I’m John Soares, and I’m always interested in appearing in quality media: print, radio, television, podcasts, websites, and more. Read on, and if we’re a good fit, send me an email: John [at] NorthernCaliforniaHikingTrails.com.
What I Know
I’ve spend much of my adult life exploring the outdoors and writing about it. I’m especially qualified to share information and advice about:
- Dispersed camping and boondocking in the United States
- Best places to hike in Northern California, including in and near Lassen Volcanic National Park, the Mount Shasta area, the Trinity Alps, and Redwood National & State Parks
- How to hike safely and enjoyably, especially for beginning and intermediate hikers and walkers
- How to enjoy time in nature, and why it’s important
John Soares Bio
Guidebook author and freelance writer John Soares is a Northern California native who grew up near Redding. John is the author of several books, including Camp for Free: Dispersed Camping & Boondocking on America’s Public Lands, 100 Classic Hikes: Northern California, and Hike the Parks: Redwood National & State Parks.
John first began hiking as a kid in the foothills outside of Anderson, California. By his mid-teens his hiking obsession led him into the nearby mountains. John has hiked all over Northern California and other parts of the American West, and he’s also explored trails in Canada, Europe, Mexico, and Central America.
John holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and a master’s degree in political science, both from the University of California, Davis. He taught college-level political science courses for several years, but has earned the bulk of his income as a writer.
John has lived in Redding, Chico, Davis, Alameda, Crescent City, and Mount Shasta, plus Kauai and Sweden. He currently lives near Mount Shasta in upper Northern California.
———–
My Media Appearances
I’ve been a frequent guest on radio, television, and podcasts, and I’ve had many articles written about me and my books in newspapers and magazines. In addition, I’ve written dozens of articles for VIA, Sunset, and numerous newspapers and magazines. Some representative samples:
Podcasts and Radio
America Outdoors Radio: “Dispersed Camping and John’s book Camp for Free”
Jefferson Public Radio: “Local Author Guides Us To Free Camping”
Jefferson Public Radio: “Sneaking Up On The Redwoods On Foot”
Jefferson Public Radio: “Hiker Shares His Favorite NorCal Hikes”
North State Public Radio: “Nancy’s Bookshelf: John Soares”
KHUM, Humboldt County: “Great Hiking”
Television
KRCR Channel 7, Redding
KHSL Channel 12, Chico
Medford Mail Tribune: “Tips for camping during the pandemic”
San Francisco Chronicle: “Great Diablo views from Briones Peak”
California Sun: “California Wonders: Far North”
Chico News & Review: “Exploring His Heartland”
Red Bluff Daily News: “New hiking guidebooks feature numerous local trails”
Siskiyou Daily News: “New hiking guidebooks feature local trails”
Ashland Tidings: “The trail whisperer: Ashland resident unveils new day hike book Thursday”
Klamath News & Herald: “Trails and Tales with John Soares”
My Books
These are my current books (scroll down for photos of book covers).
Camp for Free: Dispersed Camping & Boondocking on America’s Public Lands (Get Outside Press: 2020)
On this website
On Amazon
Hike the Parks: Redwood National & State Parks (Mountaineers Books: 2019)
On this website
On Amazon
100 Classic Hikes: Northern California, fourth edition (Mountaineers Books: 2018)
On this website
On Amazon
Day Hiking: Mount Shasta, Lassen & Trinity Alps Regions (Mountaineers Books: 2018)
On this website
On Amazon
Urban Trails: Sacramento (Mountaineers Books: March, 2021)
On Amazon
About NorthernCaliforniaHikingTrails.com
I created NorthernCaliforniaHikingTrails.com in 2009 so I could share information about hiking trails in the North State, and also tips for enjoying the wilderness safely and responsibly. The site has grown dramatically and is now a key resource for Northern California residents and visitors.
Linking to NorthernCaliforniaHikingTrails.com
Links are always welcome. They can be to the homepage or to pages for specific books (see above).
My Other Websites
John Writes: I create a variety of content for business and nonprofits.
Productive Writers: my website for freelance writers and book authors.
Northern California Hiking Trails Facebook page
Photos
The photos below are lower resolution suitable for websites. Under each you’ll find a link to a high-resolution photo suitable for print publication.
Camp for Free: high resolution
100 Classic Hikes: high resolution
Redwood National & State Parks: high resolution
Day Hiking Mount Shasta, Lassen & Trinity Alps Regions: high resolution
Urban Trails Sacramento: high resolution

Other Photos
I can often supply specific photos to accompany an article or blog post.
Contact Me
Ready? Send me an email: john [at] northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com