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Fraternal coauthors John and Marc Soares celebrate the beauty of Northern California's extensive wilderness, drawing from a varied collection of treks in the Sierra Nevada, Cascade, Coast, and Klamath Mountain ranges as well as the San Francisco Bay Area. Hike selections include the long trek to Caribou Lake that takes you "deep into the heart of the Trinity Alps"; the easy three-hour hike to Peener Lake; the trail to Cinder Cone, which leads you to surreal painted dunes; and the "isolated Lost Coast, "one of the most coveted get-away paradises in the country." Like the other volumes in the 100 Classic Hikes series, this easy-to-use guide includes at-a-glance information detailing trail length, hiking time, difficulty, seasonal considerations, and additional contacts. Color maps and commentary on each trail offer directions to trail heads, campsites, views, and swimming holes. Amateur botanists will appreciate the notes on trees and wildflowers, including the rare red snow plant. --Jenny Burritt

Whether you're a practicing balneologist (one who seeks the healing properties of natural hot springs) or just an occasional dipper, this book steers you toward the natural baths from Surprise Valley in Northern California to the Mexico/California border. By the looks of the overview map, there may be more hot springs than casinos in Nevada, with warm waters to suit both your style and desire for adventure. Steamboat Hot Springs, 11 miles south of Reno, provides visiting gamblers with a resort-style respite, in contrast to the primitive Gold Strike Hot Spring, found in a narrow valley near the Colorado River. This spring requires a 4-mile round-trip hike and some boulder scrambling "with substantial drop-offs"; the hot waterfalls and canyon views are reportedly worth the effort. Names such as "Crab Cooker," "Dirty Socks," and "Terminal Geyser," combined with tempting black-and-white photos, make you want to grab a towel and head west.

Ann Marie Brown describes in loving detail 100 trails that span Northern California's beauteous countryside, from the redwoods of Humboldt County to the wetlands, Tahoe, and Yosemite of Central Valley. The trails are lovely, but Brown makes them accessible as well with directions, terrain factors, and the hours your average couch potato will need to walk it. She details each turn and tree stump of interest, where the wild flowers bloom, and the best knoll to climb for a supreme ocean view. She takes the anxiety out of hiking, so there's nothing left for you but to pack a water bottle and go.

101 Hikes in Northern California encompasses the full spectrum of the region's incredible natural diversity--the jagged granite of the High Sierra, crashing surf of the Pacific Coast, magnificent redwoods of the North Coast, spectacular views of the Bay Area, and much more. All trips have been thoroughly updated for the second edition, and 26 trips have been significantly expanded or reworked. Each hike description includes an easy-to-use header outlining the trip basics, driving directions, an in-depth trail description, up-to-date map, and the locations of the nearest visitor center and campground.

A backcountry tip sheet on where to jump into more than 100 secluded waterfalls, remote two-person tubs, hidden pools throughout the Golden State. All of them are at least six feet deep. All are in creeks and rivers less than three hours from the trailhead. Each entry lists expectation of privacy along with a photo and topographic map with GPS waypoints. Icons indicate the best season to visit, the difficulty of approach, and the overall rating, whether fair, good, excellent or classic. Dog owners can tell at a glance if four-legged hikers are appropriate. Families with small children can easily determine if the journey is a good one for the little dippers.

Foghorn Outdoors California Waterfalls provides a fresh look at some of the best spots in the Golden State, from the Mount Shasta Wilderness to the San Diego Coast. Profiles of more than 220 waterfalls present a wide range of adventures, complete with more than 160 photos, 80 helpful maps, and beauty ratings for every waterfall based on scenery, setting, and overall view. An avid hiker and veteran outdoors writer, Ann Marie Brown gives tips on accessibility, best season, and points of interest, as well as essential information on driving directions, trail notes, and elevation changes for each fall. Day-hikers, families, vacationers, and seasoned backpackers alike will find the perfect destination in the only guide to this spectacular aspect of California's beauty.

Covering every worthwhile destination in California, this is the camper's guide to finding the best spots in the Golden State. Families, day-trippers, and seasoned campers looking for a change of pace will all find the perfect campground among the options selected by renowned outdoor enthusiast Tom Stienstra. Destinations vary from the Mojave Desert in the south to Redwood forests in the north, and beaches along the Central Coast. This guidebook provides updated, easy-to-use region and trail maps, descriptive keynotes for every geographical region, and facility and fee information. Detailed descriptions let campers know when they're near a waterfall, scenic overlook, or wildflower field. Foghorn Outdoors California Camping has the details on the best California camping available.