Walkabout Northern California: Hiking Inn to Inn

By Tom Courtney

Europe is renowned for romantic inn-to-inn vacation opportunities on paths worn by centuries of travelers. Modern-day trekkers can hike the Alps or Southern France, explore the British Isles at three miles an hour, or pilgrimage through Northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela, stopping each night at a hostel or inn. Now adventurers in California are creating a new tradition of multi-day treks from inn to inn in the U.S.

Walkabout Northern California: Hiking Inn to Inn describes twelve walks (or "walkabouts") along the wild Pacific Coast, through the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains, in the Cascades and through the parklands around the San Francisco Bay.

Each walkabout, organized by individual chapters, contains all the information to create a memorable and invigorating vacation, with a sketch map, recommendations for optional maps, mile-by-mile details of the route, and logistical tips on places to stay and eat. Many trips contain variations for different lengths of time and budgets. With a light daypack and a few reservations, hikers can travel for days on California's breathtaking coastline or in mountain ranges.

Each day on a walkabout ends with a comfortable bed, a glass of wine, a good meal and maybe even a hot tub. Some of the hikes can take a week, but many can be enjoyed in a weekend. Some are challenging, but the majority are perfect for the casual hiker. The accommodations for the walkabouts include a B&B perched on the cliffs above the Pacific, a resort on the shore of a Sierra lake, a historic hotel in a coastal village, a hostel in a national park, and a retreat center that soothes the soul.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wilderness Press
• Release date: Apr 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9780899976594

Reviews for Walkabout Northern California

[aliciamay_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While I haven't had the opportunity to trail test any of these hiking routes, I can hardly wait to plan my next vacation around them. There are several areas covered by this book and route variations within each area for different challenges. The explanations look thorough and include geographical and historical tidbits of what you will be hiking through.

[sovranty · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A scenic, relaxing, invigorating hike peppered with local people, lodgings, and tastes sounds like a great opportunity to create memories. Inn-to-inn hiking is an activity any generation to enjoy.This book is informative, entertaining, and inspiring. Whether you choose to do an inn-to-inn hike or simply hike round-trip from a suggested inn or area, this book is a valuable resource. With detailed map, trail, transportation and lodging information, and descriptions of the trails, area, and people there is little left to desire of this book.

[jackichan_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Being from northern California I found this to be a very interesting read. He knows his locations inside and out, and also has some great suggestions and ideas. I look forward to visiting some of the places Courtney has mentioned in his book the next time I venture out west. If nothing else it's a great reference to hotels/B&B's and great hiking trails all over one of the most beautiful parts of the country.

[tanyatomato · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Lots of pertinent and thought out information. Very easy to follow and enjoy the hikes in this book. Thanks!

[jshrop_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Walkabout Northern California is a very well researched, thorough guide to some of the most enjoyable hiking in Northern California. The concept of the book is very cool, hiking from Inn to Inn to take in the secluded scenery, experience the wilderness, and still sleep in a comfy bed with all the amenities of home. I enjoy backpacking, and getting out miles away from any civilization, but my wife doesn't always feel the same way! This book provides great experiences that can be shared with hiking partners who don't like the "roughing it" part so much as the "outdoors" piece of the equation. There are 10 different hikes detailed that set you up to be at some sort of overnight establishment, be it an Inn or B&B or hotel, every night. It is planned with the average hiker in mind, there are no death marches laid out just to get to the next Inn. Some of the highlights of the guide book include a tour of Marin, exploring Lassen Volcanic National Park, and a trip along Monterey Bay. Each leg of every trip is described in detail and gives all of the vital information required. It includes how many miles each hike is, where you can stay at the end of each day, and even gives Inn reviews and breakdowns for their various prices to help you plan your trip. I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to others in the Walkabout series.

[livebug · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love the idea of the domestic walkabout -- hiking through beautiful places to reach calming refuges (the introduction talks about getting to "a comfortable bed, a glass of wine, a good meal"). All good things. The guide is both descriptive and detailed -- a lovely travelogue for vicarious hikers, and enough nitty-gritty to plan or modify the hikes included. An especially nice feature is the "transportation" part -- i.e. how to get back to where you started without doing the hike in reverse. Some hikes require two cars; some can be done completely using public transit. One disappointing aspect is the variation in the quality of lodgings. An inn is an inn -- not a motel, not a campground.Overall, this book has given us some great ideas for our next hikes.

[ocho60 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Having lived in northern California for a spell, this book brought back a lot of memories and piqued my interest to return for a new kind of experience. I liked that the narrative seamlessly interweaves the scenery and inn logistics.The book Is organized by hikes in different areas. Offering basic directions and outline of lodging optiothat while this book does not give you detailed technical trail specs or maps or Lonely Planet details of area attractions,etc., it does offer an bastion of ideas on some various spots and inns in California that are worth exploring. Definitely a narrative to wake up the romantic and/or the curious explorer!

[harmonyartmom_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I had been anxiously waiting for this book since we are in the middle of hiking season here in California. Our family hikes literally hundreds of miles per year and this book intrigued us. Although the concept is appreciated, I think this book is more of a travel journal or narrative of the author's experiences rather than a specific "how to" book. I realize in the introduction he tells us to get additional maps and information about the area we choose to hike in, but I was anticipating a book with a little more meat and more details. I did thoroughly enjoy reading the author's experiences. A few of the hikes we are familiar with and I was concerned that the amount of miles suggested in a day for some of the hikes seemed unrealistic. Hiking in sand is difficult on a good day and timing is absolutely crucial. To his credit, he does tell readers to get tide tables for the areas you are hiking in but I think the point needed to be emphasized a little better. The idea that each of the places you spend the night will be a "comfortable bed, a glass of wine, and a great meal" is absurd for some of the hike's suggested lodgings. I seriously doubt a KOA is going to give you any of those things....just my experience. If you are aware that the hiking and accommodations will perhaps be a little more spartan on some of the hikes, than this book may be helpful as a general guide. I love the concept of hiking from inn to inn so I do hope that as the years go by that this will catch on and there will be more opportunity to do this with your family.