The John Muir Trail - A Trekker's Guide

Spectacular trek through California’s High Sierra from Yosemite (El Capitan and Half-Dome) to Mount Witney, highest peak in the continental US. The 216 mile route is split into 21 daily stages, with full information on preparation, permits, wilderness, bears, water. Part of the Pacific Crest Trail.

John Muir: The Eight Wilderness-Discovery Books
Diadem Books (1992)

John Muir: His Life and Letters and Other Writings
Baton Wicks Publications (1996)

John Muir Trail Country
by Lew and Ginny Clark. A Western Trails Publication (1977)

On the Trail of John Muir by Cherry Good.
Luath Press (2000). An excellent read of the places, life and times of John Muir. A comprehensive bibliography is included.

John Muir: from Scotland to the Sierra
by Frederick Turner.
Canongate Publishing (1997). A biography of John Muir.

John Muir’s Wild America
by Harvey Arden.
National Geographic (1973), pp433–61

The John Muir Trail: Along the High, Wild Sierra
by Galen Rowell.
National Geographic (1989), pp467–92

John Muir, Nature’s Visionary
by Gretel Ehrlich.
National Geographic (2000)

America’s Wilderness: the photographs of Ansel Adams with the writings of John Muir
by Ansel Adams and John Muir.
Courage Books (1997). Outstanding photographs.

Guide to the John Muir Trail
by Thomas Winnett and Kathy Morey.
Wilderness Press (1978). The main American guidebook to the JMT. It describes the route both from north to south and from south to north.

Starr’s Guide to the John Muir Trail and the High Sierra Region
by Walter A. Starr, Jr.
Sierra Club Books. This has been published for over 60 years and at the time of writing is into its 12th edition (1974). It includes a fold-out map. Several other trails connecting with the JMT are also described.

The Pacific Crest Trail: Southern California
by Jeffrey P. Schaffer, Ben Schifrin, Ruby Johnson Jenkins and Thomas Winnett
Wilderness Press (2003). This guidebook covers the section of the PCT from the Mexican border to Tuolumne Meadows, much of which, to Crabtree Meadows, follows the route of the JMT. The sister publication is The Pacific Crest Trail: Northern California by Jeffrey Schaffer (Wilderness Press, 2003), which covers the stages from Tuolumne Meadows to the Oregan border, none of which follow the JMT. Both guides contain colour topographical maps. These two guides replace the earlier single-volume Wilderness Press guidebook to the PCT in California, which had become something of a classic.

The Pacific Crest Trail Hiker’s Handbook
by Ray Jardine
Adventure Lore (2nd edition, 1996; now out of print). Sound advice and useful tips from America’s top backpacker. Much of what is written is also relevant to the JMT.

National Geographic’s Guide to the National Parks of the United States
by Elizabeth Newhouse (2003).
Lots of useful data on the parks traversed by the JMT.

Bear Aware: Hiking and Camping in Bear Country
by Bill Schneider.
Falcon (2nd edition, 2001)

How to Shit in the Woods: an environmentally sound approach to a lost art
by Kathleen Meyer.
Ten Speed Press (2nd edition, 1994)

California
Lonely Planet (3rd edition). General travel guide to the state. Useful for general planning. Buy the most up-to-date edition.

USA
Lonely Planet. General travel guide. Useful for general planning. Buy the most up-to-date edition.
Many publications by and about John Muir can be purchased from the John Muir Trust (see Appendix 6).

The Natural World

The High Sierra. The American Wilderness
by Ezra Bowen.
Time-Life Books (1980)

A Field Guide to California and Pacific Northwest Forests
by John Kricher and Gordon Morrison.
Peterson Field Guide Series. Houghton Mifflin Company (1998)

Sierra Nevada Wildflowers
by E. L. Horn.
Mountain Press Publishing Co. (1998)

Yosemite Wildflower Trails
by D. C. Morgenson.
Yosemite Natural History Association (1975)