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Steep Trails
The papers brought together in this volume have in a general way been arranged in chronological sequence.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1918
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About the author
John Muir
626 books1,445 followersJohn Muir was far more than a naturalist; he was a secular prophet who translated the rugged language of the wilderness into a spiritual calling that saved the American soul from total surrender to materialism. Born in 1838 in the coastal town of Dunbar, Scotland, Muir’s childhood was a blend of seaside wanderings and a brutal religious upbringing. His father, Daniel Muir, was a man of uncompromising faith who forced John to memorize the New Testament and most of the Old Testament by age eleven. When the family immigrated to the frontier of Wisconsin in 1849, this iron-fisted discipline continued on their farm. However, for the young Muir, the "Book of Nature" began to rival the Bible. He saw the divine not just in scripture, but in the black locust trees and the sun-drenched meadows of the midwest.
The pivotal moment of Muir’s life occurred in 1867 while working at a wagon wheel factory in Indianapolis. A tool slipped, piercing his cornea and leaving him temporarily blind in both eyes. Confined to a darkened room for six weeks, Muir faced the terrifying prospect of a life without light. When his sight miraculously returned, he emerged with a clarity of purpose that would change the course of American history. He famously wrote, "This affliction has driven me to the sweet fields. God has to nearly kill us sometimes, to teach us lessons." He immediately set out on a 1,000-mile walk to the Gulf of Mexico, beginning a lifelong odyssey of exploration.
Muir eventually found his "true home" in California’s Sierra Nevada. To Muir, the mountains were not mere piles of rock, but "the range of light." He spent years as a shepherd and guide in Yosemite, living a life of extreme simplicity—often traveling with nothing but a tin cup, a crust of bread, and a volume of Emerson’s essays. His scientific contributions were equally profound; he defied the leading geologists of the day by proving that the Yosemite Valley was carved by ancient glaciers. While the state geologist, Josiah Whitney, dismissed him as a mere "shepherd," the world’s leading glaciologists eventually recognized Muir’s genius.
His transition from explorer to activist was born of necessity. Seeing the "hoofed locusts"—domestic sheep—devouring the high mountain meadows, Muir took up his pen. His landmark articles in The Century Magazine and his 1903 camping trip with President Theodore Roosevelt became the catalysts for the modern conservation movement. Under the stars at Glacier Point, Muir convinced the President that the wilderness required federal protection. This meeting laid the groundwork for the expansion of the National Park system and the eventual return of Yosemite Valley to federal control.
As the co-founder and first president of the Sierra Club, Muir spent his final years in a fierce philosophical battle with Gifford Pinchot. While Pinchot argued for "conservation" (the sustainable use of resources), Muir championed "preservation" (the protection of nature for its own sake). Though he lost the battle to save the Hetch Hetchy Valley from being dammed, the heartbreak of that loss galvanized the American public, ensuring that future "cathedrals of nature" would remain inviolate. John Muir died in 1914, but his voice remains ubiquitous, reminding us that "into the woods we go, to lose our minds and find our souls."
The pivotal moment of Muir’s life occurred in 1867 while working at a wagon wheel factory in Indianapolis. A tool slipped, piercing his cornea and leaving him temporarily blind in both eyes. Confined to a darkened room for six weeks, Muir faced the terrifying prospect of a life without light. When his sight miraculously returned, he emerged with a clarity of purpose that would change the course of American history. He famously wrote, "This affliction has driven me to the sweet fields. God has to nearly kill us sometimes, to teach us lessons." He immediately set out on a 1,000-mile walk to the Gulf of Mexico, beginning a lifelong odyssey of exploration.
Muir eventually found his "true home" in California’s Sierra Nevada. To Muir, the mountains were not mere piles of rock, but "the range of light." He spent years as a shepherd and guide in Yosemite, living a life of extreme simplicity—often traveling with nothing but a tin cup, a crust of bread, and a volume of Emerson’s essays. His scientific contributions were equally profound; he defied the leading geologists of the day by proving that the Yosemite Valley was carved by ancient glaciers. While the state geologist, Josiah Whitney, dismissed him as a mere "shepherd," the world’s leading glaciologists eventually recognized Muir’s genius.
His transition from explorer to activist was born of necessity. Seeing the "hoofed locusts"—domestic sheep—devouring the high mountain meadows, Muir took up his pen. His landmark articles in The Century Magazine and his 1903 camping trip with President Theodore Roosevelt became the catalysts for the modern conservation movement. Under the stars at Glacier Point, Muir convinced the President that the wilderness required federal protection. This meeting laid the groundwork for the expansion of the National Park system and the eventual return of Yosemite Valley to federal control.
