This is the third edition of Trails of the Lost Valley Area. The first edition was originally published in 1981 as part of the creation of Lost Valley’s Hiking Program. The original promotional material for the Hiking Program expresses its philosophy quite well:

“There was a time when the only way to see Lost Valley was on foot. Today hiking is still the only way to really see Lost Valley and the primitive backcountry that surrounds us. Part of what makes Lost Valley what it is -- the wilderness around us. If we pass it by we miss an important part of what we have to offer here. It seemed to us that too many boys were coming to Lost Valley and not seeing any more of it than their campsite, the Trading Post, and maybe the lake. We wanted to let them discover all they could of our valley and the area around it and so we created our Hiking Program.”

The idea of recreational hiking at camp proved successful. During its first ten seasons, nearly 4,000 Scouts and Scouters hiked over 12,000 miles on the trails of the Lost Valley area.

Of course hiking was nothing new at Lost Valley in 1981. There had been scheduled hikes and trail programs since the earliest days of camp. Lost Valley’s first trail guide was compiled back around 1970 -- a little four-page booklet called the Hiker’s Guide to the Trails of the Lost Valley Area. It’s not the most useful guide book, but it did help inspire this one.

The trails described in this book represent the best-known and best-marked trails in the area. There are innumerable other hiking opportunities here (some of which are discussed in a final section), but their routes must be blazed through trial and error.

The trails of the Lost Valley area offer a variety of places to explore . . . from mountain peaks to deep desert canyons, from a natural swimming hole to the tiniest of springs, and plenty of secluded spots for overnight camping. Most of the trails are short, but by connecting them together, long loop hikes or rugged backcountry trips are possible.

But getting there should always be half the fun--if not more. There are always new things to see, new places to explore. Allow yourself the time to look, to listen, to discover.

The trail descriptions here are not meant to be step-by-step accounts of each trail, but rather rambling sketches of the history, terrain, flora, geography, vistas, and landmarks along the way. Existing place names have been used wherever possible -- both the names used by the old timers, and the names given by Scouts over the last 30-odd years.

Now this guide has gone on-line, but after more than two decades, its goal is still the same -- the encourage everyone to get out and explore a little more of the wonderful wilderness that helps to make Lost Valley such a special place.