The Hiker Mama

Category: Book Review

  • Book Review: Best Hikes with Kids: Western Washington, by Susan Elderkin

    Book Review: Best Hikes with Kids: Western Washington, by Susan Elderkin

    When my kids were little, I pored through the Best Hikes with Kids books by Joan Burton. Originally in two volumes, they were combined in 2006 into one large volume, packed full of hikes and tips and interesting trail tidbits. But now the baton has been passed to Susan Elderkin, who has updated the information […]

  • Book Review: Wild Love Story: Vignettes From Forest and Pond by Bob Jepperson

    Book Review: Wild Love Story: Vignettes From Forest and Pond by Bob Jepperson

    There is an excitement to exploring new places far away, but there is a different kind of joy that comes from getting to know a place in every season over many years. Bob Jepperson has done a lot of exploring, but he’s also spent over a decade wandering the trails of a wild area close […]

  • Book Review: Discovering Seattle’s Parks

    Book Review: Discovering Seattle’s Parks

      My family loves getting out into the wilderness, but many times we are not able to go far from town for our nature fix. But thankfully we have an amazing array of local trails to explore when we need some fresh air. Seattle is fortunate to have parks in every neighborhood. Large and small, […]

  • Book Review: Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula, 2nd Edition, by Craig Romano

    Book Review: Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula, 2nd Edition, by Craig Romano

    Mysterious, deep, ancient forests. Coastal beaches and headlands. Alpine meadows with far-reaching views. Lakes and rivers, wetlands and surf. The Olympic Peninsula has a diverse range of habitats and areas to explore. You can research your next adventure to this wild corner of the country by using Craig Romano’s book, Day Hiking: Olympic Peninsula. This […]

  • Book Review and Interview: Backpacking 101 by Heather Balogh Rochfort

    Book Review and Interview: Backpacking 101 by Heather Balogh Rochfort

    Summer is in full swing, and our thoughts are full of adventures we’re planning. We yearn to travel far and light, and sleep in the backcountry, with the stars and moon in view. If you’re new to backpacking, or are a dayhiker contemplating the next level of adventure, then you’ll appreciate a new book about […]

  • Book Review: Take A Walk: Seattle by Sue Muller Hacking

    Book Review: Take A Walk: Seattle by Sue Muller Hacking

      The month of March brought some newly published hiking books across my desk. Take A Walk: Seattle, by Sue Muller Hacking (Fourth Edition, Sasquatch Books) is one that I’m impressed with. I’ve been flipping through this book quite a bit this spring, and am surprised that there are trails near me that I haven’t explored yet. […]

  • Urban Trails: Kitsap by Craig Romano – Book Review

    Urban Trails: Kitsap by Craig Romano – Book Review

    Many of you are familiar with Craig Romano, the prolific and energetic guidebook writer for Washington State. We use his books all the time to plan our hikes to wild and scenic locations. But it’s not always easy to get out to true wilderness. With iffy weather, packed schedules, family illnesses – sometimes we need […]

  • Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail : Washington, by Tami Asars, Book Review

    Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail : Washington, by Tami Asars, Book Review

      When I was younger, my biggest dream in life was to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. I was never able to figure out how to tackle that audacious goal, and life moved on, and I set that dream aside. But now Tami Asars has come out with a unique new book about how to […]

  • Book Review: Treecology by Monica Russo

    Book Review: Treecology by Monica Russo

    The latest book I’ve reviewed for you is Treecology: 30 Activities and Observations for Exploring the World of Trees and Forests by Monica Russo. [Amazon link here.] This thin paperback is accessible for both parents and teachers. It is packed full of the science to understand all parts of trees and the environments they grow […]

  • Book Review: 100 Classic Hikes: Washington by Craig Romano

    Book Review: 100 Classic Hikes: Washington by Craig Romano

    My bookshelf has two rows of various hiking guides, but recently a new guide came out that will have a prominent spot in the first row. Craig Romano has rewritten and updated Harvey Manning and Ira Spring’s original 100 Classic Hikes in Washington book from 1998, including some of the initial hikes, but adding some new […]