By Pamela Price

140 Great Hikes in and near Palm Springs by Philip Ferranti with Hank Koenig, the cartographer, has been a regional bestseller and a favorite book for those seeking an accurate description of hikes ranging from easy and moderate to strenuous. Hiking fans will find this 25th Anniversary Edition invaluable with tempting categories ranging from Desert Canyons such as Coffee Bean Canyon/ Mecca Hill Canyons walkabout to Secret Getaways. This well-organized Guide is a creative compass pointing in all directions for hikers of all levels. Dog-friendly trails from Mecca Hills/Box Canyon Palm Springs and Indian Canyons, San Jacinto Mountains, Santa Rosa Mountains, San Gorgonio Pass and Nearby, and the Orocopia Mountain Wilderness and the Chuckwalla Mountains are described. It is no surprise the author dedicated his new edition of the Guide to “his beloved dog-friend Skitts who hiked these and many other trails with me with love and enthusiasm.”

This 282-page book is the hiker’s new best friend from the first to the final hike #140, which happens to be the seven-mile Red Cloud and Western Mine Tour with the ‘Difficulty’ rated Moderate.

The Elevation Gain is 300 feet, recommended for the season from October to April, with additional information from The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Office in Palm Springs (tel. 760-833-7100). This area of the Orocopia Mountain Wilderness, according to Spanish origin, means “much gold,” with gold mines here active between 1860 and 1930. Scattered remains exist today. Use your imagination to reconstruct what this large mining operation once was. It all comes together when you locate a trail climbing through the mountains ending in a “gorgeous overlook of the whole Orocopia Mountain Wilderness basin.”   According to the author, this legendary hike   #140 is worth its weight in gold, providing a “gorgeous overlook of the whole Orocopia Mountains Wilderness Basin,” according to the author.

The hike is mapped out from the car parking area to each mine and the Vista Overlook finale. “The details of each hike are impressive, so keep this book with you at all times,” recommends Timmy Woods, an avid desert hiker often accompanied by her agile black poodle, Meghan.

From popular hikes such as #60, the moderate Palm Springs Desert Museum Trail to Hike #22, The Godwin Trail, a 14-mile, six-hour Strenuous rated hike recommended experiencing          October through May. Appendix 2, detailing the “Best of the Best “Hikes is a time saver. Whether you seek “Colorful Rock and Geological Formations” or “Wildflowers,” you will find the answers here. The author’s particular style extends to Appendix 3, “Best Restaurants After a Hike. He mentions The Gastronome in Idyllwild and Pappy & Harriet’s in Pioneertown, which feature hiker-friendly menu choices. The diversity of desert scenery revealed in Mr. Ferranti’s 25th Anniversary Edition, from rock art to catching a glimpse of blossoming Indian Paintbrush, is a masterpiece among travel guides and will open your eyes to the range of remarkable hiking opportunities awaiting hikers in and around Palm Springs.