OK, he doesn't even mention the most magical, lengthy hike THERE. We did the James Irvine Trail, which was THE BEST REDWOOD HIKE that we did on our whole trip. We hiked the Irvine Trial to the Clintonia to Miner's Ridge, which brought us back to the Visitor's Center. About 4.6 miles of hiking through old growth, Costal Redwoods. This is another hike we would not have done, without the recommendation of the local camp host family.
4. Coastal Hikes - we did two mentioned in this Book. They were good. We did the Tomales Point Trail, at Point Reyes National Seashore - very nice, and the Bodega Head Loop, also very nice.
We began our trip in San Francisco, heading north, along the coast. We started off with a couple of coastal hikes that were nice. Once we got further north, to Redwood country, the hikes recommended were a complete waste. We had limited time, energy, and the hikes highly rated in this book were a complete disappointment. This became apparent when locals directed us to other, BETTER hikes in the area.
While this book is a decent resource for some basic trail information, you had better look to other books and resources to prepare for hiking in Northern California. When you only have a limited time in this part of California, you simply cannot afford the luxury of wasting time on crappy recommendations for hikes.
Does the book cover the whole state of California? Yes. Some good information? Yes. But after my experience with this book, I would NEVER recommend this book to any hiker, UNLESS it was the second or third source that they were going to use. Otherwise, you too may run the risk of hiking on "so-so trails," while missing some stunning beauty in the same area. That was certainly my experience with this book. What a shame!
Rating:
Summary: a great hiking tool!!!!!
Review: My husband and I recently took an extended road-trip vacation throughout California, and this book has been more valuable than anything else we packed. We used it throughout the whole state and enjoyed some of the best hikes we've ever taken. Not being from California we were worried about finding our way, but we never had any problems finding our spots. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone wanting to hike anywhere in the state.
Rating:
Summary: Must have if you're a California hiker
Review: My wife and I have really gotten our money's worth out of this book over the past few summmers. Perfect for those who love hiking, but need somewhere to go. It's full of great day hikes and a few decent packpacking trips as well. My only complaint is that I'd really like to see a lot more of the 20 mile weekend backpacking trips added to the book. Regardless, it's well worth picking up.
Rating:
Summary: Must have if you're a California hiker
Review: My wife and I have really gotten our money's worth out of this book over the past few summmers. Perfect for those who love hiking, but need somewhere to go. It's full of great day hikes and a few decent packpacking trips as well. My only complaint is that I'd really like to see a lot more of the 20 mile weekend backpacking trips added to the book. Regardless, it's well worth picking up.
Rating:
Summary: A must have for hikers
Review: The book's coverage is very thorough especially for the most frequented hike trails in Northern California. The rating system is very accurate in terms of difficulty and beauty. Time estimates are inflated to allow for the average worst case scenario.
Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive and well organized -- a MUST for Calif. hikers
Review: The copy of this book I bought six years ago is in miserable shape today. The cover is peeling, the spine is cracking, the pages are dog-eared from frequent use, and the paper is rife with stains from spilled water, soda, Gatorade, etc. Inside, many of the phone numbers are now out of date, so new area codes are written in with pen. Despite the mess my copy of this book is in, in these past 6 years I have only seen 1 book which is worthy as a replacement: the newer version. Why is this the best single hiking book I've ever seen? Let me count the ways:1) Comprehensive and thorough. This book covers the entire state of California. I've carried it with me while hiking the deserts east of San Diego, the coastal redwoods near the Oregon border, and everywhere in between. It lists hikes for a variety of abilities. If you want an easy stroll through the park, or an aggressive peak climb, you'll find it. Sure, books that specialize on a particular location or style of hiking do (sometimes) provide more in-depth information about those specialties. But as an avid day hiker and occasional backpacker, I've never found this book lacking for new trails to hit. 2) Well organized. The book's formatting makes it easy to read. Numerical ratings of each hike's difficulty and scenery (a bit subjective) are visible at a glance. Important information such as driving directions, where to find trail maps, and whom to call for additional information are highlighted with white space and bold print subtitles. In this regard the book is FAR superior to most other hiking books I've seen, many of which look like they were typeset on a 1960s manual typewriter. 3) Accurate. I've hiked hundreds of trails listed in this book and I've seldom found a serious mistake in the directions. Yes, there are some errors. A few times I've found a driving direction that's misleading and several times I've disagreed with the authors' measurement of a trail length. But the vast majority of the time this book has lead me directly to the trailhead. (Caution: although the driving and hiking directions are fairly good, a roadmap is important when driving in unfamiliar areas, and a map and compass are always a good idea when hiking trails less traveled.) 4) Fun to read. It may seem inconsequential, but this book is plain fun to read. The authors write with a bright and occasionally humorous style that fairly captures the pluses and minuses of each hike. Bottom line: if you can only own 1 hiking book, make it this one. If you can own 2, buy a second copy for when yours starts to look like mine!
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