Imagine hiking along a wooded trail near San Francisco and stumbling upon the stone foundation of a crumbled building, the wooden slats of the walls caved in, the ironwork of the hinges still dangling on the burned out door. This discovery piques your interest—what is this? What’s its significance? How can you find out? Enter Hiking through History San Francisco Bay Area: Exploring the Region's Past by Trail. Make no mistake—this is a hiking book first and foremost, complete with rich photos and detailed maps, but with added extras and sidebars detailing enough historical information to satisfy every curiosity along the way. Tracy Salcedo-Chourré is the author of twelve Best Easy Day Hikes guides, including four to the San Francisco Bay area, as well as Best Hikes Near Reno and Lake Tahoe and Hiking Lassen Volcanic National Park (all FalconGuides). She lives in Glenn Ellen, California.