Explorer's Guide 50 Hikes in the Lower Hudson Valley: Hikes and Walks from Westchester County to Albany County (Explorer's 50 Hikes)

Gave it as a gift to someone new to the area, they loved it.

Full disclosure -- my negative review comes solely from my experience with hike #23. As far as I know, the other ones are incredibly good, but given the wretched description of #23 I'm not sure I am inclined to find out.Let's start with the few positives: (1) Driving directions. Good description of how to drive to the parking lot. (2) Directions from the parking lot to the trail's beginning. Found that easily; no problem. (3) Beginning of hike description. Good to go for the first 1.5mi of hike.Now for the negatives: (1) Incorrect description of trail marking. On pg. 152, the description reads, "you'll come to a junction with the blue-on-white-blazed Timp-Torne Trail..." Wrong. There is a blue-blaze rectangle there, but if you'll die there before you find blue-on-white because it does not exist. (2) Awful description of a crucial juncture. At the place erroneously described above, the book advises you to "turn right...follow the co-aligend Timp-Torne/1777/1779 Trails". Here's the problem -- at that point there are prominent TT/1777/1779 signs leading straight, and the terrain of the trail indicates that it runs straight. IF you somehow, magically knew to veer off the trail despite what the signs are telling you and go ~1/4mi right, then you would see the identical TT/1777/1779 signs. How these two trails can both be valid is beyond me, but this brings me to my 3rd negative. (3) Failing to make a big deal out of impossibly confusing situations. Given the above, you would think that the author would dedicate some space to ensuring you don't continue along the path that comports with the trail's markings and terrain. Nope. Instead, you get a paragraph describing the history of the footbridge that you are supposed to cross after a descent. Interesting? Yes. Important? No, particularly given how vital that unmarked turn is to successful completion of the trail. (4) Zero backstops. Absolutely nothing like "if you see/come to 'x', you're doing it wrong...." These are very useful for any trail/hike description, but invaluable for trails as confusing as #23. (5) I'm nit-picking here, but the author also failed to mention that the parking lot is only open 9-5, and closed on Sun. Wasn't a huge deal because we found a place to park elsewhere, but would have certainly been helpful to know in planning the trip.In sum, after 1.5mi, my wife and I followed the inaccurately described markings and hiked about 2mi afield. Notably, there was a bridge further down that we crossed (yes, along the marked TT/1777/1779 markings) before continuing to become even more lost. This could have been easily prevented, if the author remedied 1-4 of my negative comments. If we try another hike, I will update this rating. But, for now I cannot recommend this book to anyone.

The book lacks in some ways which I would have found useful. Sometimes the info is mentioned in the body of the text but i really think it should be with the other info in the beginning of each chapter.1. While there is a chart displaying the difficulty of the trail and type of scenery: (Woods? open fields?) (both very important aspect to me), this info is not repeated at the chapter itself. So I need to go back and forth, which is especially annoying in kindle format if, like me, you have many book marks.2. the type of trail surface: rocky? gravel? paved? what shoes should one bring: hiking boots? sneakers? dancing shoes?3. configuration: loop? straight? (Some, like me, prefer loops so we don't have to repeat the scenery)4. Season: year round? summers only?6. Access: free?These points would help make a quick decision weather or not go on that trail. If they don't bother you, then go ahead and buy it..

Great book for planning out hikes and finding places I never knew existed. I used it last year and plan on using it a lot this summer. Hikes are very detailed and easy to follow. Each hike is highlighted with things to see and points of interest. Greast book to have.

Gave as a gift. They loved it!

Great hikes around the hudson valley. Product was as described and arrived on time.

Great selection of hikes in New York and New Jersey.

Best hiking book.