The Getaway Guide to the John Muir Trail

This book is a quick read packed with useful and entertaining information. It's not a complete guide to the trail, but more one person's narrative about planning for and then hiking the trail. I could not put the book down once I started. The first half of the book is an overview of the basic information of the trail (like options for resupplying) plus a detailed description of the equipment that the author and his son considered taking (and eventually took) on the trip. The author took sort of a midweight approach, carrying a little more than 100 lbs split between two people. That said, he discusses all the major options and the reasoning behind the choices he ended up making. The second half of the book is a journal of the trip itself. It is filled with colorful descriptions of places and people. The author tells many, many little stories, all of which are interesting in some way, and you get a very good sense of the characters met along the way. Also included are a number of color plates with photographs taken by the author. The downsides to this book are minor. Another reviewer commented about homeopathic remedies and the author not really hiking the whole JMT in one go, but neither of these really detracted from the narrative much. The split in the trip was to hike the first 3 days as a warmup in June before the rest of the hike in September. Overall, the book is worth 5 stars in my opinion, as it is packs in a good amount of useful information in a very entertaining manner.

This fine book inspires as well as educates. It gives a nice overview of the trail as well as some handy info. The pictures are beautiful and writing very colorful. It made me want to go hiking right now. It offers perhaps the best way to do the trail, slow and relaxed. If I only had the time. RC

I must report how much I enjoyed the trip along the John Muir Trail. This book is written in a very detailed and interesting way. It held my interest through the night until I finished it. I am sure that anyone wishing information regarding the trail will find the book very helpful and interesting along the way. I saw the beauty and grandeur of the sights and sounds of the JMT through this book.