Robert Paul Stone (born March 10, 1951) is the author, photographer, and publisher of the trail guide series Day Hike Books. Since 1991, Stone has hiked every trail in the Day Hike Book series, covering thousands of miles of trails throughout the western United States and Hawaii. He has self-published more than 30 hiking guides in the series, many of them in their third, fourth, fifth, or sixth editions. Stone summers in the Rocky Mountains of Montana and winters on the California Central Coast.
Career Stone was born in Los Angeles in 1951. In 1981, he relocated to Red Lodge, Montana, where he started his own real estate business. In 1991, he began to write, publish, market, and distribute local trail guide booklets for Red Lodge and Yellowstone National Park. The pamphlets were so successful that in 1992, he struck a distribution deal for future books with ICS Books, a major publishing house. Subsequently, Stone left the real estate industry and devoted himself full-time to researching, writing, and publishing substantial trail guides. In 1997, ICS was bought out by Globe Pequot Press, who continued to distribute his books. Presently, he self-publishes and is distributed through National Book Network. Stone has written, revised, and published 31 guides for trails in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, California, and Hawaii, 20 of them currently in print and as eBooks. Stone frequently updates his books, seeking new trails and improvements of previous editions.
Writing style
Stone writes for everyone, from the novice to the veteran hiker, with day hikes ranging from half a mile to 12 miles in length. Trail guides for each hike include an informational summary, detailed instructions of location and directions to the trailhead, a concise description of each hike, distance of the trail, approximate length in time of the hike, elevation gain, exposure, level of difficulty, whether dogs are allowed, reference to pertinent USGS maps, and specific interlinking maps. Each book contains a well-organized Table of Contents and a comprehensive Index. Stone's writing style is simple and direct. His descriptions are clear and precise, so as not to confuse the reader. He aims to get hikers on the trail and keep them from getting lost.
Recognition
Stone is a Los Angeles Times Best Selling Author. Various professional outdoor writers groups have repeatedly honored him with organizational awards: He is an author of the Bay Area Travel Writers (BATW), an award-winning author of the Northwest Outdoor Writers Association (NOWA), an active member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA), an author of the Outdoor Writers Association of California (OWAC), and an author of the Rocky Mountain Outdoor Writers and Photographers (RMOWP).
Works
Day Hikes In Denver, Colorado, 1st Edition, 1995, Day Hikes In Aspen, Colorado, 1st Edition, 1996, Day Hikes On St. Martín, 1st Edition, 1996, Day Hikes In Boulder, Colorado, 2nd Edition, 1997, Day Hikes In Steamboat Springs, Colorado, 2nd Edition, 1997, Day Hikes In Summit County, Colorado, 2nd Edition, 1997, Day Hikes Around Lake Tahoe, 1st Edition, 1997, Day Hikes In Sequoia And Kings Canyon National Parks, 1st Edition, 2001, Day Hikes On Oahu, 3rd Edition, 2001, Day Hikes On Maui, 3rd Edition, 2001, Day Hikes On Kauai, 3rd Edition, 2001, Day Hikes On The California Southern Coast, 1st Edition, 2004, Day Hikes Around Yellowstone National Park, 4th Edition, 2005, Day Hikes Around Sedona, 2nd Edition, 2006, Day Hikes In Hawaii: Kauai, Maui, & Oahu, 1st Edition, 2006, Day Hikes Around Napa Valley, 1st Edition, 2008, Day Hikes