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Dan's Hiking Pages: Hikes in the San Gabriels and Beyond |
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There is an abundance of trail guidebooks on the market. If you are a casual hiker and going on a hike every once in a while, you probably would do fine just printing out hike descriptions from websites (for starters, I have more than 40 hike write-ups on this site). But as your interest in hiking grows and you want a larger number of hike possibilities at your fingertips, buying a book or two would be a good idea.
Below are my summary recommendations for the three authors who I feel provide the primary guidebooks for hiking in the San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California: John Robinson, Jerry Schad, John McKinney.
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John Robinson -
historian, author. February 2006
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Since 1995, my primary guidebook for hiking in the San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California has been John Robinson's Trails of the Angeles: 100 Hikes in the San Gabriels. Living in the San Gabriel Valley at the foot of these mountains, this book as been more than satisfactory in providing hiking guidance for tons of trails.
But then I began to find that there are some good trails in the Angeles that Robinson doesn't cover. So in March 2005 I finally picked up a copy of Jerry Schad's Afoot and Afield in Los Angeles County. Not only did this fill in some of the gaps in the San Gabriels, but also gave hike descriptions for numerous other trails in the L.A. area, some of which appeal to me. Even though Robinson is my favorite because of his rich historical treatment for each hike and for his colorful writing style, I find that Schad tends to be more accurate in mileage and hike descriptions.
The other author I had been seeing a lot was John McKinney, a.k.a., "The Trailmaster." He has been hiking and writing about trails in Southern California for decades and has authored at least a dozen books. I found him to be an excellent writer with generally solid hike descriptions. For me, his trail guidebooks don't add substantial to Robinson or Shad, but McKinney's books make a good supplement to my hiking library.
Below are my reviews of these three authors, who I feel provide the primary guidebooks for hiking in the San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California. For each author, click on "View my full review" for a more thorough treatment and for others books by that author.
Top Guidebooks for Hiking the San Gabriel Mountains
Trails of the Angeles: 100 Hikes in the San Gabriels
by John W. Robinson with Doug Christensen
(Wilderness Press: Berkley, Eighth Edition, April 2005)
- 100 hikes of various rating throughout the San Gabriels
- Fascinating historical background on most hikes
- Large, high-quality topo-style map
- Continuously updated and in print for 35 years. It's a classic!
- 262 pages. 74 Photos. Retail $17.95.
View publisher write-up
My Recommendation: In spite of some quality control issues in failing to correct problems, this is still a great book. If you are primarily hiking in the San Gabriels, Robinson's book is the best choice. Note: If you already have the Seventh Edition, I suggest that you would not need to buy the new Eighth Edition.
View my full review
Afoot and Afield in Los Angeles County
by Jerry Schad
(Wilderness Press: Berkley, Second Edition, September 2000)
- 192 hikes in Los Angeles area, 103 of them in the San Gabriels
- Brief historical background on some hikes
- Attention to mileage accuracy and lots of quick-view summery elements
- Simple line maps for each area
- 340 pages. 100 Photos. Retail $16.95.
View publisher write-up
My Recommendation: If you will be hiking all over Los Angeles County (rather than primarily in the San Gabriels), Schad's book is an excellent value. If you are hiking primarily in the San Gabriels, Robinson is my top recommendation.
View my full review
Los Angeles County: A Day Hiker's Guide
by John McKinney
(The Trailmaster, Inc: Santa Barbara, 2006)
Replaces Wild L.A.: A Day Hiker's Guide (Olympus Press, 2003)
- 161 hikes in Los Angeles area, 46 of them in the San Gabriels
- Good historical background on most hikes
- Simple line maps for many hikes (98)
- Some descriptions are regretfully out of date
- Covers a lot of short, casual walks, such as in parks
- 336 pages. 45 photos. Retail $16.95
View publisher write-up
My Recommendation: If you will be hiking all over L.A. County, and you already have Schad's book, and if you have the extra cash, McKinney's book would be a good buy. If you are hiking primarily in the San Gabriels, Robinson is my top recommendation.
View my full review
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Hiking Books