As the co-founder and first president of the Sierra Club, Muir spent his final years in a fierce philosophical battle with Gifford Pinchot. While Pinchot argued for "conservation" (the sustainable use of resources), Muir championed "preservation" (the protection of nature for its own sake). Though he lost the battle to save the Hetch Hetchy Valley from being dammed, the heartbreak of that loss galvanized the American public, ensuring that future "cathedrals of nature" would remain inviolate. John Muir died in 1914, but his voice remains ubiquitous, reminding us that "into the woods we go, to lose our minds and find our souls."
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 8, 2021
While this book was a bit disjointed because of its publication, it was still a wonderful and interesting read. Muir has talent when writing about scenery and his love of nature and travel really comes through in these stories. His ability to describe the setting really puts you there and I think my favorite were his stories about the old mining towns in Nevada. They were so vivid I felt like I was there. Enjoyable and a beautiful writer, Muir is a must read for any classicist.
July 10, 2022
I struggled with this book much more than other by this author. Only now did I reaslise I started with some of his last works (with great style and vivid nature descriptions that were thoroughly re-written for publication) which lead to very high expectations. This collection of works was written over a period of 29 years, contains many original letters sent to newspapers/magazines and varies in quality very much. Some of his style peeks already through but it's lacking the finish I was used from the previous books. The four star rating reflect more my feelings (I'm really struggling to rate anything he's written less than 4 star) than the actual quality (which would be rather 3 stars for this collection)
June 10, 2020
I read this getting ready for a trip to the Southwest.
December 10, 2018
A collection of excerpts, articles and letters, this book isn't as good as the more effective works focused on a single trip or period. Nevertheless, Muir's writing remains eminently readable and the passion with which he regards his beloved wild spaces shines through even the driest of scientific analysis of the various plant species.
Muir was known to his contemporaries for his work as an activist, promoting the preservation of the wild areas of his beloved America and many of these articles were written with that goal in mind. Reading through them it is no wonder he was able to achieve as much as he did, with the establishing of national parks and encouraging organisations like the Sierra Club. It is hard to imagine anyone reading this at the time and not being moved to at least consider that this man had it right.
Muir was known to his contemporaries for his work as an activist, promoting the preservation of the wild areas of his beloved America and many of these articles were written with that goal in mind. Reading through them it is no wonder he was able to achieve as much as he did, with the establishing of national parks and encouraging organisations like the Sierra Club. It is hard to imagine anyone reading this at the time and not being moved to at least consider that this man had it right.
November 27, 2019
Honestly, I know I should have enjoyed this book way more. And there were definitely parts that stood out to me and that I liked. Considering that all the other reviews so far have been positive, I almost feel like I missed something. But I got so tired of reading these essays that towards the end I was almost skimming the pages.
My suspicion is twofold. One, I was anticipating that, since this is a collection of essays written by an notable nature lover who was active in the late 1800s, his writing would be slightly less technical and slightly more poetic and, dare I say, even romantic. But Muir's narrative voice is very matter-of-fact, and although his love for nature and his respect for all flora and fauna are very clear throughout these essays, there's little overt emotional expression of his personal experience with the incredible places he explores. And maybe that's something I need as a reader to fully engage with nonfiction writing.
Two, the editor did not do this collection justice. I would have loved to get more context around what was happening in Muir's life at the time of each essay, for example, or maybe even more historical insights into the places he was visiting. A brief introduction to each essay, perhaps, would have guided and structured the reading experience more effectively.
My suspicion is twofold. One, I was anticipating that, since this is a collection of essays written by an notable nature lover who was active in the late 1800s, his writing would be slightly less technical and slightly more poetic and, dare I say, even romantic. But Muir's narrative voice is very matter-of-fact, and although his love for nature and his respect for all flora and fauna are very clear throughout these essays, there's little overt emotional expression of his personal experience with the incredible places he explores. And maybe that's something I need as a reader to fully engage with nonfiction writing.
Two, the editor did not do this collection justice. I would have loved to get more context around what was happening in Muir's life at the time of each essay, for example, or maybe even more historical insights into the places he was visiting. A brief introduction to each essay, perhaps, would have guided and structured the reading experience more effectively.
December 31, 2024
I enjoyed a lot of these essays. Muir certainly is able to capture the natural beauty of the places he has traveled to and you feel pulled back to a simpler time before many of these sites were viewed as tourist attractions. Without Muir we may not have the National Park system we do today and for that we should all be infinitely grateful. Truly, the setting aside of these awe inspiring places is one of the smartest and most forward thinking things our society has done, and Muir's essays captured the imaginations of millions which had a large role to play in bringing that goal to life.
