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Best Books for Outdoorsy People: Top Adventure Reads for 2025

Whether you're shopping for an outdoorsy friend or looking for your next trail read, this guide highlights the best adventure and nature books of 2025. Perfect for hikers, travelers, backpackers, and anyone who loves wild places.

Best Books for Outdoorsy People: Top Adventure Reads for 2025
Books and camp mornings just go together: the coziest way to ease into a new day on trail or at your favorite campsite.

Looking for the perfect book for an outdoorsy, adventurous soul? Here are the top adventure and nature reads of 2025! They're ideal for hikers, backpackers, travelers, and anyone who loves wild places.

If you’re shopping for an outdoorsy friend, or you are the outdoorsy friend, chances are you love a good book almost as much as a good trail. Whether you’re curled up in a tent during a storm, resting sore legs after a long hike, or daydreaming about your next big adventure, the right book can spark something special.

Close-up of someone sitting by a rocky shoreline reading a book with sunlight reflecting off the water.
A quiet shoreline, a warm jacket, and a good book create the perfect moment for any outdoorsy reader. It's such a magical time.

This guide brings together the best books for outdoorsy, adventurous people in 2025. It's filled with gripping survival stories, transformative nature writing, scientific deep dives, and uplifting memoirs from people who live wild, intentional lives. Some titles are brand-new. Some are timeless classics. All of them are perfect gifts for hikers, backpackers, travelers, and nature lovers.

Best Adventure Memoirs for the Trail-Obsessed

These are the books that make you want to plan a thru-hike, buy a plane ticket, or finally commit to that dream expedition. Personal, vulnerable, and full of grit: adventure memoirs always resonate with outdoorsy folks.

Running with Sherman by Christopher McDougall

Book cover of Running with Sherman by Christopher McDougall, featuring a donkey walking through green grass under a bright blue sky.
Running with Sherman is a joyful, uplifting story about a rescue donkey who becomes an unlikely running partner, and the community that rallies around him.

From the bestselling author of Born to Run, this book follows Christopher McDougall as he helps rehabilitate a rescue donkey and ends up training him for a burro race. It’s funny, tender, and deeply uplifting, perfect for outdoor lovers who enjoy stories about animals, resilience, and unexpected adventure.

Sixty Meters to Anywhere by Brendan Leonard

Book cover of Sixty Meters to Anywhere by Brendan Leonard, featuring a climber coiling rope in a grassy field under a hazy sky.
Brendan Leonard’s Sixty Meters to Anywhere is a heartfelt story about recovering from addiction and finding purpose through climbing and wild places.

Brendan Leonard shares his journey through recovery, identity, and finding purpose in climbing. Honest, funny, and deeply human, this is a perfect read for anyone who sees the outdoors as a place to start over, or simply wants a story that’ll stick with them long after the last page.

The Sun is a Compass by Caroline Van Hemert

Cover of The Sun Is a Compass by Caroline Van Hemert, showing a kayaker paddling toward an iceberg with birds flying overhead.
Caroline Van Hemert’s The Sun Is a Compass is a stunning, 4,000-mile human-powered journey through Alaska; full of wildlife, grit, and breathtaking wilderness.

Caroline Van Hemert and her partner traverse some of the most remote terrain in North America by foot, packraft, canoe, and ski. This book is part adventure epic, part love letter to the natural world. Ideal for readers obsessed with Alaska, wildlife, or long-distance expeditions.

A Walk in the Park by Kevin Fedarko

Book cover of A Walk in the Park by Kevin Fedarko, featuring illustrated hikers on a cliff above the Grand Canyon at sunrise.
Kevin Fedarko’s A Walk in the Park is a hilarious, humbling, and awe-filled journey through the Grand Canyon. Perfect for anyone who loves big landscapes, misadventure, and the wild spirit of the Southwest.

Kevin Fedarko chronicles an ambitious, often disastrous attempt to walk the entire length of the Grand Canyon; a journey full of mishaps, awe, and some of the most vivid canyon storytelling ever written. It’s perfect for adventure lovers who appreciate rugged landscapes, real human vulnerability, and a whole lot of humor in the face of suffering.

Solo by Jenny Tough

Cover of Solo by Jenny Tough, showing illustrated runners following a winding trail through mountains.
Jenny Tough’s Solo is an empowering memoir about running alone across continents and discovering strength, courage, and self-trust in the wild.

Jenny Tough’s story blends endurance adventure with personal growth as she completes solo runs on every continent. It’s an empowering, beautifully honest book about pushing limits, trusting yourself, and discovering what you’re capable of when you’re truly on your own.

Best Nature Writing Books for 2025

For readers who love descriptive prose, deep thought, and the kind of writing that feels like walking into a quiet forest at dawn. These books explore ecology, place-based storytelling, and the human connection to the natural world.

The Sonoran Desert: A Literary Field Guide

Cover of The Sonoran Desert: A Literary Field Guide with illustrated desert wildlife, plants, insects, and scientific sketches.
A creative blend of natural history and poetry, this literary field guide celebrates the plants, animals, and stories that define the Sonoran Desert.

