Five-Star Trails

Five-Star Trails: Raleigh and Durham is a guide to the best day-hiking trails within a two-hour drive of the urban areas of Raleigh and Durham. Raleigh is North Carolina's capital and an anchor for the state's famous Research Triangle that includes Durham and Chapel Hill. Amid this metropolitan complex that also embraces Cary, Apex, and Wake Forest home to more than 1. 7 million people the author leads readers to myriad places for scenic beauty, to sites of historic significance, and to neighborhoods that showcase the charms of urban life. All of the routes stay true to the book's "Five-Star Trails" title, based on the book series' rating system for scenery, trail condition, suitability for children, difficulty level, and solitude. To be selected for the book, each trail must truly shine in one or more of those areas while, at the same time, all of the trails combine to offer diversity for a wide range of hikers. Thus, this is the guidebook for a hiker seeking an arduous climb to a scenic overlook as much as it is for a weekend walker who wants an easy trail for his or her family.

Covering the region surrounding the 22-mile-long lake, author Jordan Summers guides hikers along 40 of the region's best trails all located within 25 miles of Lake Tahoe's shoreline. Trekkers can easily find the perfect hike with the complete trail descriptions for 27 day hikes and 13 overnight destinations. An accurate map, directions to the trailhead with coordinates for GPS use, and an elevation profile of each trail prepare hikers with the full picture of the route ahead. Generally intended for outdoors people of all ages and abilities, Five-Star Trails: Lake Tahoe describes great hikes from the Desolation, Mt. Rose, Granite Chief, and Mokelumne Wilderness areas, as well as along sections of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail and portions of the Tahoe Rim Trail.

Five-Star Trails: Orlando is a handy guide for area residents, vacationers seeking outdoor fun, and for business travelers with a free afternoon. With a diverse collection of hiking routes, the book offers choices for everyone from solo trekkers to companions to families with either youngsters or oldsters to consider. Researched, experienced, and written by a local author, the guide provides in-depth trail descriptions, directions, and commentary on what to expect along the way. Each hike features an individual trail map, elevation profile, and at-a-glance key info, helping readers quickly determine the perfect trip for them when they are ready to head out the door. Sized to fit in a pocket, the book is convenient to keep in the car or toss into a backpack. Driving directions direct hikers to the nearest trailhead parking areas, and GPS trailhead coordinates get them to the start of the trail.

Peaceful waterfalls, dramatic mountain vistas, bountiful state parks, and, of course, the spectacular Spokane River—there's no better place to hit the trails than the Spokane area. With the expert guidance of local author Seth Marlin, you'll find plenty of popular routes and hidden hiking treasures. These 30 five-star hiking trails are for all levels and interests, and they range widely in elevation, distance, and difficulty. Marlin details everything from easy strolls in scenic locations to thrilling treks atop mountains. GPS-based trail maps, elevation profiles, and detailed directions to trailheads help you get to where you're going. Trail descriptions and expert insights into the history, flora, and fauna of the routes enhance your enjoyment along the way. Ratings for scenery, difficulty, trail condition, solitude, and accessibility for children help to ensure that you quickly find the perfect trip. Save time and make the most of your hiking adventures. Experience the best of Spokane's breathtaking scenery, varied terrain, and amazing wildlife. Lace-up, grab your pack, and hit the trail!

Discover the Best Hikes in Birmingham, Alabama Where railroads ran and mines once burrowed into mountains, the healed landscape is repurposed for beautiful hiking and biking opportunities. New and expanding venues around the city provide more chances to get outside and to appreciate the labor and industry that built the city. Explore 35 of Birmingham's best, five-star trails, divided into six distinct areas in and around the city. With the expert guidance of local author Thomas M. Spencer, you'll find yourself on an Appalachian mountain peak or on the banks of the Cahaba River, as it broadens to snake through the Coastal Plain. Visit old-growth forest in the Sipsey Wilderness, or hike down into the "Grand Canyon of the East" at Little River Canyon. Across this landscape, you'll find a diversity of plant and animal species-some rare and endangered-rivaling those found anywhere else in North America. Book Features: • Descriptions of 35 five-star hiking trails for all levels and interests • GPS-based trail maps, elevation profiles, and detailed directions to trailheads • Insight into the history, flora, and fauna of the routes • Ratings for scenery, difficulty, trail condition, solitude, and accessibility for children Lace up, grab your pack, and hit the trail!