However, Muir's opinions on native peoples, while not uncommon for his time, definitely stand out. I don't mention this to suggest he was uniquely bigoted, but he definitely was prejudiced and any review of his work that fails to acknowledge that fact would be lacking. Something to certainly keep in mind if you choose to dive into his writings which I do think are ultimately worthwhile and historically relevant.
However, Muir's opinions on native peoples, while not uncommon for his time, definitely stand out. I don't mention this to suggest he was uniquely bigoted, but he definitely was prejudiced and any review of his work that fails to acknowledge that fact would be lacking. Something to certainly keep in mind if you choose to dive into his writings which I do think are ultimately worthwhile and historically relevant.
March 2, 2025
What a joy to read. I knew a little about John Muir from visits to Yosemite National Park and from various history lessons. I wasn't really sure what to expect when I got this book in my hands. John Muir tells of his times in the wilderness, traveling between California, Oregon, Washington, Utah, and the Grand Canyon. His musings about the places he visited are very relevant to today. The way this book was written is very poetic in places.
I do have to say that I wish the editors of this book would have included some background information on what Muir was doing as an intro to each chapter. That would've gone a long way to bringing this book even more to life.
Recommended.
I do have to say that I wish the editors of this book would have included some background information on what Muir was doing as an intro to each chapter. That would've gone a long way to bringing this book even more to life.
Recommended.
May 29, 2023
“Exceeds expectations.” I read this book over the course of a couple of years, reading an essay in between other books. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Muir’s writing. I was expecting some heavy philosophical musings such as Thoreau, but Muir had a very descriptive, yet simple and upbeat style to his observations of the many places in the West that he visited. I would definitely read these essays in prep for a visit to any of the places that he writes about.
September 28, 2023
The subject matter can be a little ‘boring’ but his writing style and vocabulary are not. Here’s a sentence I only WISH I could come up with as a writer: “It is all so fine and orderly that it would seem that not only had the clouds and streams been kept harmoniously busy in the making of it, but that every raindrop sent like a bullet to a mark had been the subject of a separate thought, so sure is the outcome of beauty through the stormy centuries. “ — John Muir, Steep Trails
May 22, 2022
I love John Muir, I really do. That being said, I would not say that this is his best work. I loved his history of natural worlds and his biblical description of American landscapes, but his racism is pretty noticeable in this work as he begins ranting about the inferiority of a specific tribe of native Americans. Product of his time I guess???
November 2, 2019
A wonderful collection of letters about Nevada, Utah, Washington, Oregon, the Grand Canyon, among other special places.
July 25, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, reading Muir's descriptions of the Pacific Northwest that has been my home for the last 33 years, and the Great Basin/Utah of my childhood.
October 24, 2022
He does have a poetic turn of phrase but I think he really liked to hear himself talk.
April 5, 2025
Read it with iPad open to GoogleEarth....some places I was familiar with, many I wasn't. Enjoyed the trip on Google Earth.
February 5, 2026
Bit heavy to go through but a peaceful read. Moved to Sydney from Washington and wanted to reminisce about the landscape of my home
February 23, 2026
"The mountains are fountains not only of rivers and fertile soil, but of men. Therefore we are all, in some sense, mountaineers, and going to the mountains is going home" - John Muir
July 19, 2023
I love Muir’s prose, but that’s about it for this one.
December 12, 2013
This is a collection of miscellanea and some of it is robustly scientific surveys and some is narrative adventure, and some is a lively mix of both. Muir is an amazing polymath who can make prodigious lists of the flora, fauna and geology of wherever he is, but he also injects a sensuous quality to whatever he writing that really puts you in a snowstorm atop Mount Shasta or the frontier town of Salt Lake City. He can write about the waterways of Washington in a way that is almost erotic. The longest piece here on the Grand Canyon flies by as quick a read as a jaunt up Rainier. If you have traveled the West or would like to, you will find this a rare treat of escapism.
March 28, 2013
Muir writes a poetic guide book to the West: California, Nevada, the Grand Canyon, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. He paints a picture of each region in stunning detail that gives you a picture of what these places looked like to him, exploring flora, fauna, geology, and history. His comments about he Mormons are just hilarious! Especially if you know them.
March 24, 2009
This book got me into Muir. I've read every book he has written since. This is a book of short stories or recounts of some of Muir's travels. You can see the places he visited through his eyes as they were back then. An enjoyable read.
March 2, 2011
Muir paints a vivid landscape with his descriptions. I am drawn to his wonderful musings such as, "Going to the mountains is going home."
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews