Like most hikers, when I’m reading about trails it is usually with a practical purpose in mind. Guidebooks, forum posts, magazines, and trail status updates by government agencies are read diligently before an upcoming hike or perused when looking for ideas about where to hike next. When the owner of a local bookstore, familiar with my outdoor hobbies, recommended the book On Trails by Robert Moor to me I was intrigued by his description of the book as taking a holistic perspective on the subject of trails. It struck me that I’d never really paid much attention to trails in an abstract or philosophical context and, being a curious person, I picked up the book and eagerly delved into the text.

On Trails by Robert Moor starts off as engaging read with a unique perspective on the outdoors.

Reading On Trails

The prologue provided a great introduction to the author and the topic, with his experience as an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker being noted as one of the catalysts for his intense interest in trails. Several passages in the prologue set the tone for the profound and philosophical tone of the book, such as the idea that trails “blear the line between wilderness and civilization, leaders and followers, self and other, old and new, natural and artificial.” Notions such as this are interspersed throughout the book and there are thought-provoking sentences on nearly every page that can be removed from their original context and still provide plenty to ponder.

I found the first few chapters to be the most engaging, as the topic is fresh and the author’s analysis and perspective so novel. The early part of the book bounces effortlessly from scientific, to anthropologic, to historic, to existential subjects and provides a staggering amount of background information. Nearly all of the concepts were new to me and even though it didn’t exactly relate directly to backpacking or the physical activity of walking on a path, it was fascinating to get a more comprehensive idea of what really constitutes a trail.

The middle part of the text explored the Moor’s experiences with trails while conducting research for the book – everything from herding sheep in New Mexico, to exploring the barely discernible (at least to the amateur eye) and ancient Cherokee paths in North Carolina, to walking with Nimblewill Nomad “the perpetual hiker.” The accounts of these experiences continue to allow for the observation and insight about trails that provides purpose to this book, but at times it seems that they could perhaps have been shortened. As stand-alone essays they are excellent, but there is some momentum lost as details are explored minutely and the bigger picture seems to fade momentarily. However, the conversations, analogies, and overall depth gained from covering these experiences and concepts is ultimately worthwhile.

As might be expected, the Appalachian Trail is featured prominently in the book. Considerable space is dedicated to discussing the International Appalachian Trail (IAT) and the linear vs. non-linear idea of such a route, the underlying idea of connection at the core of the project, and the author’s experience with its expansion. Other than the AT and the IAT, there isn’t much in-depth coverage of other name brand long-distance trails (i.e. the Pacific Crest or Continental Divide Trails). I did not find this to detract from the book in the least, but it is worth noting again that this book is not about a specific trail or trails – it is about the very idea of trails and paths. Specific trails are used more as examples to illustrate greater points rather than being discussed as entities in and of themselves.

In addition to discussing physical trails, the author spends time at the end of the book delving into the idea of information trails, knowledge networks and the Internet. The “lines of connection” which underly society are one of the most intriguing conceptual topics in the book and this was a section I found myself reading over several times. While the bulk of this book looked at the past or present, it looks to the future as it wraps up and provides much to think about.

Throughout the book the author stretches and connects certain relationships, notions, and themes more adeptly than the elastic inside a tent pole and this makes for genuinely captivating reading. The balance between science and narrative is expertly struck and the use of analogies to explain important concepts is excellent. The necessary amount of details, be they historical, geological, or biological, is provided and it is only occasionally that the author seems to belabor a point.

The book is filled with many poignant sentences that allude to deeper concepts. One of my favorites “the only thing better than old wilderness is new wilderness”, which struck a particularly chord with me as I’ve spent a considerable amount of time hiking in “new wilderness” areas in the Southeast – areas that were logged, mined, and inhabited but have been left to return to a more natural state.

In Conclusion

For hikers and backpackers, this book should certainly make it on the short list of any upcoming non-fiction books you plan to read this season and keep in the outdoor section of your bookshelf at home. On Trails by Robert Moor can be found here at Amazon.com.

Editor's Note: This book review originally appeared in Issue 31 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here.