Five-Star Trails: Charlotte is a handy guide for area residents, vacationers seeking outdoor fun, and for business travelers with a free afternoon. With a diverse collection of hiking routes, the book offers choices for everyone from solo trekkers to companions to families with either youngsters or oldsters to consider. Researched, experienced, and written by a local author, the guide provides in-depth trail descriptions, directions, and commentary on what to expect along the way. Each hike features an individual trail map, elevation profile, and at-a-glance key info, helping readers quickly determine the perfect trip for them when they are ready to head out the door. Sized to fit in a pocket, the book is convenient to keep in the car or toss into a backpack. Driving directions direct hikers to the nearest trailhead parking areas, and GPS trailhead coordinates get them to the start of the trail.

Discover the Best Hikes in Louisville, Kentucky, and beyond! Louisville is known as the City of Parks, and its population has long valued the natural landscape and the provisioning of outdoor recreation. Nestled within the Ohio Valley and bordered by the Knobs region to the south and the heavily forested areas of Indiana to the north, Louisville lies at the heart of an endless array of hiking opportunities: a patchwork of national forests, state and local parks, and nature preserves that house a network of winding trails. Explore 40 of Louisville's five-star trails-including the best walking paths and hidden hiking treasures in central Kentucky and southern Indiana. With hikes in this guide divided into five distinct areas, you'll wind through hilly woodlands, around beautiful lakes, along meandering creeks, and across expansive meadows. Kentucky author and hiking expert Valerie Askren details easy strolls along Louisville's many paved trails, treks past lovely ponds and fields of wildflowers, and longer hikes traversing densely wooded hills-all offering a broad spectrum of diverse landscapes. Inside you'll find: • Descriptions of 40 five-star hiking trails for all levels and interests • Full-color GPS-based trail maps, elevation profiles, and detailed directions to trailheads • Insight into the history, flora, and fauna of the routes • Ratings for scenery, difficulty, trail condition, solitude, and accessibility for children Lace up, grab your pack, and hit the trail!

Discover 40 five-star hiking trails in and around Johnson City, Kingsport, and Bristol, including popular routes and hidden gems. From high mountains to the east and south to the historic walks in Tennessee, the Tri-Cities of Tennessee and Virginia are a hiker's nirvana. This region offers hundreds of miles of trails to explore in and around Johnson City, Kingsport, and Bristol, as well as the surrounding areas of Abingdon, Elizabethton, Greeneville, and Rogersville. Drawing from a wealth of trails on vast public lands and encompassing the Cherokee, Jefferson, and Pisgah national forests, the mosaic of hikes reflects the wide variety of terrain. State parks preserve beautiful places to visit, and urban parks provide quick, easy nature escapes. The Appalachian Trail, the most heralded and hiked footpath in our country, curves within range of the Tri-Cities for nearly 70 miles. Explore 40 of the region's best, five-star trails with this easy-to-carry and easy-to-use guidebook. In the updated edition, acclaimed author and hiking expert Johnny Molloy shares everything you need to know about the area's spectacular outings, from convenient suburban greenways to wilderness treks at an elevation of 6,000 feet. Inside you'll find: • Descriptions of 40 five-star hiking trails for all levels and interests • GPS-based trail maps, elevation profiles, and detailed directions to trailheads • Insight into the history, flora, and fauna of the routes • Ratings for scenery, difficulty, trail condition, solitude, and accessibility for children Lace up, grab your pack, and hit the trail!

