Afoot and Afield: Inland Empire

Book excerpt: The Inland Empire—the area east of Los Angeles and located primarily in San Bernardino and Riverside counties—is known as Southern California’s big backyard. And with its mountain, foothill, valley, and desert recreational opportunities, it’s a hiker’s paradise. Afoot & Afield Inland Empire describes nearly 200 noteworthy hikes ranging from easy to very strenuous in this first comprehensive hiking guide to the length and breadth of Inland Empire. These hikes explore Southern California’s three tallest mountains, the stark beauty of the high desert, including Joshua Tree National Park and Mojave National Preserve, as well as trails that wind through urban and regional parks. Each hike is shown on custom-created maps that also include GPS waypoints: the maps alone are worth the price of the book.