The Trail: a novel

A Transformative Journey on the John Muir Trail Winner of two literary awards and a Next Generation Indie Book Award finalist.

Featured in Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2021.

“Unreservedly recommended.” — Midwest Book Review

Set authentically in the High Sierra, The Trail is a moving story showing how nature helps us find what’s missing in our lives.

The Trail is fused with humor, philosophy, and trail lore. Woven in is a back story detailing the origins of the John Muir Trail: a 211-mile trail spanning the rooftop of the Sierra Nevada from Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the continental United States.

The tale begins with Gil, who in the wake of his father’s death and recently fired from his job, agrees to accompany his father’s old hiking partner Syd on a month-long trek on the John Muir Trail. There’s just one problem: Gil hates camping and is woefully unprepared for the rigors of the journey. Moreover, he soon learns Syd may not survive the hike.

Former Sierra Club leader Ethan Gallogly takes you on a wild tour across the Range of Light, describing its glorious scenery in vivid detail while introducing you to a diverse cast of characters drawn from his own personal experiences as a hiker.

It’s a beautifully crafted book, with 43 maps and sketches by acclaimed mountain illustrator Jeremy Ashcroft, showing the topography of each section in clear three-dimensional renderings and peppered with drawings of the trail’s iconic scenery, like the Muir Hut, the Rock Monster, and Evolution Lake.

Whether you’re a hiker, armchair explorer, or someone trying to find what’s really meaningful in life—this book is for you.

PRAISE FOR THE TRAIL

“ The author shines in his descriptions of the natural world... A subtle and vivid tale of finding peace in the great outdoors. ”
— Kirkus Reviews

“ Exceptional, original, entertaining, informative… an inherently fascinating read from cover to cover… unreservedly recommended. ”
— Midwest Book Review

“ It’s a fantastic book. Everything rings true. I already have several people I plan to give copies to. ”
— Elizabeth Wenk, author of the best-selling John Muir Trail guidebook

“ A Walk in the Woods meets Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance .”
— Peter Snow Cao, Bike China Adventures

“ A wonderful blend of High Sierra history, eloquent descriptions of the range’s glorious scenery, and fascinating vignettes of the diverse characters who roam the John Muir Trail. ”
— Steve Roper, Sierra historian and author of Sierra High Route

“ The Trail leaves the reader with a poignant picture of how nature can heal and reconstruct us. ”
— Alyssa Matesic, ASM Editorial

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ethan Gallogly, PhD (“Po”) has been a leader in the Sierra Club, the Cal Hiking and Outdoors Society, and the Outdoors Club of Southern California. His boots have covered countless miles in the Sierra, including the John Muir Trail, High Sierra Trail, Theodore Solomons Trail, and over half of the Pacific Crest Trail. He was a reviewer for the Wilderness Press guides Sierra North , Sierra South , and Yosemite National Park .

FOR READERS OF
Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods , Cheryl Strayed’s Wild , and Ben Montgomery’s Grandma Gatewood’s Walk .