You would be better served to get "The Appalachian Trail: A Visitor's Companion." It is more up to date, gives just as much information about the route of the AT in just one of its chapters and then goes on to tell you almost everything you would want to know about the natural world through which the trail passes.

In preparation for my own thru-hike of the Appalachian trail, I am systematically reading as many books on this subject as I can. Jim Chase provides basic/summary information of what one can expect along the trail. Each chapter describes a section of the trail, providing background on the geology, history, and features of each section. Does not contain any photographs, other than the cover. Maps are rudimentary, but give you the basic idea. The author sometimes provides tips and solutions to specific challenges along the trail, but these are few and far between. I was constantly frustrated over the fact that the book describes the trail from North to South, while the majority of thru-hikers travel South to North. Then again, it never promised to be a Thru-Hiker's guide. I recommend this book as a good starting point for those just learning about the Appalachian Trail. If you are looking for more detailed information about each section of the trail, you will need to consult the other references available.

For those of you who are used to the exacting descriptions of the AMC trail guides, beware. This book has a few shortcomings. No maps except regional ones. Maybe that's asking a lot but the route I selected (Contoocook River in NH) had BAD advice on a spot to take a canoe or kayak out. The recommended location was private property with an very ornery owner. Maybe the rest of the book is better researched, but you'd have to prove it to me before I relied too heavily on some such details.

Some useful information but a lot of research and work wasted. The author has obviously worked hard on this but after laying out bits of history, he lapses into socio-babble and post-modernist claptrap. It's obvious that he had a pre-formed thesis in mind when he started and tortuously bends history to fit it. To a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

This final book of a great series was not anything like I expected. The first part of the book doesn't even take place in Appalachia, and key characters from previous books aren't even mentioned. It is still an uplifting story, but I felt that the final book could have been much better.

Instead of being really comprehensive, quite a number of species which are currently in use as medicinal plants cannot be found in this Guide. We are not happy with this book/guide.

I live in the Highlands/Cashiers area. I also rent mountain bikes. Many people have become lost using theis book. It also misrepresents what it is about. A very small portion is actually about Highlands/Cashiers Because of this book and others that are also incorrect, I have written my own book called Roads to Trails with 29 rides in this are

I'm planning a trip along the Blue Ridge Parkway this summer. I read discription of this book and it sounded good,but it was trips off the Parkway not the Parkway. It said the book was 1.5 inches thick,but it was 1/2 inch thick. The pictures in the book were not very good. After reviewing the book I returned it and ordered another book.

Secreast's first book, THE RAT BECOMES LIGHT, was a witty and sometimes mystical exploration of the heart of small-town Appalachia, but this second book falls far short of that mark. Secreast's style has become ponderous for this second collection, and he seems to have lost some of the fundamental compassion for the characters. The people in this book have lives with little contour, less texture, and their stories are told without much deftness or vivid, memorable imagery.

It is truly sad that anyone who reads this book and does not have firsthand knowledge of the Foxfire program would accept this work as accurate. As a former Foxfire student and current PhD candidate, with extensive background in research methodology, I find Puckett's obvious Wigginton witch hunt and sloppy research of little value and educationally insulting. Much of his "information" is simply wrong. If a reader is in search of what the Foxfire teaching methodology is about, during Wigginton and post-Wigginton eras, I strongly suggest another avenue. Puckett misrepresents his position, his research methods and pretty much all of his findings in a manner that is evident to anyone associated with Foxfire or is an educational researcher. It would be humorous, if one did not realize that the author meant to do serious research. Anyone who funded this work wasted valuable grant dollars for there is little of value in this misleading book.

Don't waste your time and money on this book. The directions stink, the maps are awful, it's waaaaaay overworded, and it has all the personality of a flat tire. Buy Timm Muth's book instead. Or anything for that matter.