Product Description
This guide to making outdoor experiences enjoyable for parents and children covers proper equipment, hiking, living in camp, coping with the weather, staying healthy, and surviving in the wild. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Fun Read
Written with humor and loaded with information, this little book is excellent - not just for backpacking with children, but also for camping in general. ... Read more

Product Description
Hiking is America's favorite outdoor recreational activity, well in advance of cycling, swimming, and even football. This important contribution to the Boys' Life Readers series encourages boys to become familiar with the great outdoors and to enjoy reading about nature trails that lead to waterfalls, meadows full of wildflowers, mountaintops, swimming holes, picnic areas, and campgrounds. The specially commissioned photographs of boys having fun on the trail will inspire and encourage young boys to explore the world around them, while improving their reading skills.



Boy Scouts of America(r), the Universal Emblem, BSA(r), Boys' Life(r), and all other related marks, are either registered trademarks or trademarks of the Boy Scouts of America in the United States and/or other countries. Manufactured under license. All rights reserved.Amazon.com Review
For those just getting into hiking and backpacking, thisedition of the 101 Essential Tips series provides a handy overview ofthe basics. While some of the subjects covered will definitely requireadditional sources for a full understanding (how to use a map andcompass, for instance), most of the tips are geared to getting thereader out the door and on the trail in a safe fashion. Tips includehow to choose a backpack, what food to bring, how to pack, how todress for cold weather, and, well, 96 others. Color photos andsensible text make this a welcome guide for beginners. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Not what I thought
The cover and description of this book did not do justice describing how elementary and basic this book is.Copyrighted in 1996, much of this book is out of date.The "tips" were remedial.For example:"Be cautious, bears can be dangerous."Really? Are you sure?Most of the equipment illustrated was way out of date.The book itself was in good condition and the seller very helpful when I had a question.This one was my fault.I should have read between the lines before purchasing.MANY better books related to hiking.

nice pictures, but little useful information
i'm far from an expert in hiking, but this book really didn't tell me anything i didn't already know.i was hoping for more.

Easy to understand essential tips.
Lots of pictures, plain language.

This is great to have at your side while you prepare/travel to your hiking site.It's not really a how-to, so much as a collection of useful FYIs.

Beginning hikers (like me) should buy a more substantial book (or a mentor, even better) to learn the basics, and get this book as a companion.

Enjoy your hikes, and stay safe!

Pretty much useless.......
The problem with this book is that is doesn't play to one specific audience and by doing so renders itself useless.It offers tips that are very basic as well as advanced but it doesn't make any sense.Its a small book meant to be taken with you while you hike but so it doesn't cover any one tip in too much detail.Because of its brevity, some tips are actually incomplete and could be dangerous on top of not containg enough information.

TIP 2- Choosing Companions- walking with a group is safer than walking alone, and walking with friends is preferable to walking with strangers.(Rocket science folks!)Find a walking association and make an effort to talk to everyone early on.
--so here the book is supposing that you are somebody who has never hiked before.

Other tips go on to talk about choosing clothing, food, tents and backpacks so here the book is assuming you are going on a multi night camping trip which is fine but the information here is not thourough enough for inexperienced hikers so it really ends up being useless.Tips 8-24 aren't bad as they talk about boots, fitting you pack and how to pack it as well as foot care and the layer system.It pretty much goes downhill from there though as we get the myriad of misinformation and common knoweldege.

TIP 25- Sleeping Bags- says nothing about the temp rating system or down bags or the difference between house sleeping bags and camping sleeping bags.

TIP 30- Bring Portable Foods- no duh!

TIP 36- Bring First Aid Kit- yikes!

TIP 38- goes into detail about planning your route on a multi night hike.Does not talk about distance planning and makes it seem like a breeze.This is misleading and you shouldn't be making your own routes along places without trails unless you actually have some unmarked backcountry experience.

TIP 41 and 42- How a compass works and setting your compass.-great except for the fact that again, someone who doesn't know how to do this should not be getting them in a situation where they need to do for the first time from a book!

TIP 46- Navigating by stars-see problems with 38, 41 and 42....

TIP 61-63- crossing dangerous water alone, in groups etc...oy vey don't get yourself into this please!

