21 Fascinating Women’s Outdoor Books to Inspire Your Adventures
Looking for the best women’s outdoor books to add to your bookshelf for adventure inspiration? Whether you’re stuck inside during the off-season or want a book to read in your tent at night, you’ll find the best outdoor books about women’s adventures here.
From the compelling story of the first women’s ascent of Denali to a compilation of women’s achievements climbing in Yosemite to the tales of female rangers at iconic national parks to a classic thru-hiking memoir, this list of women’s outdoor books is filled with adventure stories that will make you want to pursue your own outdoor dreams and find out what you’re capable of.
BEST WOMEN’S OUTDOOR BOOKS
The outdoor books on this list are written by women about women, and they cover a full range of outdoor adventures from thru-hiking to climbing to skiing to mountaineering.
Between my blog content manager Kate and I, we’ve read nearly all of them (though a few are on our to-read list), and we hope this helps you find some of your new favorite outdoor books!
(Note: This post contains affiliate links.)
1. Wild
by Cheryl Strayed
Cheryl Strayed’s Wild might be the most famous of all the women’s outdoor books, and it’s popular for a reason. Her description of hiking the PCT with no experience after her life fell apart has inspired many other women to discover what they are capable of and what it feels like to “go above your nerve” as Strayed quotes Emily Dickinson.
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2. THIRTY BELOW
by Cassidy Randall
Thirty Below chronicles the first all-women’s ascent of Denali, and Cassidy Randall weaves together the background stories of these badass women and what led them to ascend this mountain together. It’s a fascinating look at what it took for women to break into the male-dominated world of mountaineering.
3. A light through the cracks
by Beth Rodden
In her memoir, A Light Through the Cracks, Beth Rodden shares her struggles with the pressure of being a pro climber in a relationship with another pro climber, Tommy Caldwell, and how she learned to let go of chasing perfection and accept being human and embracing a new path in life and climbing.
4. welcome to the goddamn ice cube
by blair braverman
Blair Braverman chases her love of frigid landscapes on her journey to become a dogsled musher in Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube. She encounters hardships from both the places and the people as she pursues her dream in this difficult and often misunderstood sport.
5. Thru-hiking will break your heart
by Carrot quinn
Thru-Hiking Will Break Your Heart is another account of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, but it is quite different from Wild. Carrot Quinn account is more about the day-to-day experience on the trail, down to all the gritty details of how both the mind and body handles a challenge like this.
6. PICKETS AND DEAD MEN
by Bree LoeweN
In Pickets and Dead Men, Bree Loewen documents what it’s like to be a ranger on Mount Rainier—long days of physical labor on very little sleep with a demanding responsibility to rescue visitors who get into trouble. She also shares her experience of having to prove her capabilities as one of the few women working among many men.
Loewen also wrote another book, Found: A Life in Mountain Rescue, which is equally captivating as she continues her mission to rescue people in the mountains while balancing a family life.
7. ANNAPURNA: A WOMAN’s PLACE
by Arlene Blum
Eight years after being part of the all-women’s expedition of Denali that is the subject of Thirty Below, Arlene Blum became the expedition leader of the first women’s ascent of Annapurna in 1978. In Annapurna: A Woman’s Place, she chronicles their journey to the summit of the Himalayan peak and the tragedy that followed when two of the women died on the descent.
8. UNBOUND
by STEPH JAGGER
Unbound is the story of Steph Jagger’s search for self-discovery during a year of chasing snow to ski throughout North and South America, Asia, Europe, and New Zealand. She follows a sign to “raise the restraining device” on her life in order to pursue a different path to happiness.
9. THINGS I LEARNED FROM FALLING
by CLAIRE NELSON
Claire Nelson spent four days in the unforgiving desert of Joshua Tree after a wrong step while scrambling up some rocks led her to fall and shatter her pelvis. Things I Learned From Falling is her gripping account of how she survived and what led to her fall in the first place.
10. THIRST
by HEATHER ANDERSOn
While Thirst is another account of thru-hiking the PCT, it stands out because it documents Heather “Anish” Anderson’s unsupported female FKT (Fastest Known Time) on this trail. After successfully thru-hiking the Appalachian, Pacific Crest, and Continental Divide Trails, Anderson had retired from thru-hiking, but she couldn’t resist the pull of the trail and headed back in an attempt to set a record.
