The Trail

A Transformative Journey on the John Muir Trail

2021-22 Reader Views LITERARY AWARD WINNER • In Kirkus Reviews BEST BOOKS OF 2021 issue • "UNRESERVEDLY RECOMMENDED" by Midwest Book Review

Set authentically in the High Sierra, The Trail is a moving story showing how nature helps us find what's missing in our lives.

More than a hiking novel, The Trail is fused with humor, philosophy, and trail lore. Woven in is a back story detailing the origins of the John Muir Trail: a 211-mile trail spanning the rooftop of the Sierra Nevada from Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the continental United States.

The story begins with Gil, who in the wake of his father's death and recently fired from his job, agrees to accompany his father's old hiking partner Syd on a month-long trek on the John Muir Trail. There's just one problem: Gil hates camping and is woefully unprepared for the rigors of the journey. Moreover, he soon learns Syd may not survive the hike.

Former Sierra Club leader Ethan Gallogly takes you on a wild tour across the Range of Light, describing its glorious scenery in vivid detail while introducing you to a diverse cast of characters drawn from his own personal experiences as a hiker.

It's a beautifully crafted book, with 43 maps and sketches by acclaimed mountain illustrator Jeremy Ashcroft, showing the topography of each section in clear three-dimensional renderings and peppered with drawings of the trail's iconic scenery, like the Muir Hut, the Rock Monster, and Evolution Lake.

Whether you're a hiker, armchair explorer, or someone trying to find what's really meaningful in life--this book is for you.