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Books
Coast to Cactus: The Canyoneer Trail Guide to San Diego Outdoors is much more than a hiking guide. It is a field guide too. Written by citizen scientists trained by the San Diego Natural History Museum Canyoneers, it is the new bible for really getting to know and appreciate the county’s biodiversity while exploring firsthand. The guide has 245 hikes and an additional 73 hike options making 318 exploring opportunities. Each hike has its own map and symbols indicating the habits found on a trail, a full hike description with mileage, elevation gain/loss, difficulty rating, directions to the trail-head with GPS, trail use, and special features of a hike. There are 525 species of plants, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates that are described in detail. Each hike has a focus on a species or natural/cultural history feature associated with that hike. This book is a learning tool designed to teach the reader what is special about San Diego outdoors. This book is published in cooperation with California State Parks, San Diego County Department of Parks and Recreation, Mission Trails Regional Park (City of San Diego), San Dieguito River Park Joint Powers Authority, and The San Diego River Foundation. This book is like having a Virtual Canyoneer on the hike with you – a trained San Diego Natural History Museum naturalist with you who will teach you what is special about each trail. Purchase of this book supports the mission and programs of the San Diego Natural History Museum.
Discover up-to-date, expert-tested easy hikes for every skill in the San Diego area! Great for families, day hikers, transplants and tourists, Best Easy Day Hikes San Diego, Third Edition includes concise descriptions and detailed maps of the best accessible-yet-epic hikes near San Diego.
This fifth edition of San Diego County’s classic hiking guidebook features 282 trips, ranging from short, self-guided nature trails to challenging peak climbs and canyon treks. In Afoot & Afield San Diego County, coauthor Scott Turner has fully updated this edition, which includes new maps and more than 30 new hikes. The book encompasses almost all public―and a few private―lands within San Diego County, including Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Cleveland National Forest, the Cuyamaca Mountains, and numerous county and city parks.
Beaches, urban settings, nature preserves, and mountain peaks beckon locals and visitors alike. Join longtime residents Don Endicott and the late Jerry Schad in one of America’s most stunning metro environments. Enjoy sidewalk strolls in historic neighborhoods. Hike to wildflowers, waterfalls, and panoramic vistas that are sure to keep your camera clicking. Whether you have an hour or all day, 50 Best Short Hikes: San Diego serves up diverse routes within 30 miles of San Diego’s central core.
Experience 50 easy-to-find, easy-to-follow trails, from 1 to 8 miles in length. Explore beautiful locales like Del Mar Crest and Beach, Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve, Rice Canyon, La Jolla’s Coastline, and Hollenbeck Preserve. The book’s at-a-glance hike descriptions and complete route details ensure that you know what to expect before you begin. Plus, you’ll know where you are and where to go with overview maps for 5 urban regions, 50 trail maps, and even GPS coordinates for each trailhead.
Few places on the planet can boast the diversity of natural landscape found in San Diego County. From the enormous Anza-Borrego desert to the Peninsular Range of mountains to the coastal wetlands of the Pacific Ocean, the breadth of San Diego County’s environment is truly remarkable. Priscilla Lister, seasoned journalist, former newspaper columnist and avid hiker, guides others down 260 trails that offer beautiful scenery, physical challenges and an up-close experience with natural flora and fauna. You’ll find trail directions as well as historical tales about the natives and pioneers who once hiked the region. She also identifies trees, wildflowers and birds you’ll find on every trail. Included with each entry are driving directions, mileage and difficulty of each hike, whether dogs or horses are allowed and information on how to download trail maps. Take a Hike: San Diego County is a comprehensive hiking guidebook that shares advice, tips, and tools that will entice exploration of one of America’s most diverse and beautiful regions.
The natural open spaces in and around San Diego are a prized natural resource for area hikers, and author Sheri McGregor shows you where and how to enjoy 60 of the best trails that the city of San Diego, nearby state parks, and private ventures have to offer. Bounded by San Diego Bay and the Pacific coastline to the west, the Santa Rosa Mountains to the east, Mexico to the south, and the lower reaches of the Los Angeles metro area to the north, the 60-mile radius beyond San Diego creates a small, but rich wedge of scenic, natural wealth. Whether you’re an experienced hiker or a casual day-hiker, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: San Diego is the perfect tool to explore it all.
San Diego County is full of great places for you and your dog to appreciate the fabulous scenery and famous climate, from dog beaches to desert hikes. Now local journalist Donna Lawrence has gathered the 77 best places to hike with your canine companion into one book. With dozens of trips easy to difficult, short and long the book is sure to provide inspiration for planning fun day trips for years to come.
Maps
Map includes color-coded symbols and trails, mileages between trail junctions, latitude/longitude, UTM grids, contour lines, Scale 1:126720 vegetation, and elevations at trail junctions.Tom Harrison Maps is famous for the beauty and accuracy of its maps. All maps printed on waterproof and tear resistant material.Includes Anza Borrego State Park, Cleveland National Forest, Cuyamaca State Park and the Southernmost portion of the Pacific Crest Trail.
Shaded Relief Topo Map. Covers Cuyamaca Peak-Green Valley, Stonewall Peak- Lake Cuyamaca, Sweetwater River-Paso Picacho. Scale:1:31,680 (2 inches = 1 mile) Printed on waterproof and tear resistant material.
This full-color recreation map has been completely updated to reflect new and expanded state park and national forest boundaries in the Anza-Borrego and Yuha desert regions. Shows roads, jeep routes, trails, campsites, historical routes, points of interest, streams, springs, and highway mileage markers.
**UPDATED for 2022 with UTM Grid Lines, elevation points, and trail corrections**
A shaded relief topo map, printed on waterproof and tear-resistant paper. Shows the greater Laguna Mountain Recreation Area in San Diego County, California. Includes detailed area information, trail mileages for all segments and is an excellent companion for anyone looking to enjoy San Diego’s backcountry.
(Published: 2022, Size: 16.75″ x 16″; Scale 1:32,000)
A shaded relief topo map, printed on waterproof and tear-resistant paper that shows the trails of San Diego County. An overview map that shows every single preserved area open for public use. Map folds down to nice pocket-size and is extremely durable. Includes trail mileages and elevation points for selected segments and is an excellent companion for anyone looking to discover more of San Diego’s backcountry.
(Published: 2020, Size: 26.75″ x 19.5″, Double-Sided, Scale 1:126,720)