11. EDGE OF THE MAP
by JOHANNA GARTOn
Edge of the Map is a biography of Christine Boskoff, an extremely talented mountaineer who became one of the first women to own and lead a mountain guide service when she bought the iconic Mountain Madness. This book follows her extraordinary career in the mountains until she disappeared in an avalanche with her partner.
12. VALLEY OF GIANTS
by Lauren DeLaunay Miller
A collection of stories of incredible women climbing in Yosemite over the years, Valley of Giants features contributions from Lynn Hill, Beth Rodden, Josie McKee, Liz Robbins and so many more amazing female climbers. The book traces the history of women in Yosemite climbing through five different eras from the 1930s to the present day.
13. POWDER DAYS
by Heather Hansman
In Powder Days, Heather Hansman captures the evolving culture of skiing from her early days as a liftie to the current ski town struggles. Throughout the book, she espouses the joy of chasing powder turns while exposing the barriers that limit who gets to become a ski bum.
14. RANGER CONFIDENTIAL
by Andrea Lankford
TKAndrea Lankford was a ranger at some of the most iconic US national parks—Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Denali, and more—and her book Ranger Confidential takes you behind the scenes to show what it takes to protect the parks and the people who visit them, from navigating complicated politics to managing complex rescues.
15. HIGH INFATUATION
by STEPH DAVIS
In High Infatuation, pro climber Steph Davis shares her adventurous life chasing the climbing high up incredible rock walls from Patagonia to Yosemite. She embraces the dirtbag life while balancing pursuing her epic dreams and goals with nurturing deep friendships and finding love.
16. HOW TO BE ALONE
by Nicole Antoinette
Nicole Antoinette decides to see what happens when she pushes her limits beyond what she thinks she’s capable of by thru-hiking the Arizona Trail. How to Be Alone chronicles her journey of the challenges she faces on the trail and in her head during this 800 mile solo hike.
17. CLIMBING FREE
by LYNN HILL
An absolute legend in the climbing world, Lynn Hill was the first person to free climb The Nose of El Capitan, and her famous line, “It goes, boys” still echoes in the climbing world today. Climbing Free details her remarkable achievement and everything in her life that led her there, from youthful adventures in Joshua Tree to the 80-foot fall she took after forgetting to finish her knot.
18. IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOUNTAIN
by Silvia Vasquez-Lavado
Silvia Vasquez-Lavado’s story is so much more than simply climbing mountains. As a Latina immigrant from Peru and a survivor of abuse, climbing became her path to healing. In The Shadow of the Mountain shares her story of bringing other survivors on her journey to the base of Everest and her own path to the summit.
19. NATURE SWAGGER
by RUE MAPP
The founder of Outdoor Afro, Rue Mapp, showcases Black joy in the outdoors in stories and photos throughout Nature Swagger. The book profiles Outdoor Afro group leaders and other Black leaders in the outdoors and also features essays about the history of Black involvement in the outdoor space.
20. WOMEN WHO HIKE
by Heather Balogh Rochfort
Women Who Hike is a collection of profiles of more than twenty adventurous women on the trail, including Teresa Baker, Ambreen Tariq, Elyse Rylander, and Jolie Varela. Each woman's story features a significant hike, and the book includes maps and details of these trails so you can start planning your own hike.
21. SHE EXPLORES
by GALE STRAUB
If you’re itching for adventure, She Explores will truly ignite your wanderlust. In this book, you’ll find a selection of stories of amazing women traveling and spending quality time in nature along with practical tips to give you inspiration to hit the road and explore the outdoors on your own terms.
Hope you enjoyed this list of our favorite outdoor books by & about women! Which ones are you adding to your bookshelf?
And for more adventure inspiration, check out our post featuring 67 Beautifully Inspirational Mountain Quotes!
Cheers,
Allison - She Dreams of Alpine
21 Fascinating Women’s Outdoor Books to Inspire Your Adventures | Looking for the best women’s outdoor books to add to your bookshelf for adventure inspiration? Whether you’re stuck inside during the off-season or want a book to read in your tent at night, you’ll find the best outdoor books about women’s adventures here. | shedreamsofalpine.com