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50 Hikes in Central Pennsylvania: Day Hikes and Backpacking Trips, Fourth Edition (50 Hikes Series)
 
Manufacturer: Backcountry Guides
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Product Description
This new edition of a classic hiking guide to Pennsylvania's heartland features 11 new hikes. Veteran trailblazer and outdoor activist Tom Thwaites, the author of two other 50 Hikes guides to Pennsylvania, has completely revised and updated this guide to the central portion of Penn's Woods. A wonderful area of wild country and wildlife, this region offers a vast network of maintained trail systems, yet is nevertheless lightly traveled. The author has added 11 new hikes to reflect changing trail conditions, and has rehiked and checked each of the remaining hikes for this fourth edition. Each hike includes a topographical map, information on mileage, rise, and difficulty, and narrative on sights you'll see along the way. 11 new hikes in this edition, 40 black and white photographs, 51 maps, index.

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Customer Reviews
a definite must for any PA hiker
 
Review Date: November 22, 1999
Reviewer: ,
I only began hiking at the end of September but have done 6 hikes so far. I've done 2 hikes in this book (Bohen Run (#36) Pine Trail and Hemlock Mtn (#41?)), which were my first hike and my most difficult hike respectively. I've also done 4 hikes in Thwaites' Eastern PA book. This author is almost always very precise and descriptive. Even as a beginning hiker I found his text so easy to follow. He points out neat things to check out, side trails, etc. but also leaves some surprises out. Some are good, some are not so good. Sometimes his descriptions leave out things like climbs, which beginning hikers need to know. And some trails are badly blazed or have hunters, which should be noted. Some trails need to be updated. But overall, I can't recommend his books enough. Thoroughly interesting, accessible, and informative. I always feel completely safe with his book in my hands. I still don't see how he did Pine Trail and Hemlock Mtn in only 6 hours though! He must be in great shape! We usually finish about an hour less than the hike time, but that one was difficult. He is definitely the authority on hiking! I hope he keeps writing and finding new trails for us to explore!
Great resource--we owe a lot to the author
 
Review Date: July 23, 2002
Reviewer: William Ames, State College, PA United States
Tom Thwaites has done a lot for the Pennsylvania trails, and is the father of the Mid State Trail, which is my favorite trail to day hike. This edition of 50 Hikes in CPA is nicely updated from the last edition, and the hikes are all excellent. Dr. Thwaites loves great views, and so do I, and this book will get you to the best of them. One thing I especially like about this book is the careful research that has gone into relating the history of the areas you are hiking in--it's nice to know a little something other than where you are! About the only complaint I have about this indispensible guide is the fact that some of the suggested hikes are quite arduous and long for me. I'm a big guy, so I wear out easily, and this may not apply to you. What I've done, though, is used this book in combination with the MST maps to make my own day hikes with the same destinations. I've also done some of his recomended hikes as overnighters. Between this and Jean Aron's "The Short Hiker" you have a great start on hiking in this area. Kudos to Dr. Thwaites and his efforts!
Pretty good
 
Review Date: July 21, 1998
Reviewer: ,
Mostly a very good resource. Speaking on a pure scenic level, the author shows you some fantastic views and pretty trails. However, he fails to tell you sometimes when the trail is incredibly rocky or steep. Overall, though, definately worth the money
Solid material.
 
Review Date: July 12, 2010
Reviewer: Wayne, MD USA
This book is well organized and written unlike the 50 Hikes in MD. The author of this book should re-write the MD version and keep that authors royalties. This book for PA is great. Good job!!!
Practical, but uninspiring
 
Review Date: November 14, 2004
Reviewer: M. Chabot, USA
This is a decent book describing the basics of 50 different hikes. The book has two pages of text plus a small map of each hike. The text tells you how long the hike is, provides basic driving directions, and indicates whether the hike is rocky or wet. However, I felt uninspired after reading about the hikes. I was left wondering whether it was really worth a two hour drive for some of these out of the way hikes.

The author does not present this book as the 50 best hikes, only as a list of 50 decent hikes. I would have liked to see color photos, better maps, a better list of what to look for on the hikes, rankings of the most enjoyable hikes, and a numerical rating of aspects such as rockiness, steepness, and wetness, so I could better determine how certain age groups would fair on the hikes.

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