150 Nature Hot Spots in California: The Best Parks, Conservation Areas and Wild Places

Product Description

“This beautifully designed and photographed book features some of California’s finest natural areas. Covered in the book are national and state parks, natural reserves, national monuments and other recreation sites. All of the state is included from the snow-draped slopes of Mt. Shasta in the north to the Joshua tree landscapes of the south.” — National Outdoor Book Awards, 2019 Honorable Mention

An illustrated guide to California’s most popular and iconic nature getaways.
150 Nature Hot Spots in California showcases the legendary diversity and beauty of California’s landscape and wildlife — famous deserts, iconic badlands, lush forests and beautiful beaches. The book is organized by region. Each entry includes at-a-glance information on activities, addresses and contact information; a feature on the location’s characteristics, history and best hiking paths; and photography illustrating the geography and prominent wildlife and flora of the region.
The destinations and sites include:

Waterfalls and giant sequoias of Yosemite National Park
The cinder cone of Amboy Crater
Below-sea-level salt flats of Death Valley National Park
Elephant seals at A-o Nuevo State Park
The palm oasis at Coachella Valley Preserve
Tide pools at Cabrillo National Monument
The wind-sculpted badlands of Alabama Hills
Hydrothermal features of Lassen Volcanic National Park
Tule elk and whales at Point Reyes National Seashore.

California is one of America’s most popular travel destinations. According to Visit California, the state is the No. 1 tourism destination in the U.S. Of the 268 million tourists that visited in 2016, roughly 75 percent were Californians, 18 percent were from other states and 7 percent were from outside the country.
This guidebook will appeal to all travelers: families, hikers, campers, photographers and other nature enthusiasts; those who’d want to spend a week in the wilderness; and those who simply want to take a day trip. The book is a must-have for libraries, tourism offices, travel agents and bookstores.

Review

An excellent book because it not only covers national parks and state parks but also lesser known reserves and public areas that you would never know existed. I thought I was an expert on California but when I read 150 Nature Hot Spots in California it provided me with many ideas for new trips. (Tatiana Sorokina
Family Road Trip Guru Blog 2019-06-08)

Brown’s book concentrates on wilderness destinations and while the biggies — Yosemite, for one — are certainly included, so are lesser-known (and less-populated) treasures, including the burbling mud pots of Lassen Volcanic National Park and the palm oasis at the Coachella Valley Preserve. The book is divided by region. And each spread… Includes details on the region’s history, wildlife, hikes and activities. So when you’re ready to travel once more, you’ll have 150 ideas for where to go. (Jackie Burrell
Mercury News 2020-07-07)

About the Author

Ann Marie Brown is the author of 14 guidebooks and hundreds of magazine articles about hiking and outdoor recreation. Her work has appeared in Sunset, VIA, Backpacker, California and many other publications. She lives in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.