There are some usefull tips here and there but for the most part I don't like this book.There are some usefull first aid tips but most kits contain this information in them already or you just get a pamhlet of the internet that does.

Bottom Line:Anyone new to hiking should check out other bigger books at their bookstere which go into more detail about types of shoes, conditioning, safety etc..

Anyone who wants to get into more serious day hikes or multi night trips should try out the Backpackers Handbook by Chris Townsend.This is an excellent book that pretty much covers everything this book does but in much more depth.

Excellent Novice Hiker's Guide
This a great companion for the beginning hiker. It is small enough to carry on camping or day trips and is a nifty reference. The full color pictures make for an easy way to understand and remember the author's points. The book is filled with practical know how. Many of the topics covered may seem remedial for more advanced hikers but are nonetheless a good survey of the basics. The 101 tips cover a wide range of information from breaking camp to reading maps and planning routes to life-saving first aid. the book is easy and quick to read, consisting of only 69 short pages. It is an excellent and inexpensive aid for any new hiker. ... Read more

Product Description
A guide to family-oriented outdoor recreation in the US state of Maryland's parks, preserves and waterways. It features locations throughout the state chosen for their scenic beauty and interesting natural history. This book provides detailed descriptions of 23 walks, 16 bicycle rides and 19 canoe trips that are suitable for families with children and for people new to these outdoor activities. For each trip, there is general information on the natural history and ecology of the site along with a short essay that focuses on a topic of special interest, such as an important conservation issue. There are maps and detailed directions for each outing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Of limited use.
You'd do better looking up trails on-line.This book is of little practical use.

Good overall, but could be arranged better
We have little kids, so we really wanted this book for the hiking and cycling part.It has good information with directions, and it has a short summary at the beginning of each trail explaining the type of material (dirt, asphalt, etc.) and level (easy, difficult, hilly, flat).That was really helpful, but what could also be added would be a grid for each section so that you could quickly scan which trails are easiest, hardest, etc.We also thought it would be helpful to add what the cost of each place is with the date the info was acquired.Overall it is a good book and has a lot of information in it.We do like it and have used it several times.

A must for any outdoors lover who is either living in or planning to visit the state
Maryland is a diverse state, locally referred to as Little America, for having every geographical terrain in the United States outside Deserts. Now in a newly updated second edition "Hiking, Cycling, & Canoeing in Maryland: A Family Guide" by Bryan MacKay is a thoroughly 'user friendly' guide to taking advantage of this vast and beautiful array of nature available in a small area. Covering over twenty hikes, sixteen cycling paths, and nearly twenty rivers worth considering to canoe, "Hiking, Cycling, & Canoeing in Maryland" is a must for any outdoors lover who is either living in or planning to visit the state.

My copy is wearing thin
I first purchased this book a few years ago and have used it so often that I may have to invest in a new copy. As a lifelong outdoor enthusiast and Marylander, I was surprised at how many little known gems Mr. MacKay packed into this one book. The trip descriptions are accurate and complete; directions are easy to understand; and the natural history info is authoritative, sharply observed, and truly fascinating. It's the best Maryland guidebook of its kind. Thank you Mr. MacKay. I've recommended it to so many new paddlers, cyclists, hikers, and out-of-towners that I should probably get a commission...

Cycling in Baltimore: A Family Guide
From the standpoint of a cyclist who doesn't live near Baltimore, this book is no help at all. It offers a description of 16 bike rides, most of them near Baltimore or Anne Arundel county, and a few rides in Pennsylvania and Virginia. This may be helpful for anyone near the city, but I feel calling it a guide for Maryland is misleading.....However, their descriptions do go into great detail about directions, what kind of traffic you can expect, and the wildlife you may encounter. There are about 10 pages for each trail described.

If you're looking for good biking near the city then I highly recommend this book..... ... Read more

Product Description
When a father and son go hiking, the young boy shows the reader how to have fun exploring nature properly and safely. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Topographic full color Idaho state map is scaled at 1" = 12.5 miles.  Elevation contours each 1,000 feet (color shaded each 2,000 feet at higher elevations) portray the general geography.  Also shown are national forests, wilderness areas, campgrounds, parks, state game and fish areas, ski areas, mining districts, points of interest, and more.  More roads are shown than on typical highway maps.  Much printed information is also included.  Maps fold to approximately 4 1/8" x 9". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Worked for me
Only needed part of the map for a long trip last summer and for our purposes it was fine. Some of the smaller areas aren't detailed but if you need that you can print that on your computer before you leave, from a mapping site. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Never Been, but I Like the Book
Sorry, I cannot verify the accuracy of this book. However, as an occasional visitor to London, I can certainly say I like the book.

