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Rating:  - Great organization but needs decent maps
The Best Hikes of Pisgah National Forest by C. Franklin Goldsmith, III, Shannon E. G. Hamrick, and H. James Hamrick, Jr. is only slightly above average as far as trail related hiking books go. I do appreciate how the book is organized, especially at the end of the book when the hikes are organized as Loop Trails, Hikes for Children and the Elderly (easy), Half-Day (or less) Hikes, Full Day Hikes, and Trails Accessible from the Blue Ridge Parkway. This feature is, in my opinion the single most helpful element of this book. I do appreciate the GPS coordinates when they're provided.
What this book is lacking are good maps. The maps provided are small, and if you need reading glasses may cause you problems. As another reviewer pointed out, finding the exact location of some of the hikes may be problematic if you're unfamiliar with the area. The authors do provide the USGS map quadrant name, but it would take much to provide decent maps in the book. I'd be willing to pay a premium to get a package.
Despite these negatives, I still have found The Best Hikes of Pisgah National Forest to be above average.
Rating:  - Not worth a five star rating
I think that the other reviews on this book are a little over inflated. Pros on this guide: good trail descriptions and the GPS coordinates are a definite plus (although not all the hikes in book include GPS coordinates).
Cons: 1)- Numbering the hikes and giving them a quality rating would be nice (1 to 5 stars). 2)- Putting a key map with their hike number at the front of the book would greatly speed up the process of figuring out where the trails are. I am not from NC and it took me quite a bit of time to figure out where on my trails illustrated map the hikes in this book were located.
Rating:  - Pushing the Frontier of Hiking Guides
Cutting a long, diagonal swath through the mountains of western North Carolina, Pisgah National Forest offers some of the finest mountain hiking in the eastern United States. Covering the entire national forest, this guide will help you find a great trail to hike regardless of what your definition of great is.
This guide describes 112 national forest trails ranging from a flat, easy 0.5 mile loop to a rugged 12-mile hike one-way through Linville Gorge. The guide is organized around the major hiking areas in the national forest including Black Balsam Knob, Max Patch, Mt. Mitchell, Davidson River Valley, Linville Gorge, and Avery Creek. Each area features an excellent, detailed map copied from a USGS Topo map, driving directions (including landmarks) to the trailheads, and a detailed description of the trail. Additionally, the authors of this guide give GPS coordinates to designate trailheads, major intersections, and points of interest. With the increased popularity and availability of GPS navigation systems on the trail, the GPS coordinates add a nice touch that most guides still do not offer. This feature places this guide on the cutting edge of all hiking guides.
Perhaps the strongest point of this guide is its versatility. In addition to the GPS feature mentioned above, this guide describes both individual trails and possible routes for loop hikes. These day loop hikes are given in addition to descriptions of the longer backpack trails in the forest, namely the Mountains-to-Sea Trail and the Art Loeb Trail. Hikes located near the Blue Ridge Parkway are listed separately along with a list of hikes suitable for children and a list of easier trails suitable for the elderly. All of these features and the pocket-small size of the book add up to a guide that can be used by everyone no matter what kind of hike you desire in the Pisgah National Forest.
In summary, I have a bookshelf full of hiking guides, and this guide is perhaps the best guide I have ever encountered. If you are planning a hiking trip to western North Carolina, this is the guide you want in your pocket or in your backpack.
Rating: - 100 of the most scenic, strenuous hikes
The national forest's trails and wonders are revealed by authors who've hiked the trails most of their lives. 100 of the most scenic, strenuous hikes are described in a guide which requires strong walking skills and access to North Carolina wilderness region.
Rating: - Great hikes with accurate descriptions
This is an execellent book that provides helpful descriptions of each trail and how to find them. Especially helpful that it uses USGS maps instead of printing their own. I highly recommend this book.
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