Hi, I will be hiking the JMT this summer, and was wondering what is the best guidebook for this trail?
thanks!
Sam Holder
Guidebooks - John Muir Trail
system
#2
I used an earlier edition of “John Muir Trail” by Elizabeth Wenk and Kathy Morey and found it useful. It has descriptions for both northbound and southbound hikes. To shave ounces, I photocopied the southbound description for the hike, shrunk it 50%, and printed on both sides (four pages per sheet).
Even more useful was the John Muir Trail map pack by Tom Harrison (13 8.5"x11" colored topo maps with the JMT and adjoining trails clearly marked with distances on waterproof paper). If I had to choose between the guide or these maps, I would take the maps (although the guide has black and white maps).
Each cost around $18.
Snowball
system
#3
The Harrison maps are indispensable, but I also liked the Cicerone guide book by Alan Castle. I just read it and then cut out the trail description part to take with me. It was worth the extra 2oz in my opinion.
weez