Key Takeaways
- Best overall value: Walking the Appalachian Trail from Stackpole Books has the steepest discount of the bunch at 67% off.
- Bestseller pick: 100 Hikes of a Lifetime from National Geographic sits at bestseller rank #7 and is nearly half off.
- WV connection: Grandma Gatewood’s Walk tells the story of the first woman to solo thru-hike the AT, passing right through southern West Virginia.
- Niche find: The Plants of the Appalachian Trail from Timber Press covers 398 species and is sold directly by the retailer.
- Classic memoir: Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods from Broadway Books is over 50% off with a bestseller rank of #19.
Thru-hike season is here. The northbound crowd started hitting Springer Mountain in early March, and by now the first wave is working through the southern Appalachians. Even if you’re not planning 2,190 miles this year, something about late March makes you want to read about people who did. The days are getting longer, the trails around here are drying out, and there’s a window right now where sitting on the porch with a good trail book feels like the best use of a Saturday afternoon.
This week’s WV Finds turned up a solid batch of appalachian trail books with real discounts. The standout surprise was Walking the Appalachian Trail from Stackpole Books, which came in at 67% off. Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods is over half off, which doesn’t happen often for a book that consistently sits in the top 20 bestsellers. National Geographic’s 100 Hikes of a Lifetime landed at nearly half price too, and that one covers trails well beyond the AT.
Heavy on memoirs this week, with a couple of solid reference books mixed in. If you’re looking for more deals across other categories, we update those daily.
What are the best appalachian trail memoirs on sale?
The three memoirs below cover different eras and perspectives on the trail. Bryson’s is the funny one, Grandma Gatewood’s is the gritty one, and Walking the Appalachian Trail takes a broader documentary approach. All three are discounted between 41% and 67% this week.
A Walk in the Woods
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (Official Guides to the Appalachian Trail)
Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods is probably the most-read appalachian trail book ever published, and for good reason. It’s laugh-out-loud funny in stretches, honest about how miserable the trail can be, and doesn’t pretend Bryson was some kind of wilderness expert. The Broadway Books edition is the standard paperback. If you’ve somehow never read this one, the current price makes it hard to say no.
- Bill Bryson's classic Appalachian Trail memoir
- Broadway Books paperback edition
- Bestseller rank #19
Grandma Gatewood's Walk
Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail
Grandma Gatewood’s Walk tells the story of Emma Gatewood, who in 1955 became the first woman to solo thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. She did it in Keds sneakers with a homemade denim bag. The trail runs through southern West Virginia, and her story has a stubborn Appalachian grit that feels familiar to anyone who grew up around here. This is nonfiction that reads like a novel.
- Story of the first woman to solo thru-hike the AT
- Published by Chicago Review Press
- Bestseller rank #59
Walking the Appalachian Trail
Walking the Appalachian Trail from Stackpole Books takes more of a collected-stories approach, pulling together accounts from thru-hikers, section hikers, and trail maintainers. It’s less a single narrative and more a portrait of the trail through different voices. The 67% discount is the deepest in this week’s roundup, which makes it a low-risk buy if you want something to flip through rather than read cover to cover.
- Collected stories from thru-hikers and trail maintainers
- Published by Stackpole Books
- 67% off list price
Which trail reference books are worth the price?
These two are less about storytelling and more about planning or identifying what you see on the trail. The National Geographic book covers global trails, not just the AT. The Timber Press guide is hyper-specific to Appalachian Trail plant life.
100 Hikes of a Lifetime
100 Hikes of a Lifetime: The World's Ultimate Scenic Trails (100 of a Lifetime)
100 Hikes of a Lifetime from National Geographic is a coffee table book that earns its shelf space. It covers trails on every continent, with full-color photography and practical route information. The AT is in here alongside trails in Patagonia, the Dolomites, and New Zealand. At bestseller rank #7, this is one of the most popular outdoor books in print right now. It also makes a solid gift for anyone who hikes.
- National Geographic coffee table book
- Covers trails on every continent with full-color photography
- Bestseller rank #7
The Plants of the Appalachian Trail
The Plants of the Appalachian Trail from Timber Press is the kind of book you didn’t know you wanted until you’re three miles into a hike wondering what that vine is. It covers 398 species with identification details geared toward hikers, not botanists. If you section hike anywhere in the Appalachian range, this one pays for itself the first time you use it. Timber Press has a strong reputation for plant guides, and this one is sold directly by the retailer.
- Covers 398 plant species along the trail
- Published by Timber Press
- Hiker-focused identification guide
Frequently asked questions
What is the best book to read before hiking the Appalachian Trail?
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson is the most popular starting point. It’s entertaining and gives you a realistic sense of what the trail is like without being a gear manual. For something more inspirational, Grandma Gatewood’s Walk is a close second.
Are appalachian trail books good gifts for hikers?
Yes, especially the coffee table style books. 100 Hikes of a Lifetime from National Geographic works well as a gift because it covers trails worldwide with high quality photography. Memoirs like A Walk in the Woods also work for hikers and non-hikers alike.
Do I need a plant identification book for the Appalachian Trail?
You don’t need one, but it makes the hike more interesting. The Plants of the Appalachian Trail covers 398 species and is written for hikers rather than academics. It’s especially useful if you’re interested in foraging or just want to know what you’re walking past.
How often do appalachian trail book prices drop?
Prices on popular titles like A Walk in the Woods fluctuate regularly, but discounts over 50% are uncommon. The best prices tend to show up in early spring when thru-hike season drives interest, and again around the holidays. We track these deals weekly and update this page when prices change.
Prices verified March 27, 2026.
Discounts across this week’s appalachian trail books ranged from 41% to 67%, which is a strong spread for a niche book category. The sweet spot was in the 45% to 51% range, with three of the five picks landing there. Most of these are sold directly by the retailer with Prime shipping, which is a good sign that the pricing is legitimate and not a third-party seller playing games with list prices.
The standout for me is the Broadway Books edition of A Walk in the Woods. A bestseller rank of #19 with a 51% discount doesn’t come around often on a book that’s been in print for decades. If I had to pick one from this list, that’s the one. The Stackpole Books title has the biggest percentage off, but it’s also a less well-known book, so the value depends on whether you’re a trail reading completist or just want the one great read.
Spring is prime time for outdoor book discounts. Publishers push inventory hard in March and April because that’s when people plan trips and thru-hikers are all over social media. If you’re watching for trail guides or regional hiking books, the next few weeks should be good. I’ll keep an eye on what comes through.