Part natural history, part poetry collection, this book offers a lyrical, imaginative tour through the Sonoran Desert’s wildlife, plants, and ecosystems. It’s a stunning companion for desert lovers who enjoy reading about nature through both scientific and artistic lenses.

A Most Remarkable Creature: The Hidden Life and Epic Journey of the World's Smartest Birds of Prey

Book cover of A Most Remarkable Creature by Jonathan Meiburg, featuring an illustrated caracara bird on a cream background.
A fascinating exploration of the caracara, one of the world’s most intelligent birds of prey- part travelogue, part biology, and full of adventure.

An exploration of the intelligent, curious caracara- one of the world’s smartest birds of prey -told through travel writing, natural history, and gripping storytelling. Perfect for wildlife lovers and readers who enjoy big, adventurous science narratives.

The Desert Smells Like Rain: A Naturalist in O'odham Country

Cover of The Desert Smells Like Rain by Gary Paul Nabhan, showing a desert landscape under storm clouds with lightning.
A timeless classic honoring the Sonoran Desert and the ecological knowledge of the Tohono O’odham people—rich, thoughtful, and beautifully grounded in place.

A classic of nature writing and ethnobiology, this book explores the Sonoran Desert through the traditions and ecological knowledge of the Tohono O’odham people. It’s gentle, wise, and full of sensory detail that desert readers adore.

Top Books About Desert Landscapes and the American Southwest

The American Southwest inspires some of the most vivid writing in modern nature pieces that are wild, harsh, colorful, and full of spirit.

Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey

Book cover of Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey, featuring red rock landscapes and twisted juniper branches.
Edward Abbey’s iconic memoir of life as an Arches National Park ranger. Fiery, poetic, rebellious, and essential for lovers of the American Southwest.

A cornerstone of American nature writing, Abbey’s memoir of life as an Arches National Park ranger is fiery, poetic, rebellious, and deeply rooted in desert landscapes. It’s essential reading for anyone who loves the Southwest.

Ranger Confidential by Andrea Lankford

Book cover of Ranger Confidential by Andrea Lankford, featuring a worn NPS ranger hat on a textured background.
A raw and riveting behind-the-scenes look at the lives of National Park rangers; full of rescues, danger, humor, and the realities of protecting America’s public lands.

This behind-the-scenes memoir pulls back the curtain on life as a National Park Service ranger: the rescues, the heartbreak, the danger, the bureaucracy, and the deep love for America’s public lands. It’s gripping, funny, and perfect for anyone curious about what really happens in our national parks. Most of this book happens in the Grand Canyon National Park.

Books for Wildlife Lovers & Amateur Naturalists

For the outdoorsy folks who stop to photograph every bird, bug, or pika they meet on trail. These books blend biology, behavior, conservation, and storytelling.

Southwest Foraging by John Slattery

Cover of Southwest Foraging by John Slattery, featuring close-up prickly pear fruit on a cactus pad.
An essential field guide to 117 edible plants of the Southwest, offering clear identification tips and delicious ways to bring wild foods into your outdoor life.

A wonderful, accessible field guide to the edible plants of the American Southwest. Slattery breaks down 117 wild foods, from prickly pear to mesquite, with tips on identification, harvesting, and preparation. A must-read for curious hikers and desert explorers.

The American Pika by Deirdre Denali Rosenberg

Cover of The American Pika: Notes From the Field by Deirdre Denali Rosenberg, featuring a pika illuminated by soft backlight while perched on a rocky outcrop.
A stunning blend of photography and field notes exploring the secretive lives, challenges, and charm of the American pika: a love letter to alpine wildlife.

A stunning visual and ecological look at the American pika, blending intimate photography with thoughtful field notes from years in the alpine. This book captures the beauty, personality, and conservation challenges of one of North America’s most beloved mountain species.

The Saguaro Cactus by Yetman, Burquez, Hultine & Sanderson

Book cover of The Saguaro Cactus: A Natural History showing towering saguaros silhouetted against a vivid desert sunset.
A beautifully illustrated deep dive into the iconic saguaro cactus, its ecology, cultural significance, and the desert world it supports.

An in-depth, beautifully presented exploration of the iconic saguaro cactus: its ecology, cultural significance, life cycle, and the desert ecosystem it anchors. Ideal for desert lovers and natural history readers.

Best Books for Hikers, Backpackers, and Long-Distance Walkers

Gear guides are great, but books that teach us from others' experience the backcountry are next-level. These are fantastic choices for curious readers.

Mud Rocks Blazes by Heather Anderson

Cover of Mud, Rocks, Blazes by Heather “Anish” Anderson, showing a forest trail at sunrise.
Thru-hiker Heather “Anish” Anderson shares an intimate, introspective look at her Appalachian Trail journey, exploring resilience, self-trust, and the emotional side of long-distance hiking.

