Holy hiking and camping bible! Weighing in at well over a pound and a half each are two new guide books from the travel experts at Moon, extending their reach into the great outdoors. Pacific Northwest Hiking (752 pages) and Pacific Northwest Camping (800 pages) are as exhaustive in detail as they are weighty in heft.
The hiking guide covers over 900 hikes in Washington and Oregon, divided twelve chapters that cover six distinct regions within each of the two states. The introduction section lists best trips by type (beach, kids, views, etc.) and general tips on logistics, weather, safety, gear and ethics and etiquette. Round-trip mileage and time are prominently featured next to the name, along with difficulty and quality ratings, a reference to the page where you can find the map, and a "best" graphic for the author's favorites. Overview and detail maps are plentiful and of outstanding quality. Each description has user groups, permits, directions and contacts.
The camping guide features almost 1,100 camp sites and is organized almost identically, with the same chapters and regions, best list (scenic, fishing, etc.), map references, and an expanded set of icons for all the activities and amenities available at the campground. Each campground also has a Scenic Rating, obviously subjective since it doesn't account for things like noise but appreciated nonetheless. Each description has a map reference, facilities, reservations and fees, directions and a contact.
Between the two of these you will never, ever lack for information on where to stay and what to hike wherever you are in the Pacific Northwest. You will also never, ever have to lift weights to stay in shape because of the combined weight of almost three and a half pounds. The sheer volume of well-organized, high-quality information is impressive. Order them together from Amazon and you'll get free shipping.