For National Trails Day, Two books will inspire families to enjoy the great outdoors

family camping

Families on Foot: Urban Hikes to Backyard Treks and National Park Adventures (Falcon Guides, ISBN# 1493026715, Sports & Outdoors, March  2017)

“Jennifer Pharr Davis and Brew Davis have a rare combination: tons of experience with trails and with kids. For families looking to get outdoors, that means tons of useful advice.” —Dennis Lewon, Backpacker Editor-in-Chief

Published in partnership with the American Hiking Society, Families on Foot offers practical advice and engaging activities to make hiking even more fun for families. You’ll find clever ideas and inspiration that apply to kids of all ages–from tackling diaper blowouts in the backcountry to using smartphone apps and GPS to engage teenagers with nature. Information for children with special needs and seniors is also included.

Author Jennifer Pharr Davis, the former record holder of the fastest thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, together with her husband Brew Davis, marries old-fashioned know-how onsafety, preparation, and trail conservation with modern day activities and technology, inspirational and interactive games, and down-and-dirty fun on the trail. Information includes smart tactics for families with kids of a variety ages .


Walks of a Lifetime: Extraordinary Hikes from Around the World (Falcon Guides, ISBN# 1493026410, Sports & Outdoors, May 1, 2017)

“All of us have talked about walking the world’s great trails; in this book, the Mannings show us how to ‘walk the talk.'”
—Gregory Miller, President, American Hiking Society

The bestselling book, Wild, made us all want to start hiking, and most people are familiar with one of the most famous walks, Spain’s Camino de Santiago.

To walk is to discover, from those first halting steps as a child to walking the world’s greatest long-distance trails. Experience breathtaking coastlines, mountain ranges, historic landscapes, wilderness areas, religious pilgrimages, great cities, and iconic rivers. Walk to learn more about our beautiful and curious world, to be healthy and happy, to add adventure and authenticity to life, and to learn something about yourself in the process. Walking is simple, but it can also be profound.

Veteran outdoor enthusiasts Robert and Martha Manning invite readers to experience the joy of walking in Walks of a Lifetime. They offer firsthand descriptions of 30 of the world’s great long-distance trails and multi-day walks, including personal anecdotes, natural and cultural history, practical tips, and full-color photographs and maps. Walks range from inn-to-inn routes to backpacking treks and are found across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Trail descriptions are accompanied by a series of short, engaging essays on the many dimensions of walking. Let’s get inspired to hit the trail!