Books by Johnny Molloy

Book SynopsisDiscover 40 five-star hiking trails in and around Johnson City, Kingsport, and Bristol, including popular routes and hidden gems. From high mountains to the east and south to the historic walks in Tennessee, the Tri-Cities of Tennessee and Virginia are a hiker’s nirvana. This region offers hundreds of miles of trails to explore in and around Johnson City, Kingsport, and Bristol, as well as the surrounding areas of Abingdon, Elizabethton, Greeneville, and Rogersville. Drawing from a wealth of trails on vast public lands and encompassing the Cherokee, Jefferson, and Pisgah national forests, the mosaic of hikes reflects the wide variety of terrain. State parks preserve beautiful places to visit, and urban parks provide quick, easy nature escapes. The Appalachian Trail, the most heralded and hiked footpath in our country, curves within range of the Tri-Cities for nearly 70 miles. Explore 40 of the region’s best, five-star trails with this easy-to-carry and easy-to-use guidebook. In the updated edition, acclaimed author and hiking expert Johnny Molloy shares everything you need to know about the area’s spectacular outings, from convenient suburban greenways to wilderness treks at an elevation of 6,000 feet. Inside you’ll find: Descriptions of 40 five-star hiking trails for all levels and interests GPS-based trail maps, elevation profiles, and detailed directions to trailheads Insight into the history, flora, and fauna of the routes Ratings for scenery, difficulty, trail condition, solitude, and accessibility for children Lace up, grab your pack, and hit the trail!Table of ContentsOverview Map Overview Map Key Preface Recommended Hikes Introduction Greater Johnson City Hickey Fork Loop Big Firescald Loop Margarette Falls Old Forge Loop Squibb Creek Falls Buckeye Falls Sill Branch Falls Loop Lower Higgins Creek Falls and Hidden Lake High Rocks Vista Rock Creek Falls Emerald Forest Walk Nolichucky Gorge Loop Gardens of Roan and Roan High Bluff Roan Mountain Highlands Hike Overmountain Victory Trail Behrend Trail at Roan Mountain State Park Falls of Upper Laurel Fork Laurel Falls Watauga Lake Hike Views from Vandeventer Pinnacle Tower Hike Buffalo Mountain Persimmon Ridge Park Greater Kingsport Fall Creek Loop at Warriors Path State Park Kingsport Greenbelt Bays Mountain Lake Loop Bays Mountain Tower Loop Falls of Laurel Run Natural Tunnel Devil’s Bathtub Falls of Little Stony Greater Bristol Great Channels of Virginia Feathercamp Loop Damascus Loop Backbone Rock Gentry Creek Falls Cross Mountain Hike Flint Rock from Holston High Knob Beaver Creek Knobs Loop Lakeside Trail Appendix A: Outdoor Retailers Appendix B: Hiking Clubs Index About the Author Map Legend

Read more less

Book SynopsisYour Simple Guide to Essential Camping Skills Camping is both thrilling and relaxing. It’s a wonderful way to escape from everyday life and to connect with nature. The beauty, the solitude, the campfire, the wildlife—it’s a perfect opportunity to recharge your mind, body, and spirit. But if you’ve never gone before or if you’ve only camped a few times, the idea might seem intimidating. Worry not; you can get started with the right information. Expert camper and outdoors enthusiast Johnny Molloy gives you all that you need to know in a simple, concise, quick guide. Make the most of your overnight adventures by putting Johnny’s wisdom to use. Pitch your tent in the correct spot. Deal with bugs, rain, and other unpleasantries with ease. Johnny leads you through the steps and considerations to maximize your experience, from choosing a destination and packing gear to food storage and animal safety. His expertise comes from more than 4,500 nights in a tent, in locations that range from Alaska to Florida. Special sections within this skills guide explain how to build a fire and also provide a checklist of essential items to bring along. Perhaps the most valuable part of the entire booklet is Johnny’s “Top 10 Pieces of Camping Advice.” You’ll learn about weather safety, what to do when nature calls, the best practices for camping with kids and/or your dog, and more. Good camping skills lead to the best outdoors experiences. So take the “rough” out of “roughing it.” Keep Johnny’s information on hand; the pocket-sized guide is easy to bring along. Then enjoy all that the natural world has to offer.Table of ContentsCamping Skills Intro Author Bio Assembling Your Camping Group Where to Go Tent Camping Before You Go: Preparing for Your Camping Trip Tents, Sleeping Bags, Pads, and Pillows Camping Site Selection Around the Campfire Cooking and Food Storage Water Sources/Purification Animal Safety Dealing with Bugs Weather Safety Camping Tech When Nature Calls/Hygiene Camping Etiquette Camping with Kids Camping with Your Dog After Your Camping Trip Tent Camping Checklist Johnny’s Top 10 Pieces of Camping Advice How to Build a Fire

