Afoot & Afield: Los Angeles County: 259 Spectacular Outings in Southern California, Paperback

Explore 259 Memorable Hikes Near Los Angeles, California

From short nature trails to challenging peak climbs and breathtaking canyon treks, Los Angeles County is a hiker's paradise. Experience the best of it with this updated edition of the classic hiking guidebook. Local author and hiking expert David Harris and Southland hiking guru Jerry Schad lead you along 259 trips in 33 regions, from the San Gabriel and Santa Monica mountains to Malibu and on out to Catalina Island. That's virtually every hike worth taking within an hour's drive of the city.

Afoot & Afield: Los Angeles County offers a comprehensive collection of hiking adventures for everyone from families with small children to experienced mountaineers seeking the ultimate challenge. The guide encompasses almost all public lands within the county, including Griffith Park and the Hollywood Hills, the San Gabriel Wilderness, Crystal Lake Recreation Area, and numerous county and city parks.

At-a-glance essential information, including distance, hiking time, elevation gain, and ratings for difficulty, help you to choose the perfect trail. Complete descriptions and driving directions are paired with easy-to-read maps with GPS waypoints to give you the in-depth details you need. So whether you seek solace from the crowds, a cardiovascular workout, or a new perspective of the natural world, Afoot & Afield: Los Angeles County will get you going.

Jerry Schad (1949-2011) was Southern California's leading outdoors writer. His 16 guidebooks, including those in Wilderness Press's popular and comprehensive Afoot & Afield series, along with his "Roam-O-Rama" column in the San Diego Reader, helped thousands of hikers discover the region's diverse wild places. Jerry ran or hiked many thousands of miles of distinct trails throughout California, in the Southwest, and in Mexico. He was a sub-24-hour finisher of Northern California's 100-mile Western States Endurance Run and served in a leadership capacity for outdoor excursions around the world. He taught astronomy and physical science at San Diego Mesa College and chaired its physical sciences department from 1999 until 2011. His sudden, untimely death from kidney cancer shocked and saddened the hiking community. David Harris is a professor of engineering at Harvey Mudd College. He is the author or coauthor of seven hiking guidebooks and five engineering textbooks. David grew up rambling about the Desolation Wilderness as a toddler in his father's pack and later roamed the High Sierra as a Boy Scout. As a Sierra Club trip leader, he organized mountaineering trips throughout the Sierra Nevada. Since 1999, he has been exploring the mountains and deserts of Southern California. David is the father of three sons, with whom he loves sharing the outdoors.