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Paperback
Publisher: Menasha Ridge Press
ISBN13: 9780897326636
Condition: NEW
Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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Focusing on the Chicago area’s urban and rural areas and everything in between, this book features classic hikes at such lovely spots as Starved Rock State Park, as well as gems like the LaSalle Fish and Wildlife Area in northwestern Indiana. Extensive key-at-a-glance information makes it a snap to choose a hike based on length, difficulty, and scenery. Helpful lists highlight the best hikes for children, for wildlife viewing, and other categories. This edition includes five new hikes.
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| Well Done - Very Helpful |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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I have used this book over and over again and I find it very useful. I do a lot of hiking/climbing in other states and not so much in my home state (Illinois obviously). This book has opened my eyes to the different places around Chicago (I am in the NW burbs) some within 10 miles of me...that I have never been too! Another feature that I really like are the "Nearby Attractions" that are listed at the bottom of the hiking spots reviewed...helpful to find some other things to do in the area. Overall, a very good resource and easy to read. Cheers!
Scott
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| A good resource packed with useful information |
| Customer Rating: 4 out of 5 |
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Ted Villaire's book is one of those guidebooks that will have to be replaced now and again because it gets lost under the seat of the car or is damaged by water, wind, sun, or animals. It is a worthy companion for daytrip adventures around Chicagoland.
My only complaints about the book are minor. As a veteran Appalachian Trail hiker who relied on elevation profiles to determine the difficulty of a day's hike, I found the elevation profiles for most Chicagoland hikes unnecessary. Maybe in the next edition just put up elevation profiles for particularly hilly hikes. There is also a near absence of hikes in Kane County, which has, by my estimation, some of the best hiking and well-managed forest preserve systems of any county in the state.
Some nice features include the hiking recommendations, which lists hikes and page numbers by mileage and other features, including good hikes for young children, urban hikes, solitudinous hikes, and hikes near public transportation routes. Most of the recommended hikes are loop hikes and of long enough duration to merit a special trip to them. Hikes are also listed by geographic regions, which makes for easier planning of multi-hike trips. And Villaire's route descriptions provide a good mix of landmark descriptions and tidbits about the natural and human history of the area.
While most of the information in this book can be culled from county forest preserve web sites, it is nice to have it in one easy-to-read, accessible place. I look forward to many happy miles with this book in my pack.
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| So you thought there was no wilderness in Chicagoland? |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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Think again. Major metropolis though it is, we have a lot of lovely open natural space both within and around Chicago. I knew we had a protected beautiful lakefront. I knew we had forest preserves.
But we have cliffs and savannahs and more.
I took my kids on several outings in a connecting-them-with-nature mode. The level of practical detail is very helfpul -- but details about local history make it a fun read.
I will qualify my high ratings only on the distance information. Starved Rock is more than 60 miles from Chicago-- by quite a bit! (But my kids made up a great story en route about how Starved Rock came to get it's name. The story involved elephants... and Indians.)
So pack up your kids and their grandparents. Put on your walking shoes. Bring a bottle of water. Bring this book as your guide. And enjoy the natural world that surrounds us.
May it remind us that we have something here to protect and appreciate!
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| Pointing Scouts in the right direction |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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This is a great resource for younger hikers too! As a Cub Scout leader leading our hiking program, this book provides the perfect point in the right direction. In the introduction the author lists recommendations for picking the right hike. For our scouting hike program, I reference the hikes listed by mileage, hikes good for young children, hikes for wildlife or wildflower viewing, and hikes by terrain. These lists help find just the right hike for little legs that are interesting for the leaders too. That said, my 8 year old also enjoys perusing the book. He has bookmarked hikes he'd like to take based on the maps and pictures and fun text. Looks like we'll be doing a lot of hiking this year!
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| A Keeper |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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I love to hike around. When I go on vacation (with GPS in hand) I enjoy traveling the trails. The problem is that I only go on vacation for a few weeks out of the year. The solution: hike around my hometown. As a Chicagoan I have had the privilege to review Mr. Villaire's Book 60 Hikes within 60 Miles (of Chicago) and I can say it is a wonderful resource. Each "hike" is described in a couple of pages and includes a key information section, a brief description about the site, directions and trailhead coordinates. In addition you get a map of the trail (with an elevation indicator) and a "what's nearby" section. Just about everything you would need to not only find new trails but navigate them too. I really liked the concise organization and easy to read format. I even discovered a few things about some trails that I had been on many times before. This book is a keeper, recommended.
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