2022 Top Five Hiking Books

These are the top five hiking books that helped me find the best trails in exploring the terrain of the Midwest in 2022. I return to them for details on finding waterfalls, canyons, mountaintops, springs, or shut-ins.

One Hundred Nature Walks in the Missouri Ozarks by Alan McPherson

It is a detailed book on the many trails that you can find throughout the Ozarks. This is a higher number and explores more areas in the Ozarks than other books that I have found.

It is an older book so some of the information is not current and the trails have changed.

Yet, the overall information gives you a good idea of what to explore in the Ozarks.

It is a worthy collection to learn about Ozark hikes throughout the whole state of Missouri.

Ozark Trail Guidebook by Margo Carroll and Peggy Welch

This is a mile-by-mile guide for hiking the entire Ozark Trail including trailhead directions, maps, points of interest, and GPS locators.

You can use this whether you are doing a thru-hike or only a section hike or even something shorter from a trailhead.

I have done a few short hikes on this trail and they have done a good job on what you will see along the trail and the directions where you are going.

Next time I section hike on Ozark Trail I will take the book with me.

The Complete Katy Trail by Brett Dufur

This guide gives you services, towns, peoples, places, and history along Missouri’s Katy Trail, which is the longest rails-to-trail in the U.S.

Updated and revised from the previous editions.

It includes wineries, B&Bs, and camping along with photos and maps.

You can use this whether you are hiking or biking or even exploring sites along the trail by car.

Also, it includes maps, mileage charts, and services provided in each town.

I will definitely use this guide when I am on the trail. It also has mile markers for unique and historic sites along the trail.

60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Chicago: Including Wisconsin and Northwest Indiana by Ted Villaire

Hikes in this book include ones that are in the urban area of Chicago along with many further out ones such as in Aurora, Northwest Indiana, and Waukegan. It includes walks along dunes at Indiana Dunes State Park now a national park. The canyons of Starved Rock allow one to explore areas outside the marsh and wetlands of Chicago.

You can also glance at information such as length, difficulty, and scenery.

Helpful hints include the best hikes for kids or wildlife viewing.

I thought it was a comprehensive guide for hikes in a sixty-mile radius of Chicago. If I am up that way I will definitely bring it along to find some of them.

Hiking Mid Missouri, Scenic Trails of the Heartland By Darcy Flozenlogen

This is a guide to 120 hikes in 40 scenic areas throughout Central Missouri. For each hike, you can learn the trail route, mileage, difficulty, terrain, and walking time. Then the author provides a narrative description of what can see along the path.

The book also has an overview of the landscape and natural history.

Black and white photos and maps help illustrate the trails.

I will use this book next time I am exploring Central Missouri. The author did a good job describing the plants, trees, and possible animals you might see along the path.