Thirty years ago, I worked very long hours behind a desk five or six days
a week, putting in plenty of overtime and spending way too much time
indoors. On my precious days off I tried to get outdoors as much as possible,
but with all of life’s demands, I rarely had more than a few hours
each week to get out in nature. On top of that, I was frequently plagued
with injuries to my knees and hips—likely due to my chained-to-theoffice
lifestyle.
But one day I made a decision to commit more of my life to the beauty
of the great outdoors, and I started scheduling my hiking time with the
same level of commitment as I scheduled my business meetings and
social obligations.
I began my new, nature-focused life on the trails in this book. Yes, I
got more exercise when I hiked these paths, but they are by no means
arduous or strenuous. Some trails may present a few gentle challenges
for those who are less fit, but all of them were chosen for their scenic
beauty and fun factor. Feel free to bring along your children, your
grandma, or your spouse who thinks the “great outdoors” is nothing but
mosquitoes and poison oak. Every trail in this book was chosen because
it offers a good payoff—a reason for going besides just exercise. These
eighty hikes lead you away from pavement, exhaust fumes, and crowds,
to places where you’d rather be: sparkling waterfalls, scenic viewpoints,
and peaceful forests.
To choose these hikes, I walked every trail in this book, most of them
many times over. I also hiked plenty of other trails that didn’t make
the cut, often because they were too difficult or too dull to ensure that
everybody would have fun. I also made extensive use of “field testers”: I
brought along my eighty-year-old mom. I forced my not-so-enthusiasticabout-
hiking friends to traipse along with me. I even made my friends’
kids tag along (and usually they were way out in front).
During my travels, what I found out is that there are plenty of Northern
California trails designed for ordinary people, not just the hardcore
outdoors enthusiast. And when ordinary people hike those trails, they
feel happy.
I look forward to seeing you (and your children, grandmas, and
spouses) out there. . . .
—Ann Marie Brown
Copyright © 2021 by Ann Marie Brown. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