While polar opposites in many ways hip college town versus retiree mecca both Gainesville and Ocala, only 35 miles apart, share a love of the outdoors. Student clubs from the University of Florida hike the same trails as Volksmarch groups from the Villages, enjoying wilderness immersion in the Ocala National Forest and scrambles on rugged terrain along the Cross Florida Greenway. With several hundred miles of trails throughout the region to choose from, Five-Star Trails: Gainesville & Ocala helps you find the best. Authored by Florida hiking expert and long-time Ocala resident Sandra Friend, with 40-year Eagle Scout and Florida Trail Association life member John Keatley, this handy guide provides a fresh perspective on the region's ever-expanding array of hiking trails. Find urban places for reflection like Sholom Park, a carefully manicured woodlands in a retirement community, and Bivens Arm Nature Park, surrounding a marsh in Gainesville; both feature inspirational quotes and places to relax along their trails. Explore the vast longleaf pine flatwoods of the Ocala National Forest on the Florida Trail near Lake Delancy and the shady swamp forests of Goethe State Forest along the Big Cypress Trail. See more alligators than you've ever seen in your life in the home of the Gators along the La Chua Trail at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. Covering more than 35 hikes across a three-county region, all within an hour's drive of either city, Five-Star Trails: Gainesville & Ocala gives you a reason to get outdoors now. Hikes are rated and highlighted according to their strengths from five perspectives: scenery, trail conditions, good for children, difficulty, and solitude. Author recommendations for best hikes in other categories including wildlife watching, ancient trees, Florida Trail segments, geology, kid-friendly, and dog-friendly hikes make it easy to choose an adventure at a glance. Add in Sandra Friend's extensive knowledge of habitats, wildlife, wildflowers, and local history, and you'll be glad to have Five-Star Trails: Gainesville & Ocala as your guide to exploring the region's outdoors.

Five-Star Trails: Columbus is the most current and comprehensive guide to hiking the area and rates hikes on the following factors: scenery, trail condition, difficulty, appropriateness for children, and solitude. Each hikes also includes detailed landmarks, flora, fauna, and local history. In this Columbus guide, an impressive collection of routes ranges north, east, south, and west from the metro center, as well as within the urban setting. This capital city is rich in metro parks, natural areas and preserves, state parks, and state forests. And this diversity of hiking terrain invites all levels of abilities and skills. Thus, this guidebook is geared not only to avid trekkers seeking more challenge than a paved neighborhood path, but also to families and senior citizens. Outdoor enthusiasts of every stripe will have reason to grab this book and, well, take a hike. Sized for easy carrying or tossing into a backpack, this handy guide will quickly become a treasured resource among Columbus locals and visitors alike.

Discover 27 five-star hiking trails in northwestern South Carolina, including popular routes and hidden gems. From its mountains and lakes to its waterfalls and trails, the Upstate is an outdoors lover's paradise. The trail system is quite extensive, and opportunities range from day hikes to backpacking trips along the Foothills and Appalachian Trails. This diverse geographical wonderland offers a variety of easy, moderate, and strenuous hikes. You can hike through history along Cowpens Battlefield Trail or enjoy the fall colors at Nine Times Preserve. Take the kids to the Croft State Park Nature Trail, or walk your dog on the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail in downtown Greenville. Explore the region's best, five-star trails with this easy-to-carry and easy-to-use guidebook. In the updated edition, local author and hiking expert Sherry Jackson shares everything you need to know about spectacular outings that lead to mountain panoramas, majestic waterfalls, remote wilderness, and more. Inside you'll find: • Descriptions of 27 five-star hiking trails for all levels and interests • GPS-based trail maps, elevation profiles, and detailed directions to trailheads • Insight into the history, flora, and fauna of each route • Ratings for scenery, difficulty, trail condition, solitude, and accessibility for children Lace up, grab your pack, and hit the trail!

Each hike features an individual trail map, elevation profile, and at-a-glance information, helping readers quickly find the perfect trip. Sized to fit in a pocket, the book's detailed trail descriptions will help readers find their way on and off the trail. Driving directions and GPS trailhead coordinates will help with navigating the myriad of unnamed roads. The trails covered range from those best suited to the novice, families, experienced hikers, or backpackers.

A popular outdoor destination for the 7 million residents of Los Angeles, Palm Springs offers stunning hiking opportunities. With Joshua Tree National Monument to the east, the San Bernardino National Forest to the north and south, and the storied Pacific Crest Trail passing nearby, hiking expert Laura Randall has chosen the best hikes that highlight the area. Five-Star Trails: Palm Springs features child-friendly hikes and urban hikes that are easily accessible from resorts. Laura also includes hikes for the new Whitewater Preserve, as well as updated trails in La Quinta and Palm Desert. Extensive at-a-glance information makes it easy to choose the perfect hike based on length, difficulty, and scenery. Each trail profile includes maps, directions, driving times, nearby attractions, and other pertinent details.