On The California Central Coast, 1st Edition, 2009, Day Hikes In Yosemite National Park, 3rd Edition, 2009, Day Hikes Around Bozeman, Montana, 4th Edition, 2011, Day Hikes In The Beartooth Mountains, 5th Edition, 2012, Day Hikes In The Santa Monica Mountains, 1st Edition, 2012, Day Hikes Around Missoula, Montana, 4th Edition, 2013, Day Hikes Around Monterey And Carmel, 2nd Edition, 2013, Day Hikes Around Big Sur, 2nd Edition, 2014, Day Hikes In Grand Teton National Park, 5th Edition, 2014, Day Hikes Around San Luis Obispo, 3rd Edition, 2015, Day Hikes Around Los Angeles, 6th Edition, 2015, Day Hikes Around Sonoma County, 2nd Edition, 2016, Day Hikes Around Orange County, 2nd Edition, 2017, Day Hikes Around Santa Barbara, 4th Edition, 2018, Day Hikes Around Ventura County, 4th Edition, 2019,
Awards Year Book Organization Rank 2005 Day Hikes Around Yellowstone National Park RMOWP Second 2005 Day Hikes On The California Southern Coast RMOWP Second 2005 Day Hikes Around Orange County RMOWP Second 2006 Day Hikes In The Beartooth Mountains RMOWP Third 2006 Day Hikes Around San Luis Obispo OWAC Second 2006 Day Hikes Around Sedona OWAC Third 2006 Day Hikes In Hawaii: Kauai, Maui, & Oahu OWAC Third 2007 Day Hikes Around Bozeman, Montana NOWA First 2007 Day Hikes Around Bozeman, Montana RMOWP Fourth 2007 Day Hikes Around Sonoma County NOWA First 2007 Day Hikes Around Sonoma County OWAC Conference 2007 Day Hikes Around Sonoma County RMOWP Fourth 2007 Day Hikes In Hawaii: Kauai, Maui, & Oahu RMOWP Third 2008 Day Hikes Around Missoula, Montana RMOWP Second 2008 Day Hikes Around Napa Valley RMOWP First 2008 Day Hikes Around Napa Valley BATW Third 2009 Day Hikes In Yosemite National Park OWAC First 2009 Day Hikes In Yosemite National Park RMOWP Fourth 2009 Day Hikes On The California Central Coast NOWA Third 2009 Day Hikes On The California Central Coast OWAC Second 2009 Day Hikes On The California Central Coast RMOWP Third 2010 Day Hikes Around Santa Barbara OWAC Second 2010 Day Hikes Around Santa Barbara RMOWP Second 2010 Day Hikes Around Los Angeles NOWA Third 2010 Day Hikes Around Los Angeles OWAC First 2010 Day Hikes Around Los Angeles RMOWP First 2010 Day Hikes Around Los Angeles RMOWP Best Of Show 2011 Day Hikes Around Ventura County OWAC Second 2011 Day Hikes Around Ventura County RMOWP Third 2012 Day Hikes In The Santa Monica Mountains RMOWP Second 2013 Day Hikes Around Monterey And Carmel RMOWP Second 2014 Day Hikes Around Big Sur OWAC First 2015 Day Hikes Around Big Sur RMOWP Second 2015 Day Hikes In Grand Teton National Park RMOWP Third 2016 Day Hikes Around San Luis Obispo NOWA Second 2016 Day Hikes Around San Luis Obispo RMOWP Third 2017 Day Hikes Around Los Angeles BATW Third 2018 Day Hikes Around Orange County OWAC First 2019 Day Hikes Around Santa Barbara NOWA Third
References
Sources Barlow, Zeke - Ventura County Star "A New Guide to the Great Outdoors is Published" Mar. 6, 2011 http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/mar/06/a-new-guide-to-the-great-outdoors-is-published/ Bay Area Travel Writers (BATW) http://www.batw.org/category/contests/batw-anthology/ Becher, Bill - LA Daily News "His Happy Trails: Ex Real Estate Agent Leaves No Stone Unturned" Nov. 7, 2002 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/HIS+HAPPY+TRAILS+EXREAL+ESTATE+AGENT+LEAVES+NO+STONE+UNTURNED+IN%C2%85-a095491210 California Birth Index, 1905–1995," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VG7R-NH2 : accessed 12 May 2015), Robert Paul Stone, 10 Mar 1951; citing Los Angeles, California, United States, Department of Health Services, Vital Statistics