Donna Ruff has seen a lot of interesting places in this world, most often reaching them by foot.
She's hiked in the Grand Canyon. Backpacked in Ecuador. Climbed 18,470-foot El Pico de Orizabo in Mexico.
The lifelong Pittsburgher -- she lives in Regent Square now -- has always appreciated what western Pennsylvania's outdoors, too.
"It does compare well to a lot of places," she said of the local countryside. "It's not Colorado, but it's a lot greener. It has a lot of water, a lot of waterfalls. It has something different to offer."
Novice hikers and experienced outdoorsmen can learn just what Ruff means by checking out her new book, "60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Pittsburgh." The 264-page guide profiles 60 day hikes to be found in a 10-county area surrounding Pittsburgh.
"It's aimed at hikers of every level," Ruff said. "New hikers, people who don't normally hike, can use it to figure out where to go, and experienced hikers can find new places to try."
The walks covered in the book range from a relaxed, 2.2-mile hike through Pittsburgh's downtown historic district to a more challenging, 11.4-mile hike along a segment of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail.
The hikes are categorized by county, by length, and by what hikers might find when they get there. Some trails, like the Lake Forest Loop in Raccoon Creek State Park, are noted for being "good hikes for solitude." Others, like the Stone Lodge Trail in Keystone State Park, are defined as being suitable for hiking with children.
In each case, Ruff, a self-employed technical writer, provides readers with a blow-by-blow description of what to expect along each footpath -- the amount of traffic on the trail, its exposure to the sun, access, scenery, length, and difficulty, for instance. There's also information on the GPS coordinates for trailheads, details regarding nearby attractions, and directions on how to reach each trail from Pittsburgh.
Ruff also touches on what it feels like to hike each trail. She admits that some of the trails surprised her with their beauty. Bear Run Nature Reserve near Farmington, Ferncliff Peninsula in Ohiopyle State Park and Todd Sanctuary near Butler were all memorable, she said.
Ruff is convinced other folks can make similarly interesting discoveries if they get outside. She's hoping the book prompts them to do that.
"That's the goal of it really, to get people out there and to make them realize that there are places close to home that are really worth visiting," Ruff said. "There's a lot of beauty and a lot of variety for all kinds of people right in this area."
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