Record-breaking thru-hiker Heather Anderson shares the emotional and spiritual side of trekking the Appalachian Trail. Raw, honest, and introspective, this book highlights the internal journey of long-distance hiking as much as the miles themselves.

Campfire Stories with Steve Rinella by Meateater

Cover of Meateater’s Campfire Stories by Steven Rinella, featuring a glowing campfire overlooking a mountain sunset.
A lively collection of real-world outdoor tales. From wildlife encounters to narrow escapes, these stories are all about capturing the humor, wonder, and unpredictability of wilderness adventure.

A fun, gripping collection of real-life outdoor stories from the Meateater crew! Full of wildlife encounters, close calls, lessons learned, and the magic of swapping tales around a fire. Perfect for adventurous readers who love wilderness storytelling.

Adventure Ready by Katie Gerber & Heather Anderson

Book cover of Adventure Ready by Katie Gerber and Heather Anderson, showing a hiker walking a stone trail toward alpine peaks.
A practical, motivating guide to planning, training, and building resilience for big hiking adventures, written by two accomplished long-distance hikers.

A practical, empowering guide to preparing for big hikes and backpacking trips, written by two seasoned long-distance hikers. This book covers planning, training, food, mindset, and resiliency, this is ideal for hikers gearing up for their next big adventure.

Outdoor Fiction: Novels for Adventure-Loving Readers

Not every outdoorsy read needs to be nonfiction. Some of the best stories that celebrate adventure and nature live in fiction! Novels set in wild landscapes, survival-driven narratives, mysteries rooted in mountain towns, or desert-set literary fiction. To be honest, most of Peter Heller's novels fit the bill here!

The Last Ranger by Peter Heller

Book cover of The Last Ranger by Peter Heller, showing a silhouetted wolf against a painted mountain landscape.
A gripping wilderness mystery set in Yellowstone, The Last Ranger blends conservation tensions, small-town conflict, and Peter Heller’s signature poetic writing.

A literary thriller set in Yellowstone, The Last Ranger follows a thoughtful, wilderness-loving park ranger navigating poaching tensions, small-town politics, and the complexities of conservation. It’s atmospheric, beautifully written, and perfect for readers who want mystery wrapped in wild landscapes.

Desert Places by Blake Crouch

Cover of Desert Places by Blake Crouch, showing a lonely desert highway at night under red, moody skies.
A dark and gripping desert thriller filled with psychological tension, isolation, and Blake Crouch’s signature fast-paced storytelling.

A dark, fast-paced thriller set against stark desert landscapes. Blake Crouch delivers tension, psychological twists, and a sense of isolation that will grip adventure readers who love high-stakes storytelling. There is a sequel to this book, called Locked Doors.

The Guide by Peter Heller

Book cover of The Guide by Peter Heller, featuring a river flowing through a lush mountain valley.
A tense and atmospheric novel set at an exclusive fishing lodge, The Guide blends suspense with Peter Heller’s immersive, nature-rich prose.

A suspenseful, beautifully written wilderness mystery set along a high-end fishing lodge in Durango, Colorado. Peter Heller blends landscape, tension, and quiet introspection into a novel that’s perfect for nature-loving fiction readers.

Why Books Make the Best Gifts for Outdoorsy People

Books travel easily. They slip into a backpack or live in a truck camper. They inspire new adventures and deepen our relationship with the natural world. And honestly? They’re meaningful, personal gifts, especially for hikers and outdoor lovers who may not have room for more gear.

Whether you're picking out a title for a desert hiker, a backpacker, a national park lover, or someone who spends more time outside than inside, there’s a book on this list that will light them up.

Kindle & Audible: The Best Way to Read on Trail

When you’re backpacking or traveling light, physical books can feel like luxury items: heavy, space-hogging, and easy to ruin with one unexpected rainstorm. That’s where the Amazon Kindle app and Audible shine for outdoorsy readers.

The Kindle app lets you carry an entire library on your phone or lightweight e-reader without adding a single ounce to your pack. Whether you’re tucked into your sleeping bag or waiting for water to boil, it’s the easiest way to enjoy a great book miles from the trailhead.

Audible is another trail favorite, especially on long mileage days. Audiobooks pair beautifully with quiet forest miles, desert roads, or repetitive climbs. They can turn a tough section into something meditative, fun, or inspiring and they let you stay immersed in a story while keeping your eyes and hands free.

Both apps also let you download titles offline, which is essential when you’re deep in the backcountry. If you love books but don’t want the weight, going digital is one of the simplest adventure upgrades you can make.

Turning the Page

Reading is one of the easiest ways to stay connected to wild places when you can't physically be out there. Whether you want escapism, knowledge, inspiration, or just a good story, these adventure and nature books are perfect companions for 2025.

A rock climber ascending a cliff while their belayer sits in a camp chair reading a book overlooking a coastal landscape.
The perfect balance of adventure and downtime, right?

This article is independent of the supplier and reflects my own opinions. Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission if purchases are made through those links at no additional cost to you.

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