FalconGuides Series

Hiking Guides

State Hiking Series

Each state and regional hiking guide introduces readers to, on average, 50 of a region’s greatest hiking adventures. Rather than saturate any one popular region with dozens of trail combinations, our guides showcase an entire state or region, allowing readers to decide where they would most like to go. Our hiking guides to national parks, while similar to our state and regional guides, provide first-hand descriptions and detailed maps for all developed trails in the park. Written by local hikers who know the area best, all of these books “guide” readers, not only along the route but also in understanding the environment in which they hike.

Regional Hiking Series

The Regional Hiking series is your comprehensive sourcebook for the best day and overnight hikes of the region, ranging between 40 and 100 hikes, some well-known and others off the beaten path. Each hike includes driving directions to the trailhead, a detailed description of the route, a topographical map, a trail finder guide, historical highlights and other helpful information to ensure a most enjoyable backcountry experience. Each hike is rated based on its difficulty, taking into consideration mileage, elevation gain and type of terrain. There are hikes for every ability level. Each guide also contains helpful information on safety, how to leave no trace, weather considerations, flora and fauna that you might encounter along the trail. Included in many guides are beautiful photography and GPS coordinates to each trailhead. These books fit in a pack and are designed as an all-in-one reference to the finest backcountry destinations.

Best Hikes Near

Who says you have to travel far from home to go on a great hike? Best Hikes Near guides detail forty to forty-five of the best hikes within a two hour’s drive from the greater metro area, perfect for the urban and suburbanite who may be hard-pressed to find great outdoor activities close to home. Ranging from easy nature walks to strenuous day hikes, each guide offers something for every hiker—all within easy reach of the city. Each featured hike includes a detailed route description; at-a-glance data including the length and difficulty level; thorough directions to the trailhead; directional cues; and a detailed, accurate trail map. Inside you'll find full-color photos and maps; approximate hiking times, canine compatibility, fees and permits required; and sidebars on local lore, points of interest, and area wildlife.

Best Easy Day Hikes

Small enough to fit in a back pocket, this series samples 20 to 30 easy-to-follow, accessible, and scenic trails in national parks and other popular destinations across the United States. Local hikers describe the best hikes for those who have limited time or abilities, without missing out on the area’s scenic splendors.

Best Rail Trails

The Best Rail Trails series includes comprehensive state-by-state guides to walking, jogging, biking and cross-country skiing the region's rail-trail system. These easy-to-use books provide mile-by-mile descriptions of thirty to fifty of the region's most popular rural and urban rail-trails, plus complete listings of the region's other rail-trail offerings. Inside you'll find full trail profiles, including length, access points, difficulty rating, and surface type; detailed trail maps; at-a-glance icons for easy identification of rail-trails that best suit your interests; wheelchair accessibility; availability of parking, rest rooms, and places to eat along the trail; location of ranger stations and visitor's centers and where to rent bikes, boats, skis, and other recreational equipment.

Biking Guides

Best Bike Rides

These full color guidebooks feature 35 to 40 of the best recreational bike rides in and around metro areas. Ride selection includes popular road rides and mountain bike rides within one hour of the metro area, including popular singletrack trail rides, rail trails, paved bike paths, scenic urban bike paths, waterfront rides, and rides that have extra historical or cultural significance. The majority of rides are in the 20- to 30-mile range—something that can be done in half a day. All ride descriptions include ride specs, mile by mile directions, sidebars about interesting local history or cultural events, and information about nearby restaurants and other attractions.

Road Biking™

These state and regional guidebooks feature as many as 40 rides that vary in length and difficulty—from afternoon jaunts to multiday tours. Designed for cyclists of all levels of skill and fitness, these guides showcase an area’s natural and cultural landscapes that are best seen from two wheels.

State Mountain Biking

Each book describes 40 to 50 of the best off-road rides in a particular state—ridden, recommended, and written about by local cyclists. The guidebooks detail trail descriptions and include photos and elevation profiles. In addition, readers will find local information, such as where to find a bite to eat or post-ride brew, local mountain bike events, and where to spend the night.

Climbing Guides

State Rock Climbing

The most comprehensive and authoritative rock climbing guides available to the best climbing destination states in the U.S., including Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and more. Each guide is designed for traditional and sport climbers of all abilities and features hundreds of routes, from classic, well-protected cracks to delicate friction faces and edgy vertical test-pieces. All state rock climbing guides have sewn bindings, kivar covers, and trimmed corners for rough use at the crags.

Regional Rock Climbing

The regional rock climbing series focuses on specific world-class climbing destinations such as Smith Rock State Park in Oregon and Joshua Tree National Park in California. Written by local experts, these books include thousands of route descriptions accompanied by overview maps and clear photo topos. All regional rock climbing guides have sewn bindings, kivar covers, and trimmed corners for rough use at the crags.

