8 Outdoor Books to Add to Your List

Hey. I’m Hatie. I’m a grad student, outdoor educator, and former outdoor guide. I read a ton, and my favorite books happen to be set outside or about the outside world. I’m a solid person to look to for recommendations on outdoor-related books for readers of all varieties.

Looking for interesting non-fiction? Read on. More of an entertaining fiction person? Read on. Want something in between? You get it. 

1. “The Full Range: Essays From a Life Outside” by Carolyn Highland

This book comes out October 13th and features 41 essays on what it’s like to live most of life outdoors. Expect skiing, trail running, and musings on landscape. You may recognize the author from her work with Backcountry and Outside Magazine and as an athlete with Stio. I can’t wait for this one! Interested? Consider pre-ordering. It helps authors let their publishers know how many books to order and spread the word to other potential readers!

2. “The Wilder Way” by Eva Zu Beck

This is an excellent read for people interested in comeback stories, like going from questioning corporate to living with a capital “L” within seven years. This story follows the author’s growth as she travels across the world after leaving a seemingly perfect life in London. You may recognize the author from her time as a National Geographic host or from her YouTube channel, where she shares adventure stories, like the time she ran across the Grand Canyon twice in one day or overlanded across the Sahara. Caution: you may buy transit tickets or start planning that big adventure you’ve been daydreaming about after reading this one. Buckle up!

3. “Wild Dark Shore” by Charlotte McConaghy

This book wrecked me for days. This not-so-unbelievable story about mystery, family, and climate change features believable characters and relatable struggles. I genuinely sobbed when it was over. I loved the characters and story and couldn’t believe I had reached the end. Just trust me. I also love several of the author’s other books, including “Migrations: A Novel” and “Once There Were Wolves”. They’re also deeply entwined with climate, relationships, mystery, and motivation. Again, have tissues on hand. 

4. “The Salt Stones: Seasons of a Shepherd’s Life” by Helen Whybrow

This is an exceptional story about land stewardship and animal husbandry in Vermont. I highly recommend the audiobook if you’re interested in a calm, cozy story about seasonality, growth, and shepherding a herd through every stage of life. The author is a master of describing the changing environment, bringing readers along with every shift on the farm. I learned a ton and felt calmer after every listen. Even the cover brings a sense of calm after looking at it.

5. “The River’s Daughter” by Bridget Crocker

This is a memoir about the author’s relationship with rivers through her tumultuous childhood, difficult adolescence, and into adulthood, where she became an international rafting guide and author. You may have read her previous work in varying travel guides and publications like National Geographic. Some of her experiences are tough to read (trigger warnings: abuse, sexual assault, alcoholism), but also relatable if you’ve spent time in the labor-intensive, limited resource world of outdoor recreation.

6. “Lost on a Mountain in Maine” by Donn Fendler

This is easily the oldest book on the list – it was originally published in 1939 – and has since been made into a movie. The story follows a 12-year-old boy on a trip up Mount Katahdin when he gets lost in the fog and spends the next 9 days sleeping at the base of trees and worrying about his family back at home. This story is a wild example of the strength of having a will to live and made me want to brush up on wilderness survival skills immediately. Read the book before watching the movie. It’s worth it.

7. “Trail of the Lost” by Andrea Lankford

This book digs into the realities of being a park ranger with the National Park Service’s law enforcement team. After burning out from the systemic issues within the service, Andrea stumbled into the realization that people disappear from popular long-distance trails with surprising regularity. She got sucked into the tale of three hikers who disappeared from the PCT, leading her to use her law enforcement and outdoor skills in tandem with a crew of amateur detectives in the hopes of finding answers for herself and the biological and trail families of the missing. It’s cliché to say, but I couldn’t put this down. I don’t typically think of the people who may have vanished from the trail I’m meandering, but it happens more than you might think. Maybe read this one after taking a trip… it might make you a little on edge.

8. “Dead Reckoning: Learning from Accidents in the Outdoors” by Emma Walker

This book is an eye-opening account of a variety of accidents and ways to learn from them. The author uses narrative journalism, blending stories with facts and offering insight into missteps and near-misses involved in kayaking, skiing, hiking, and more. You’ll be enthralled by the dangerous stories and stay for the author’s personal observations and tips on how to stay safe however you like to recreate outdoors. I signed up for a wilderness first aid course shortly after reading this one. It made me feel safer and more prepared. Thanks for the inspiration, Emma!

The Final Word

I keep track of the books I read on StoryGraph. It helps me find new books to read or listen to, and I can reference it when I can’t remember if I’ve read something before. I also recommend checking out author Christine Reed’s Outdoorsy Women+ Book Club for additional recommendations and a community of fellow readers! Sometimes the group meets with the authors – an awesome chance to ask questions and share your love for their work! Not a gal+? Listen to the podcast to hear Christine and the authors in conversation.