Department, Sacramento Carlo, Juan - Ventura County Star “Finding A Little Solitude” Mar. 9, 2011 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1fcPc3ovk0 DeMaria, Richie - Santa Barbara Independent “A Conversation With Best-Selling Author Robert Stone” Mar. 8, 2015 http://www.independent.com/news/2015/mar/08/conversation-best-selling-author-robert-stone/ DeNevi, Don - Palo Alto Daily News “Books Help Hikers Find Adventure” Mar. 17, 2001 Fischer, Meade - Monterey Bay News & Views "Day Hikes Around Monterey & Carmel" Mar. 2013 French, Brett - Billings Gazette "Day Hikes in the Beartooth Mountains" Apr. 27, 2006 Greenberg, Peter - An Insider's Guide to Travel: News, Tips, Information & Inspiration "Radio Guest List-San Luis Obispo County, CA" Sept. 26, 2015 http://petergreenberg.com/2015/09/23/radio-guest-list-san-luis-obispo-california-september-26-2015/ Jauck, Silke - Make It Missoula "Happy Hiking: Discover Missoula and the Bitterroot on Foot" Oct. 19, 2011 http://www.makeitmissoula.com/2011/10/happy-hiking-discover-missoula-and-the-bitterroot-on-foot/ Los Angeles Times Bestsellers Oct. 8, 2000 Los Angeles Times Bestsellers Nov. 5, 2000 Neti, Ingrid - SLO County Magazine “Day Hikes In San Luis Obispo County California” Feb. 2001 Nichols, Margot Petit - Carmel Pine Cone "You Can Do It, And ‘Day Hikes Around Monterey & Carmel’ Shows How" Aug 2, 2002 Northwest Outdoor Writers Association (NOWA)http://www.northwest-outdoor-writers-association.org/index.php Outdoor Writers Association of America - Outdoors Unlimited "Bookshelf" p. 32 Apr./May 2015 http://www.owaa.org/oudocs/outdoors-unlimited-april-may-2015-1273.pdf Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA) http://owaa.org/ Outdoor Writers Association of California - OWAC Newsletter p. 2 Apr. 2015 http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/364347/26140086/1429062599043/ALT+owac_OWAC.pdf?token=QEE8sBEFYPbTHwVCztI0gHwSeZw%3D Outdoor Writers Association of California (OWAC) http://owac.org/2012-craft-awards-winners/ Powell, Shirley - SLO County Journal “Robert Stone Wants To Put You On A Trail” Oct. 2006 Reuss, Dave - Outside Bozeman "Day Hikes Around Bozeman" Spring 2011 http://www.outsidebozeman.com/spring-2011/hike-your-camera Rocky Mountain Outdoor Writers and Photographers - Rocky Mountain Outdoors "New Books From Robert Stone" p. 6 Mar./Apr. 2015 http://rmowp.org/rmowp/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/RMO_03_04_2015.pdf Rocky Mountain Outdoor Writers and Photographers (RMOWP) http://rmowp.org/2015/10/04/2015-writing-and-video-awards/ Rodriguez, Suzie - Sonoma County Tourism Blog "125 Great Hikes Around Sonoma County" Apr. 18, 2016 http://www.sonomacounty.com/blog/125-great-hikes-around-sonoma-county Rodriguez, Suzie - Sonoma County Regional Parks Blog "Popular Hiking Guide Features Sonoma County's Newest Parks" Apr. 17, 2016 http://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/About_Us/Blog/Popular_Hiking_Guide_Features_Sonoma_County_s_Newest_Parks.aspx Sneed, David, The Tribune "Day Hikes Around San Luis Obispo Is A New Book Featuring 156 Local Hikes" May 3, 2015 http://www.sanluisobispo.com/entertainment/books/article39528411.html Stone, Robert - Day Hike Books http://dayhikebooks.com/day-hike-books-all/ Warren, Christi - The Press Democrat "Trail of the Week: Forestville" Dec. 17, 2015 http://www.pressdemocrat.com/lifestyle/4817269-181/trail-of-the-week-forestville?artslide=1 Young, Heather - Journal Plus "Local Hiking Guru And Author Robert Stone Making A Living Hiking" May 2015 http://www.issuu.com/journalplus/docs/5-15_journal_plus_web/3?e=1222365/12550054