Discover the Best Hikes in Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville is a perfectly situated hiker's paradise. The master chain of the Appalachian Range-the Great Smoky Mountains-rises within sight to the east. Protected as Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this area offers more than 900 miles of hiking trails amid rushing streams, rugged ridges, huge trees, colorful wildflowers, and abundant wildlife. To the west, the Cumberland Plateau features distinctly different terrain. Water-carved gorges slice through this elevated table of land, exposing rock walls and creating rock houses, sheer bluffs, and other remarkable geological formations. North of Knoxville, the ridge-and-valley country blends elements of the plateau and the high ranges. Explore 40 of Knoxville's best, five-star trails with the guidance of acclaimed author and hiking expert Johnny Molloy. With hikes in this guide divided into five distinct areas, you'll wind through hilly woodlands, around expansive lakes, and along meandering rivers. You'll visit breathtaking waterfalls and find panoramic overlooks. Inside you'll find: • Descriptions of 40 five-star hiking trails for all levels and interests • GPS-based trail maps, elevation profiles, and detailed directions to trailheads • Insight into the history, flora, and fauna of the routes • Ratings for scenery, difficulty, trail condition, solitude, and accessibility for children Lace up, grab your pack, and hit the trail!

Each hike features an individual trail map, elevation profile, and at-a-glance information, helping readers quickly find the perfect trip. Sized to fit in a pocket, the book's detailed trail descriptions will help readers find their way on and off the trail. Driving directions and GPS trailhead coordinates will help with navigating the myriad of unnamed roads. The trails covered range from those best suited to the novice, families, experienced hikers, or backpackers.

Five Star Trails: Roanoke and the New River Valley showcases 40 hikes in the mountains, valleys, and Piedmont of Western Virginia. The guide includes an array of treks reflecting the area's superlative scenery, from wild waterfalls in the New River Valley to highland wildernesses of the Jefferson National Forest, historic paths along the Blue Ridge Parkway, and waterside strolls beside Smith Mountain Lake. It is authored by the Southeast's most experienced outdoors writer, Johnny Molloy. Hikes in this book range from just under 2 miles to over 10 miles, creating opportunities for hikers of all ages, and will accommodate your desires for hikes of multiple lengths, depending on mood, time, and company. Trail configurations are diverse as well including out-and-back hikes, loops, and balloon loops. Hike settings vary from developed county parks to the back of beyond.

Discover 35 five-star hiking trails near Asheville, North Carolina, including popular routes and hidden gems. Peaceful waterfalls, dramatic mountain vistas, bountiful nature preserves, and, of course, the Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, there's no better place to hit the trails than the Asheville area. This diverse geographical region offers a variety of easy, moderate, and strenuous hikes. Travel through history at Mount Pisgah via Buck Spring Lodge. Take in the scenery at Big Firescald Knob. Bring the kids to Bearwallow Mountain. Explore 35 of the region's best, five-star trails with this easy-to-carry and easy-to-use guidebook. In the updated edition, acclaimed author and record-setting hiker/backpacker Jennifer Pharr Davis presents everything you need to know about spectacular outings that lead to mountain panoramas, majestic waterfalls, remote wilderness, amazing wildlife, and more. Inside you'll find: • Descriptions of 35 five-star hiking trails for all levels and interests • GPS-based trail maps, elevation profiles, and detailed directions to trailheads • Insight into the history, flora, and fauna of the routes • Ratings for scenery, difficulty, trail condition, solitude, and accessibility for children Save time and make the most of your hiking adventures. From easy strolls in the deep woods to thrilling treks atop mountains, experience the best of Asheville's breathtaking scenery and varied terrain. Lace up, grab your pack, and hit the trail!

Discover 40 five-star hiking trails in West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest, including popular routes and hidden gems. The Monongahela National Forest is the heart and soul of West Virginia's outdoors scene and a natural getaway for hikers and weekend backpackers. With the Dolly Sods and Otter Creek wildernesses to the north and the Cranberry Backcountry to the south-plus special places like the Falls of Hills Creek and Seneca Rocks-the "Mon" offers more than 800 miles of hiking opportunities to rocky overlooks, backcountry waterfalls, and botanically rich parcels, all within a short drive of Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia. Explore 40 of the region's best, five-star trails with this easy-to-carry and easy-to-use guidebook. In the updated edition, acclaimed author and hiking expert Johnny Molloy shares everything you need to know about spectacular outings that lead to mountain panoramas, untamed streams, remote wilderness, and more. Inside you'll find: • Descriptions of 40 five-star hiking trails for all levels and interests • GPS-based trail maps, elevation profiles, and detailed directions to trailheads • Insight into the history, flora, and fauna of the routes • Ratings for scenery, difficulty, trail condition, solitude, and accessibility for children Lace up, grab your pack, and hit the trail!

