At a glance
LuvemBooks Verdict
Best for
Aspiring or planning JMT thru-hikers who want an honest, unvarnished trail journal that doubles as a practical planning reference, complete with gear lists, itineraries, and meal guidance.
Worth it if
You have a specific interest in the John Muir Trail and value authenticity and practical utility over polished literary prose.
Skip if
You come to outdoor literature expecting the stylistic depth and narrative craft of celebrated hiking memoirs, or have no particular connection to the JMT or Sierra Nevada long-distance hiking.
What readers & critics say
An Audible listener highlights that the book delivers honest coverage of both the hardships and the highlights of the JMT "in a format that was more fun than yet another guide book," while a StoryGraph reviewer takes a more critical view, describing the writing as "sub-par" and finding the account less compelling than expected even for a dedicated fan of hiking journals.
“I learned a lot about what to expect on the JMT in a format that was more fun than yet another guide book.”
— Audible listener“The writing is sub-par and even for someone who loves hiking journals this was just boring to read.”
— StoryGraph reviewerLook inside the book
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- Is it worth reading?
- For readers already drawn to the trail-journal format — especially those with a specific interest in the John Muir Trail — Highs and Lows on the John Muir Trail delivers genuine value through its authenticity, its award-recognized credential from the Outdoor Writers Association, and its unusually practical appendices. The book does not shy away from the moments when Aksamit simply wants the trail to end, giving it an honest texture that purely triumphalist accounts lack. However, readers who prioritize literary craft should note that some readers on StoryGraph characterize the prose as sub-par for the non-fiction trail-journal category, finding the overall account less compelling than expected.
- Similar books
- Readers who enjoy Highs and Lows on the John Muir Trail will find strong companionship in several similarly spirited trail narratives. Kevin Fedarko's A Walk in the Park covers another iconic American trail experience with a journalist's eye for terrain and human drama. Lon Chenowith's Five Million Steps offers another long-distance hiking journal in the same vein. Barry Hoffner's Belonging to the World brings a reflective, immersive quality to outdoor travel writing. For readers open to trail memoirs beyond the catalogue, Cheryl Strayed's Wild and Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods are two of the most celebrated hiking narratives in the genre, offering points of comparison — particularly for readers curious how Aksamit's unadorned journal style measures against more literary treatments.
- Who should read this?
- This book is best suited to readers who are already drawn to the trail-journal format and have a specific interest in the John Muir Trail or long-distance Sierra Nevada hiking. Aspiring JMT thru-hikers will find particular value in the extensive practical appendices, while armchair adventurers who enjoy the honest, unvarnished texture of a real hike — including the exhaustion and doubt alongside the beauty — will appreciate its authenticity. Readers outside the JMT or long-distance hiking community, or those expecting polished literary prose, may find limited crossover appeal.
- What is the writing style like?
- The prose is straightforward and journal-like in style — unadorned and direct rather than literary or lyrical. The book's stated design is to deliver an honest account rather than a triumphalist one, and that structural honesty is its defining tonal choice. Some readers on StoryGraph describe the early chapters as tense and uncertain in tone before the narrative finds its footing, and some characterize the writing overall as sub-par for the non-fiction trail-journal category. Readers who prioritize authenticity and practical content over stylistic ambition are most likely to find the tone rewarding.
- How useful are the appendices?
- The back matter is one of the book's most distinctive features. Aksamit includes a gear list, a meal planning guide, a cleanliness guide, a full JMT itinerary, a High Sierra Trail itinerary, a pass elevations chart, and a recommended reading list — a suite that transforms the book from a purely personal memoir into a hybrid trail journal and planning reference. Readers actively researching or preparing for a JMT attempt will find this appendix collection especially useful, and it reflects Aksamit's broader expertise as the author of The Hungry Spork: A Long Distance Hiker's Guide to Meal Planning.
- How does the book convey the difficulty of the JMT?
- The book does not shy away from the trail's physical demands. The John Muir Trail involves a cumulative 84,000 feet of elevation gain and loss — more than twice the total elevation of Mount Everest — and the narrative includes moments when Aksamit simply wants the trail to end. The chapter structure moves through landmarks such as Red's Meadow and the final push to Mount Whitney, capturing both the elation of the High Sierra's beauty and the suffering that defines a high-mileage hike. This honest, unvarnished portrayal of hardship alongside joy is identified by LuvemBooks as one of the book's defining strengths.
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Age & Reading Level
Recommended age
Adult
Reading level
Adult
Skip if you're looking for a literary, prose-driven outdoor memoir rather than an honest, journal-style hiking account.
Editorial Review
Inga Aksamit's *Highs and Lows on the John Muir Trail* is a trail journal chronicling her trek — alongside her husband Steve — through California's High Sierra on one of America's most demanding long-distance routes, pairing personal narrative with practical appendices that serve aspiring JMT hikers. The book won the Best Outdoor Book Award from the Outdoor Writers Association (per the author's site), and reader response is genuinely mixed, making it a title best matched to audiences already drawn to the trail-journal format.
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