Roadside Geology of Northern and Central California

Road trips become much more interesting when you understand what you're seeing. This book provides many geologic insights into how the earth was formed and in particular the amazing geology of California and the Sierras. We used this book during our recent trip to Mono Lake, a video of which I posted on Youtube [...]. If you're at all curious about the world around you, buy this book!

I've used this book many times over the years on trips up and down the state of California. Driving up interstate 5, it can turn an otherwise boring trip up the central valley into something actually fun. For example, the author explains that the low moutains that parallel much of I-5 to the west in the central and north valley are known as the Central Valley Sequence, and mark the subduction zone for the Pacific and north American plates. Very cool. I'd been driving by those mountains for twenty years before I brought Alt's book on one trip and discovered that. Clearly and concisely written, it's an interesting guide to the observable geological features of much of California. Although not for real rock hounds or petrologists, it still dispenses a great deal of interesting and useful information, and will be especially helpful to fans of natural history who lack formal training in geology but who want to learn something about it for their state.

This is definitely a good book. I have already taken it on a few road trips, and have had a good time learning about the geology of the area I was at. It has also been updated with more info about the bay area (compared to the older prints).

This is an updated version of the book and is an improvement over the previous one. It's intended for use by casual readers and does a very fine job of it.

Once again, David Alt provides a very useful guide to California's roadside geology in this updated and expanded version of his "Roadside Geology of Northern California". It will be especially useful to teachers as a resource for planning lessons and field trips, amateurs who wish to learn more about geology or simply impress their friends, parents with the desire to get their children interested in the subject, and even professional geologists who want to enhance their knowledge.The book provides a plethora of information for those who wish to see the many interesting and complex geological features of the northern and central areas of California. However, in order to make the best use of this book and fully appreciate the physical and historical geology presented, the reader should have a basic background in geology. This book will even refresh the memories of those folks with a somewhat oxidized recollection of rocks, minerals, geologic structures, and the like.This book is not aimed at rock hounds, as its emphasis is not on collecting. The educated collector will find it interesting, though.There are only two "problems" with this book. First, it will lengthen the trips you take as you look for the geologic features it discusses. Second, you may endanger your life as you stop to look at the road cuts discussed in the book or divert your gaze from the road to rocks while driving.