Read more less

Book SynopsisFew hikers know the North Georgia Mountains as well as Johnny Molloy. In 50 stunning trails, he’ll take you to waterfalls, overlooks, gigantic trees, historic sites, and landmarks such as Tallulah Gorge, Raven Cliff Falls, and the Chattooga River. In a region with an incredible wealth of hiking options, Molloy outlines his picks for the most worthwhile routes, providing options for day, overnight, and multi-day hikes for explorers of every skill level. This fully updated 4th edition of 50 Hikes in the North Georgia Mountains features 5 brand new trails, detailed maps, clear and concise directions, and expert tips for enjoying every moment of your hike—whether you’re looking for sublime mountaintop views, peaceful walks through nature, or your next great challenge. Including full-color photographs and maps, this is the perfect book to help you plan the ultimate Georgia outdoor adventure!

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhether you’re looking for a sun-splashed jaunt amid mangroves and strangler figs, an exhilarating trek across palmetto prairies, or a detour down forgotten roads into years past, Day Hiking Southwest Florida has the perfect outdoor adventure. Johnny Molloy shares forty of his favourite “front country” hikes through city, county, and state parks and their surrounding wild lands.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the coastal bluffs of the Panhandle to the wild Everglades, Backpacking Florida features 40 overnight trail adventures covering a total of 600 miles across the state. Expert outdoorsman Johnny Molloy provides readers with the tools and information they need to unplug and experience Florida’s amazing variety of ecosystems.

Read more less

Book SynopsisNorth Carolina’s state parks reflect the natural abundance and variety in the Tar Heel State, with preserves located in each of the major regions from mountains to coast. With this guide, Johnny Molloy details the best hikes to enjoy in North Carolina’s expanding state parks system.

Read more less

Book SynopsisNow updated with a new predface that examines dramatic changes in his favourite hiking and camping area, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this classic adventure chronicle, which first appeared in 1996, launched the outdoor writing career of Johnny Molloy. The author of over sixty invaluable hiking, camping, and paddling guides to natural destinations all over the country, Molloy has turned irresistible enthusiasm for the great outdoors, evident in this book, into a profound career, dedicated to honouring and celebrating our greatest wild places—and helping others enjoy them as much as he has. In fourteen lively personal essays, Johnny Molloy describes the adventures by which he came of age as a backpacker. Born a “flatlander” in Memphis, he first visited the Smokies while attending the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in the 1980s. Initially, he treated the park as a personal playground—a place to cut loose, break rules, and act irresponsibly. After many hiking excursions, however, he gained a more profound appreciation of the mountains, becoming an avid park volunteer intent on the protection and improvement of the area. He grew, as he puts it, both as an outdoor adventurer and as a human being. Interwoven throughout these pieces is a wealth of Smoky Mountains lore and history along with dozens of tips for novice backpackers. Molloy’s stories encompass backpacking during all four seasons as well as accounts of solo hiking, off-trail hiking, and whitewater canoeing. Whether describing the hazards of crossing a stream in winter or what to do—and not to do—when one encounters a bear or a rattlesnake, Molloy writes with an infectious enthusiasm that will delight any lover of the outdoors.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA hike for every interest and ability!

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisSeasoned hiking author Johnny Molloy details 50 hikes of varied lengths and difficulties throughout verdant South Carolina, from the Chattooga River to the diverse terrain of the Midlands, including Congaree National Park, all the way to the Lowcountry, land of beaches and forgotten swamps and designated wildernesses. Specific emphasis is placed on the most scenic destinations and unique places that make the Palmetto State special. Each hike includes a helpful information section, trail map, trailhead directions, and stunning photographs, with intriguing commentary about the human or natural history along the way.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTennessee’s Cumberland Plateau, a wide tableland cut with a dizzying array of deep gorges, is a geological wonderland. It is a place to behold and savor. This updated second edition covers hikes from the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area near Kentucky to the fascinating Walls of Jericho astride the Alabama state line; from the thousand-foot gorge cut by the mighty Tennessee River down Chattanooga way to the watery beauty of Virgin Falls by Sparta. Specific emphasis is placed on the most scenic destinations and the unique places that make the plateau so special, places like the Great Stone Door, with its sandstone formations and vertical rock walls, and Cumberland Mountain State Park, with its ancient trees and evidence of ancient human history. Also included are comprehensive maps for each hike, scenic photos, and a hikes-at-a-glance table that makes choosing your desired hike a breeze.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn South Carolina, explore from the Chattooga River at the Georgia state line to Jones Gap State Park; and, in North Carolina, journey from the Nantahala National Forest near Robbinsville in the southwest to the wildlands along the Blue Ridge Parkway in the northeast. This guide also includes hikes on the North Carolina side of the Great Smoky Mountains. Some hikes in this book take place on the great Appalachian Trail, the master path of the Appalachians.

Read more less