Best Climbs

Best Climbs is a new series of climbing guides from Falcon, appealing specifically to traveling climbers and local climbers with minimal time on their hands, all of whom have an appetite for affordable, visually appealing, to-the-point guides that filter out the very best climbs in the country's most popular climbing destinations.

The books include hundreds of featured routes. Each section includes climbing area trivia and history, but the primary focus is on the route selection and descriptions themselves. All routes are shown clearly on detailed color photo topos, alongside stunning action photos and a contemporary, exciting design. All Best Climbs guides have sewn bindings, kivar covers, and trimmed corners for rough use at the crags.

Bouldering

Bouldering guides direct climbers to the best boulder problems at a variety of world-class bouldering destinations. Each book includes overview maps, clear photo topos, and written descriptions. All bouldering guides have sewn bindings, kivar covers, and trimmed corners for rough use at the boulders.

Climbing Mountains

These guides provide peak baggers and mountaineers with maps, topos, and complete written descriptions of the best mountain climbs in a state or mountain range.

How to Climb™

This is the definitive series of complete and authoritative instructional books on climbing technique for climbers of all abilities. Our experts will teach readers the finer points of the sport with these best-selling texts. Authors include some of the foremost rock climbers in the country, including John Long, Eric Horst, Hans Florine, John Sherman, Sarah Garlick, Lisa Gnade, Steve Petro, and Bob Gaines.

Paddling Guides

Paddling

This series includes all the trip planning information needed to launch a kayak, canoe, or raft on the finest inland waterways of the best states for paddling. From tumbling rivers to serene lakes to tidal areas and oceans, these books are perfect for recreational paddlers who want to sample the best paddling trips their state has to offer.

Regional Sea Kayaking

Discover the best day trips and tours for coastal kayaking, from a few hours to a few days, with these guides. Detailed maps show launch sites, suggested paddling routes, as well as towns and landmarks along the way.

How to Paddle

The best paddling list in the country is now housed under one roof. These Falcon Guides include the most expert national and international paddling authors, ranging from veteran canoers Cliff Jacobson and Herb Gordon to kayaking kings Derek Hutchinson, Nigel Foster, Roger Schumann, Dennis Stuhaug, and Randy Washburne. We offer the most solid list of titles for beginner, intermediate, and expert paddlers who want the thrill of a whitewater river adventure, the excitement of kayaking in the surf, or the serenity of canoeing the quiet waters of a peaceful lake.

Surfing Guides

These comprehensive guides provide wave riders with a complete collection of the best breaks in a state or region, from classic surf spots to lesser-known waves.

State Camping Guides

These easy-to-use state-by-state guidebooks include detailed descriptions of public campgrounds that campers can reach by car or RV. The listings include campsites in state, city, and county parks; in national parks and national forests; at wildlife refuges; and on other public lands.

Touring Hot Springs Guides

There is nothing quite like a relaxing soak in naturally heated mineral water to ease muscle tension and soothe aches and pains. Each guidebook in this series describes a state’s or region’s best natural and accessible pools and handcrafted bathhouses, including firsthand descriptions of each soaking location, whether in isolated backcountry or surrounded by the trappings of civilization. The information is enhanced with detailed maps and directions, best seasons to visit, and intriguing histories and legends. With this book in hand, readers will be ready to grab a towel and take off for an unforgettable geothermal adventure.

Birding Guides

This series covers prime birding sites with complete species information for each area. Whether readers plan on watching birds in a certain location or tracking down a particular species, these guides will help them find the way. Detailed sections offer specific information about when every species in the state or region will be nesting, wintering, or passing through on migration. Written by experts in the field of ornithology, these books are invaluable guides for planning and undertaking birding trips.

Rockhounding Guides

In this series, veteran rockhounders outline some of the best collecting sites in each state and what mineral samples, rocks, and formations are to be found there. Readers will get the dirt on the best seasons to hunt, what they will find at each site, where to spend the night, and even special attractions to visit while they are in the area.

Basic Essentials and Basic Illustrated

This series of comprehensive instructional guidebooks distill years of knowledge into affordable and portable books, ideal for those learning about a subject or those wanting a handy reference. Written in simple language for novices but packed with in-depth information for experts, this long-standing outdoors series covers more than three dozen outdoor recreational activities in-depth, from canoeing, archery, backpacking, and camping to sea kayaking, using GPS, and wilderness first aid.

Backpacker Magazine Series

Each book in the Backpacker Magazine series breaks down its subject into the most important and useful topics, providing practical, necessary, and portable information that is useful in the field. The hallmark of these books is that they organize detailed, in-depth, practical content for immediate and fast reader access in a portable package.

Falcon Pocket Guides

Small trim size, basic level skills, easy reading, and low price point are the hallmarks of pocket reference guides. These guides are conveniently packaged in handy, packable sizes, ideal for hikers, campers, and outdoor enthusiasts venturing into the wilderness. Experts provide accurate advice on such subjects as encountering wild animals, hiking with children and dogs, first aid, and more.

Allen & Mike’s Books

Beginners will find this series to be perfect introductions to backpacking, backcountry skiing, telemarking, and traveling light, and old hands are certain to pick up a few more tricks from these thoroughly informative and entirely entertaining books. Written by Allen O’Bannon and cleverly illustrated by Mike Clelland, these concise and essential books offer a wealth of tips, knowledge, and experience that all backcountry travelers will find clear and valuable.

Nature Guides

Wildflower Series

This series began in 1995 with the publication of Tallgrass Prairie Wildflowers and has since grown to include titles for ecosystems stretching from the Florida Keys to the Northern Rockies. These books contain detailed information about each plant, its classification and habitat, and blooming information which is useful for experienced botanists and novices alike.

Wildflowers of the National Parks

These field guides to the wildlife of America’s most popular National Parks are information-packed, pocket-sized books that introduce millions of park visitors to each park’s vibrant wildflower habitats in a colorful and portable package. Including full-color photos and easy-to-understand descriptions, the wildflowers are arranged by color and family to aid in quick identification. This is the essential wildflower guide on your next trip to your favorite National Park.

Scats & Tracks

These handy, regional identification guides help readers discover what mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians have passed by and could still be nearby. Illustrations by artist Todd Telander complement detailed written descriptions in these pocket-size guides featuring the tracks, scats, and other signs of 50 to 100 species—from the elusive jaguarondi to the common crow.

Falcon Field Guides

The Falcon Field Guides include a variety of nature-based guides to birds, plants, trees, mushrooms, mammals, insects, reptiles, stars and constellations, tracks, and more, with beautiful detailed color illustrations to aid in clear identification. Each guide features 100-200 of the most common and sought-after species in any particular state. Conveniently sized to fit in your pocket and featuring full-color, detailed illustrations, this informative guide makes it easy to identify animals, plants, and more in your backyard, favorite parks, and wildlife areas. Inside are detailed listings of each species’ prominent attributes and a color illustration showing its important features, with a format that is easy to read and easy to identify what you’re looking for. This is the essential source when you're out in the field, both informative and beautiful to peruse.

Naturalist Guides

A Naturalist Guide is the perfect companion if you plan to explore nature and learn about the environment around you. Featuring full-color illustrations, it is a comprehensive and beautiful trailside reference to plants, animals, and geology of the region. With this guide in hand, you will gain a sympathetic understanding of the ecosystems that make up the region. You will learn to differentiate between different species of plants and animals. In short, you will learn to appreciate this remarkable land as you never did before.

Nature Guides to the National Parks

These field guides to the wildlife of America’s most popular National Parks are information-packed, pocket-sized books that introduce millions of park visitors to each park’s natural history in a colorful and portable package. Including full-color photos and easy-to-understand descriptions, the wildlife is organized by type (e.g., mammals, insects, trees, shrubs, and more), making species easy and fun to identify. This is the essential nature guide on your next trip to your favorite National Park.

Additional Series

Exploring

These unique guides are designed for travelers and outdoor enthusiasts who want to experience all that an outdoor destination has to offer. Discover the best scenic vistas, wildlife viewing sites, and outdoor recreation opportunities in some of the nation’s most beautiful natural settings.

Trail Running

These guidebooks present a sampling of the best trails in a state or region for runners.

Walking

Readers are taken on guided walks, from 30-minute strolls to half-day excursions.

Winter Trails™

The best trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in a state or region can be found in these guidebooks.

Backcountry Skiing

These guidebooks cover the best backcountry ski routes, snowboard descents, and ski touring destinations in a state or region, serving as an indispensable resource for planning safe day trips and extended ski tours.

Hey Ranger!

Are mules native to the Grand Canyon? Is it really bad luck to take artifacts you find? These books answer real questions—some smart, some silly—that kids ask park rangers every day. Filled with fascinating facts and ready-to-color illustrations, these fun and educational guides are the perfect traveling companion for young explorers.

Passport

This handy series guides travelers to the sites where they can get their national parks cancellation stamps. Included are the exact locations of each stamp—many of which are hard to find—with detailed directions and stamping tips, as well as interpretive information to help explorers enjoy each national park visit.

Appalachian Mountain Club Series

AMC Discover Series

A broad range of easy to intermediate hiking, paddling, and biking trips in major outdoor destinations.

AMC Best Day Hikes Series

Easy-to-use guides covering the best four-season walks and hikes for all levels of hikers—including best hikes with kids and dogs.

AMC’S Quiet Water Series

Accessible water destinations for canoeists and kayakers.

AMC Sea Kayaking Series

These guides, for novice to experienced kayakers, offer detailed trip information, equipment and techniques, safety tips, and more.

AMC River Guides

The most comprehensive paddling guides to the region.