By Mariah Cannon
Let’s face it, having a passion for the outdoors can be tricky when trying to make friends, especially the older we get! I am blessed enough to be part of an incredible group for women only that helps gals all over the world meet friends and make unique connections! I was and still can be a very introverted person and Hiker Babes helped me really get out of my comfort zone, especially when I decided to become an ambassador and start leading hikes of my own!
Let me share more about it and how it can help you find your people who want to go outside and start building your community!
What is Hiker Babes
Hiker Babes is a group that was founded in Central Oregon by Monique Redmon (@momohiker on Instagram) and it started with just herself and a few women who wanted to build friendships and share a love for adventure! It has now grown to over 165,000 members and 205 chapters throughout the United States and internationally as well!
We are not only a hiking group these days, we have so many fun events:
- Hiking
- Backpacking
- Running
- Biking
- Camping
- International Trips
- US and local group trips
- Game nights
- New member meet ups
- Holiday parties
- Gear swaps
- Craft nights
And so so much more! Hiker Babes is essentially a group that encourages women to get outside, experience nature, and make some amazing relationships along the way.
You get ambassadors that are knowledgable in the outdoor world & are ready to help you get outside and can answer any questions or help you plan some adventures!
Know Before you Join
- Hiker Babes is a women’s only hiking group. It is strictly for women to be connected and comfortable outdoors! We occasionally will do hikes for the families, kids, or spouses – and those will be specifically labeled.
- You can join and be a regular Hiker Babe member and attend hiking events (which is completely free) or you can be a Hiker Babe VIP and get access into all hiking and non hiking events and that costs $10/year. Learn more about becoming a VIP.
- It is important to adhere to the group rules, which can be found in any individual group throughout the Hiker Babes community.
- You’ll need to sign a waiver before attending any Hiker Babes event and you kind find that on the Hiker Babes website here. Scroll down just past the map and you’ll see “Hiking & Fitness liability waiver”. Enter some brief info and you’re ready to join a local chapter event!
- We have a no tolerance rule for bullying and being rude to fellow Hiker Babes. You will be removed from any and all Hiker Babe groups if it comes to that. This is a group for building each other up, not tearing each other down.
- We have fun challenges that can motivate you to get your feet on the trail, like the 100 hike challenge as well as quite a few other exciting challenges.
So… How do I Join?
The easiest way is to find the map below and find the pin that’s the closest to your area. We have over 205 chapters, if you don’t see one in your area – consider starting a chapter and becoming an ambassador!
Once you click on a pin, it should take you to Facebook and into the group, similar to this below:
Once you hit join, we ask that you answer some questions after, this is simply to ensure we avoid bots and potential scammers as well as to keep our group friendly and happy.
And once an admin approves your request to join, you’re almost ready! Since we are a hiking group, and hiking can come with its’ oopses and accidents – we ask that you sign this waiver before joining any events.
Check the events tab in the HikerBabes group to ensure you don’t miss out on any adventures and get going with some of the babes right away. Our ambassadors are always willing to help and guide in any way they can, don’t hesitate to reach out to us!
You’ll have the option to select “going”, “maybe”, or “can’t go” and that is what our ambassadors check right before heading out to the trail. Make sure to update accordingly. We do not have service in many cases and cannot contact you to see if you’ll be joining or not!
Final Thoughts
This is one of the easiest ways to get outside while still being social and having others to go with! No matter the pace, experience, or where you come from – Hiker Babes will bring you closer to likeminded and kind women from all across the U.S.
I may be biased, buuuut the Boise, Idaho chapter is pretty fun and we’d love for you to join us on our next adventure!
Enjoy learning about Hiker Babes? Save this post to come back to it!
Let’s Get Adventuring!
Mariah 🙂
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