Written in 2001, thre are 15 chapters of excellent decriptions and photos of this lovely 150 mile (240 km) trail. One of these days I will certainly take a mountain bike on the tour.

With colourful photos and detailed Ordnance Survey maps, this guide gives a great overview of this circular loop outside London. The softcover book is printed on heavy embossed paper with rounded edges - perfect for stuffing in a backpack.

With many photos one is alerted to the historical sites, parks, and nearby communities. Also many train stations are marked so any one of the 15 chapters would also make a good weekend visit for Londoners and visitors to the city.

One day I will make a trip and hit this wonderful trail. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Topographic full color New Mexico state map is scaled at 1" = 12.5 miles. Elevation contours each 1,000 feet (color shaded each 2,000 feet at higher elevations) portray the general geography. Also shown are national forests, wilderness areas, campgrounds, parks, state game and fish areas, ski areas, mining districts, points of interest, and more. More roads are shown than on typical highway maps. Much printed information is also included. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A Great Map With A Myriad Of Useful Information
The GTR Mapping "Topographic Recreational Map of New Mexico" is an incredibly useful map with loads of features. It is quite legible, is good for both trip planning and navigation, and has loads of useful data either embedded in the map itself (e.g. color shaded topography, Interstates, exit numbers, etc.) or in tabulated data panels (e.g. state fish and game areas, boating and rafting information, mining districts and mine information, ski areas, climate information, etc.) The map is easy to read and the symbology is generally intuitive to use while any questions are quickly answered by the excellent legend.

This is a great map for getting around New Mexico, and there are few faults to find with it. Points that could be improved are minimal. More local road details would be great (and seemingly possible in this scale,) and the climate data table only displays information for January and July, which leaves a lot open to interpolation and guessing, especially at higher elevations. Overall, though, this is a great and very current map which was most recently revised in 2010. I highly recommend it for anyone traveling in New Mexico, though depending on where you go you may also need more detailed local maps as well.

Good map series for my purposes
There are lots of maps out there, and my trips out west are generally fast-paced (from photo op to photo op) involving a lot of driving from place to place, and I had three maps with me the last time.This was the one I used the most often in the car, so I will purchase maps from this series in the future.

Great map
These are great reference maps for generalized recreational activities.Not as detailed as a topo map, but still packed full of outstanding information.I have one for every state and I don't leave home with out them.An improvement over simple highway maps.

TOPOGRAPHICAL MAPS
THE MAP IS WHAT I WANTED BUT I FEEL ALL THE ITEMS I ORDERED ON THE SAME DATE WHICH WAS 4-7-08 COULD AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN MAILED TOGETHER TO SAVE ME SHIPPING.PLEASE REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW.JENNIFER ... Read more

Product Description
The Coast to Coast Walk is unique among Britain's long-distance footpaths in that it was the invention of one man, the legendary Alfred Wainwright, and enjoys no official status like, for example, the National trails in England and Wales. Nevertheless, it has become one of Britain's most popular long-distance walks, which is hardly surprising as it traverses some of the finest walking territory in the country. Starting at St Bees on the Cumbrian coast, the route runs for 192 miles (307 km) to Robin Hood's Bay on the North Sea and lies, for the most part, within the boundaries of three of Britain's loveliest National Parks - the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors. As well as the main route, there are also alternatives available at several points. Martin Wainwright's description of the route is divided into fifteen chapters, each covering one day's walk (though alternative stopping places are identified for those who wish to spread their journey over a longer period) and each section of the route is described in detail with accompanying Ordnance Survey 1:25 000 mapping and colour photographs.There are also brief feature essays on features or places of particular historical or landscape interest and a Useful Information section at the end which gives details of organisations which provide advice or information on matters such as travel and accommodation. ... Read more