"Why are you hiking the John Muir Trail solo?""You've never backpacked before, how are you going to hike the entire John Muir Trail?"These were the two most common questions that Christy was asked by her coworkers in Corporate America. They were legitimate questions. Christy couldn't put into words the reason she needed to hike more than 220 miles in the California High Sierra Mountains, but her gut told her that she needed to. After spending six months preparing by hiking, reading books, and watching documentaries, Christy began hiking the world-famous trail on August 31, 2016, southbound. Throughout her journey, Christy encountered dry creek beds, making a wrong turn, a hail storm, freezing temperatures, trail friends, incredible views, and experiences that would change her life. Hiking over ten mountain passes gave Christy a lot of time to think about her nine-year marriage that was falling apart, gave her time to make new friends, and gave her the strength she needed off the trail. This is one woman's account of the three weeks she spent on the iconic trail.

The new edition of this Sierra classic has been completely updated, and meticulously describes the entire trail. The book includes GPS coordinates for every junction, has separate descriptions for northbound and southbound hikers, and shows elevations and distance.

Topographic maps, trail data and essential planning information for John Muir Trail hikers.

Winner of the National Outdoor Book Award in Outdoor Literature It was 1993, Suzanne Roberts had just finished college, and when her friend suggested they hike California’s John Muir Trail, the adventure sounded like the perfect distraction from a difficult home life and thoughts about the future. But she never imagined that the twenty-eight-day hike would change her life. Part memoir, part nature writing, part travelogue, Almost Somewhere is Roberts’s account of that hike. John Muir wrote of the Sierra Nevada as a “vast range of light,” and that was exactly what Roberts was looking for. But traveling with two girlfriends, one experienced and unflappable and the other inexperienced and bulimic, she quickly discovered that she needed a new frame of reference. Her story of a month in the backcountry—confronting bears, snowy passes, broken equipment, injuries, and strange men—is as much about finding a woman’s way into outdoor experience as it is about the natural world Roberts so eloquently describes. Candid and funny, and finally, wise, Almost Somewhere not only tells the whimsical coming-of-age story of a young woman ill-prepared for a month in the mountains but also reflects a distinctly feminine view of nature. This new edition includes an afterword by the author looking back on the ways both she and the John Muir Trail have changed over the past thirty years, as well as book club and classroom discussion questions and photographs from the trip.

The John Muir Trail (JMT) is one of the world's most spectacular treks and is North America's best known mid-distance walking trail. It runs for 216 miles through the high Sierra Nevada mountains of California, from Yosemite Valley (El Capitan and Half-Dome) to the summit of Mount Whitney (14,496ft), the highest peak in the US outside Alaska. The route is described in 21 day stages. All you need to know to plan and prepare for your trip is contained within this guide, from obtaining trekking permits to buying trek food and forwarding food caches along the trail. Abundant advice is given on such topics as dealing with inquisitive bears, coping with altitude, negotiating river crossings, as well as tips on booking transport to and from the trailheads and on what equipment to take. In addition, there is a detailed description of the flora and fauna of this remarkable region. The walking trail, which is named after the great 19th-century Scottish naturalist, conservationist and writer John Muir, is entirely through the unspoilt wilderness of the American West and passes through three national parks: Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks.

From beginners to thru-hikers, Discovering the John Muir Trail has something for anyone that wants a connection with what Backpacker Magazine has called “The best hike in the world.” Taking on the JMT is a pilgrimage because of both its beauty and accessibility. Let Damon Corso guide you across the best trails that the John Muir Trail has to offer. Complete with full-color photography of the Sierra Nevada Mountains from acclaimed photographs like Galen Rowell and Jimmy Chin, you’ll also have hikes suited to every ability, mile-by-mile directional cues, sidebars, and maps.

On the legendary John Muir Trail you pass through a land of 14,000-foot peaks, deep canyons, massive granite walls, and sparking lakes. Here's the best guide to this 211-mile hiking wonderland, written by two of WP's most venerable authors.