California's Best Nature Walks: 32 Easy Ways to Explore the Golden State's Ecology

Step out of your car and right into nature! California’s Best Nature Walks by Charles Hood guides you through 32 simple hikes that feature the best of California's rich ecology. The sites include the forests, deserts, mountains, waterfalls, and coastlines that define the region. Each entry starts with the brief description of the hike's level of difficulty—all are gentle to moderate and cover no more than two miles. Entries also include directions and clear descriptions of the flora, fauna, and geology you are likely to encounter along the way. California’s Best Nature Walks is a must-have guide for outdoor enthusiasts, hikers, and tourists.

Walks include: Abbotts Lagoon Trillium Falls Trail Olmsted Point Fossil Falls Point Pinos Tide Pools Kelso Dunes

About the Author

Born in Los Angeles, Charles Hood has birded all 58 California counties, photographed all 21 California missions, and helped to add a new bird to the official California list (Hawaiian petrel, also called the ʻuaʻu). He has been a dishwasher, factory worker, ski instructor, Fulbright scholar, bird guide in Africa, and an artist-in-residence in Antarctica. Charles is the co-author of Wild LA and Sea Turtles to Sidewinders. Recently retired, he lives in the Mojave Desert.