Moon Pacific Northwest Hiking: The Complete Guide to More Than 900 of the Best Hikes in Washington and Oregon (Moon Outdoors) Paperback – June 1, 2010

Bought as a gift but glancing through it I can see it's informative, cross references and clear explanations and suggestions.

Wonderful resource for hiking! Really helps you decide what hikes to try based on ability and scenic opportunities.

Yep, there's no maps... and that's okay (it tells you where to get a map). So why do I like this book? Two reasons:1 - It's a LOT of hikes. 918 to be exact. They basically took the Moon Washington & Oregon hiking guides and smashed them into one. There are few, if any, guides out there that cover this same breadth of information (if anything, you'll have to buy a set of books to match it). When you've got that itch to get outside and need some ideas, it's pretty nice to have all these hikes at your fingertips, in one handy resource.2 - All hikes are rated by scenery. Any trail guide worth its salt lists the difficulty, but scenic-ness is much more rare. Sure it's subjective, but when you're short on time and want to impress your date/in-laws/friends-from-out-of-town with a mind-blowing hike, it's sure better than nothing.Still, there's much room for improvement. For comparison, take Moon's "California Hiking" guide - a book from the same publisher, with the exact same format (no maps and all), and yet that book is respected and has many devotees - it's considered one of the bibles of California hiking. What's different?The California guide was first published in 1994, and currently in its 9th edition. The authors have had time to fix the errors and fine-tune the writing. That last bit is more important than it seems - within the 2 or 3 paragraphs allotted to each hike, the writers pack in all the info you need: why the trail is worth hiking, the best time to visit, starting and total elevations, when to come see the wildflowers, wry humor, anecdotes - all compactly weaved into engaging trail directions. It seems like a given, but the Pacific NW guide only occasionally meets these standards (elevation gain is a big detail that's often missing).I think over time, though - with some work and dedication - there's no reason this book couldn't be as good. But even in its present state, it's still useful to have.(And a few more tidbits if you're bored):- Under "Maps", the Washington portion of the guide lists "For a map of X National Forest/Park, contact the Outdoor Recreation Information Center at the downtown Seattle REI." Over and over, through the whole book. First of all, that seems like a waste of space to keep repeating, if it's just going to be the same thing. Secondly, is there really no other place to get that map? Like maybe, say, from the U.S. Forest Service or national park visitor center? And thirdly, why does it assume we're all based in Seattle?- While the Washington portion is a little better in the loose, engaging writing department, the Oregon portion feels more comprehensive. I can't vouch for the whole state, but the Washington author misses quite a few outstanding hikes in the Columbia Gorge area (only 2 hikes listed!) - Silver Star Mountain, Cape Horn, Table Mtn, Coyote Wall, the Klickitat trail, and the Catherine Creek area, to name a few. And only ONE(!) listed hike for the San Juan islands! The Cascades and National Parks are pretty well covered though.- The Oregon author is pretty stingy with handing out high scenery ratings. There's only a handful of 10's to be found, and I don't think it's because Oregon isn't beautiful. Since I'm more accustomed to the Moon California guide, I just mentally add +1 points to each listing. (I know it's silly and arbitrary, but I can't help it)- While I haven't encountered any errors with mileages that other reviewers have mentioned, there are typos here and there. One hike is rate a "7" difficulty (on a 1-to-5 scale... I guess it's pretty rough). Also, the ratings can be inconsistent - I've found several instances where trails with a 1000'+ elevation gain are given the easiest rating. That should never be the case. But again, nothing that can't be ironed out in future editions.

I purchased this book as a gift for a coworker and she absolutely loved it! She is so excited to check out several hikes.

The Moon series of hiking books consistently provide information on the best hikes available in a large geographical area, like states or regions in this case. For RVers who travel large distances and like to hike, they are a must have.

Found this book at REI, and loved the hikes listed in it. Decided to buy it cheaper on Amazon instead. Great book when looking for a weekend hike!

Bought this for my daughter who loves hiking. Nice big book full of details on every hike. Happy with my purchase!

This book has everything you need as a beginner and more if your an experienced hiker .