Take a Walk: 100 Walks Through Natural Places in the Puget Sound Region

Rating:
Summary: Great for Olympia, WA
Review: I used this book while temporarily living in Olympia, WA, and it was a great guide to experiencing the abundance of natural beauty around the small city. Most guide books on the state of WA only cover more obvious areas like Seattle or the Olympic National Rainforest or Mount Rainier. "Take a Walk" is a great resource for walking trails in areas that are more off the beaten path. Also, the author provides helpful information regarding the description of the trails, difficulty level, handicap access, and directions. I can't vouch for the trails in areas outside of Olympia but, based on my experience, I would highly recommend this book as a useful, descriptive resource.

Rating:
Summary: A good guide to Seattle parks
Review: Sue Muller Hacking's Take a Walk is a guide to some established trails in the Puget Sound region. The descriptions are concise, include a map and may include a black and white picture. The book summarises the highlights of the trail, other usage (e.g. bicycles), steepness, connecting trails, park services (e.g. restrooms, picnic areas) and whether there is disabled access. There is then a brief description of the trail (usually a couple of paragraphs) followed by directions to the park.

This would be a good book for families with young children, because most of the parks seem to be "family friendly" and you will have essential information on facilities. You will also have 100 ideas of places to visit that are a short drive from Everett, Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma or Olympia.

I was rather disappointed with this book as I was expecting to find a book of short hikes on non-paved trails. I had the distinct impression that I could have put together a similar book by contacting the Parks and Recreation Department and asking them to send me flyers on each park. There is also a dearth of historical information.

If you are new to Seattle and want a concise guide to the many different parks and trails of the region, then this book might be just what you are looking for. If you are a day hiker looking for some varied, challenging and interesting trails, look elsewhere.