The Finger Lakes and Central New York are not known for rugged mountains and their panoramic vistas which are so commonly sought in the Adirondacks to the north. They hardly could be - the area was scoured clean by glaciers millennia ago. But don't let that fool you, the region is full of natural wonders of its own. Instead of mountains and ridges, the region is known for rolling drumlins, an abundance of scenic gorges, quiet woodlands, beautiful waterfalls and picturesque lakes. The trails included in Five-Star Trails: New York's Finger Lakes and Central Region feature a broad mixture of these landscapes and were carefully selected to give the most varied but also rewarding experience when picking a trail. An assortment of state parks, local parks, state forests, conservancy areas, wildlife preserves, and nature centers riddle the region, and choice selections from each means you can find a trail that suits your preference for how civil or wild you might desire. Trails for all experience levels are included and provide opportunities for adventure for novice and expert alike. Some of these trails are well known and their inclusion in this new guide is no surprise. However far more are lesser known and a little more off the beaten path. Though these trails are not hard to find they are hard to find any real details about. What should you expect along the trail? Is the terrain rough? Will there be interesting things along the trip? Is the trail appropriate and/or safe for children? Well that lack of information is no longer an issue. Each trail has been thoroughly researched, recently hiked and includes a detailed description, trail profiles and map. At a glance ratings in important categories such as Scenery, Trail Condition, Difficulty, Solitude and appropriateness for children let you quickly select a trail that fits your tastes and ability. Other useful information such as fees, restrictions for dogs on the trail as well as advice on when to visit offers you the best information so you can plan your trip with ease. Sized to fit in a pocket, this guide is convenient to keep in the car or toss into a backpack. Driving directions direct hikers to the nearest trailhead parking areas, and GPS trailhead coordinates get them to the start of the trail.

Discover the Best Hikes in Chattanooga, Tennessee Centered on the banks of the mighty Tennessee River, Chattanooga is flanked to the east by the lofty Southern Appalachian Mountains and to the west by the rugged Cumberland Plateau. So it is within easy reach of an incredible array of hiking destinations. Explore 40 of Chattanooga's best, five-star trails, divided into six distinct areas in and around the city. With the expert guidance of Tennessee author Johnny Molloy, you'll take a ramble through the backcountry of the Cohutta Wilderness, a trek to a natural bridge on the Cumberland Plateau, a history-rich stroll along a Civil War battlefield, or a quick escape on a greenway near your home. Book Features: • Descriptions of 40 five-star hiking trails for all levels and interests • GPS-based trail maps, elevation profiles, and detailed directions to trailheads • Insight into the history, flora, and fauna of the routes • Ratings for scenery, difficulty, trail condition, solitude, and accessibility for children Lace up, grab your pack, and hit the trail!

The Adirondack Park is an immense wilderness encompassing more than 9,375 square miles. Within its boundaries are rugged mountains, countless pristine lakes and ponds, seemingly endless forests, and thousands of miles of wild rivers, providing an infinite number of outdoor adventures. The revised edition of Five-Star Trails: Adirondacks, by Tim Starmer, features six new popular trails and provides a detailed guide to some of the most stunning views found across the Adirondacks. Included are rugged and steep ascents up Snowy Mountain in the Central Adirondacks, which many consider the 47th high peak, and isolated Debar Mountain in the northern Adirondack region. Distance hikers will love the long trek into the High Peak Wilderness to see the amazing Hanging Spear Falls along the Opalescent River. Also new to this edition is the less difficult but equally scenic vistas of the Eastern Adirondacks and Lake George described along the Black Mountain trail. And delve back into the remote depths of the High Peaks region to explore some of the most unique trails with descriptions of Wright Peak, Avalanche Pass, and the second highest mountain in New York, Algonquin Mountain. Each hike features an individual trail map, elevation profile, and at-a-glance information.