Explore the Berryessa Snow Mountain Region with New Illustrated Guidebook

February 11, 2026

Join Bob Schneider, one of the authors of "Exploring the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument Region" at the Avid Reader Bookstore in Davis on Thursday, March 19 from 6:30 - 7:30 PM. This is your opportunity to meet with one of the authors of this new book showcasing the incredible Berryessa Snow Mountain Region.


“Exploring the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument Region” is a newly released guidebook that helps you explore and learn about this extraordinary yet under-recognized region in our own backyard. Located in the northern Coast Ranges between the Central Valley and the Pacific Coast, this region has world renowned geology, extraordinary biodiversity, and rich cultural history, a story unlike any other in California. It is a wild expanse of steep canyons, ancient subduction zones, uplifted ocean crust, extraordinary biological hotspots, and traditional home to many Native peoples—all within a short drive of the Bay Area and Sacramento. In one day’s drive, you can get sweeping views of Clear Lake from Bartlett Mountain Summit, pick up rocks formed on the ocean floor, drive through spectacular wildflower displays in Bear Valley, see tule elk and bald eagles, and soak in historic Wilbur Hot Springs.


Science fiction author and longtime California observer Kim Stanley Robinson notes, “Every bioregion deserves a book this good, but very few have them,” adding that the book’s cross-disciplinary approach creates “a kind of bedrock for a living relationship between active readers and the land we live on.” Jim Smith, long-time editor of The Daily Democrat in Woodland, says “It will captivate any reader who wants to know more about where we live and how to get out and explore nature’s marvelous diversity.”

Richly illustrated with color photographs, maps, and sidebars, the book brings the region’s stories to life, including Native diversity and history; 19th century mining, health resorts, and farming; rare plants and animals, wildlife habitat connectivity, and fire ecology; and the geological history of the region. Detailed driving routes take readers deep into remote areas along public roads, highlighting the land’s natural, cultural, and geological wonders—perfect for day trips. 


Whether you are a naturalist, hiker, student, traveler, educator, or simply curious about Northern California’s wild heart, this book offers a rich, inspiring gateway into a landscape that is both globally significant and profoundly personal. Available now from Backcountry Press - https://backcountrypress.com/book/exploring-the-berryessa-region/ . For more information about the book, contact Marc Hoshovsky at mhoshovsky@gmail.com

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