Now that I’m a hiker (after one trip), I need HIKING BOOKS! (I already have the boots.)

I’ve been on exactly one hiking excursion (last week to Zion National Park), and now I want to do more! I just hosted a hiking book chat at work and the people I talked there to shared great experiences and gave me a lot of ideas. Here are five books about hiking preparedness, places to go and a couple inspirational books among many that caught my eye. All blurbs are from Amazon.

To keep me prepared:

SAS Survival Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Surviving Anywhere by John “Lofty” Wiseman

Revised to reflect the latest in survival knowledge and technology, and covering new topics such as urban survival and terrorism, the multimillion-copy worldwide bestseller SAS Survival Handbook is the definitive resource for all campers, hikers, and outdoor adventurers. From basic campcraft and navigation to fear management and strategies for coping with any type of disaster.

For suggestions on where to go:

100 Trails, 5000 Ideas from National Geographic

This authoritative travel guide―the next in National Geographic’s best-selling 5,000 Ideas series―takes you from the coast of Florida to the peaks of Wyoming on a series of epic hiking and walking adventures. So grab your hiking boots and get ready to explore 100 trails around all 50 states and Canada.

The World’s Best National Parks in 500 Walks by Mary Caperton Morton

Ever since Yellowstone National Park was established in 1872 as the world’s first national park, the movement to preserve natural landscapes and habitats has spread to every continent. The World’s Best National Parks in 500 Walks is the perfect inspiration for every explorer, from the armchair traveler to the veteran hiker, with full-color photos and vivid descriptions of some of the world’s most spectacular hiking trails. Helpful tips on navigating the routes, planning your trips, and preparing for encounters with wildlife will have you lacing up your boots and strapping on your backpack, whether it’s for a short weekday stroll or a multiday expedition on the world’s most breathtaking trails.

And for inspiration:

Wild by Cheryl Strayed

At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by blind will, she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State—and she would do it alone.

Walking the Amazon by Ed Stafford

In April 2008, Ed Stafford set off to become the first man ever to walk the entire length of the Amazon. He started on the Pacific coast of Peru, crossed the Andes Mountain range to find the official source of the river. His journey lead on through parts of Colombia and right across Brazil; all while outwitting dangerous animals, machete wielding indigenous people as well as negotiating injuries, weather and his own fears and doubts. Yet, Stafford was undeterred. On his grueling 860-day, 4,000-plus mile journey, Stafford witnessed the devastation of deforestation firsthand, the pressure on tribes due to loss of habitats as well as nature in its true-raw form. Jaw-dropping from start to finish, Walking the Amazon is the unforgettable and gripping story of an unprecedented adventure.

Have you ever been hiking? Are you an experienced hiker? Where have you hiked and what books do you recommend?

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