Day Hiker's Guide to Southern California

A very useful guide; would be better if he added information on which hiking trails permit dogs.

John McKinney has assembled a great collection of day hikes in this excellent guide. Each (in typical hiking guide fashion) includes a well done map, background on the area the hike covers, directions to the trailhead, and a technical description of the hike itself. The key here is variety... from one mile to ten mile hikes, easy to strenuous, seashore to high mountains to desert. Coverage ranges from north of Santa Barbara south to San Diego, east to the San Bernardino Mtns., Palm Springs area and Mojave Desert (including Joshua Tree). No matter what your hiking preference, you'll find something to like in this book. Black and white photos (both historical and present day) are included for many of the hikes and the historical sections are fascinating.