The *Best* US Women’s Hiking Groups Near You
On the hunt for a hiking community near you, or looking to link up with a group for a hiking adventure while traveling?
Finding your perfect hiking group online is just a few clicks away, but we’ll make it easy by listing all the inside info right here!
How To Find A Local Hiking Group
The internet is a great way to connect with other women who are outdoorsy and adventurous. Hitting the trail with new hiking buddies is half the fun!
First thing first — join the Explorer Chick Facebook Group to get connected with our entire community. Members get all the best leads on outdoor events for women.
Then check out our network of Explorer Chick Meetups all over the country!
Meetup.com is one of the biggest group event platforms for meeting new people with similar interests. There are TONS of hiking groups to join offering organized hikes, hiking tips, gear reviews, and general support for hikers at every level.
Finding New Skills In Nature — Other Than Hiking
Are you interested in other activities for your outdoor adventure? Explorer Chick Meetups host way more than guided hikes for outings! Find groups for climbing, biking, and even fishing! Never be afraid to propose an idea for a different way to explore the outdoors.
Finding Other Women Hikers Through Facebook Groups
Women Who Hike started as a social media channel, and has grown into a worldwide community of badass babes who hike. The group aims to connect women through hiking and backpacking events, hosted by local and regional volunteer ambassadors.
You can sign up for the Women Who Hike email list and stay in the loop for upcoming events in your area or join the state-by-state Women Who Hike Facebook groups.
Women’s Hiking Groups on the West Coast
West Coast states like California, Oregon, and Washington are FULL of epic hiking opportunities. With 13 national parks in just these three states, there are endless trails to hike in every type of terrain.
Epic hiking and outdoor activities like camping, kayaking, and mountain biking can all be found in the incredible parks of the West Coast. Mount Rainier and North Cascades in Washington are full of vast wilderness and alpine lakes just waiting for you to hike to.
California alone is home to NINE national parks. Those like Channel Islands, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Joshua Tree are just a short jaunt from Los Angeles and have just about every type of outdoor adventure you can imagine. And who could forget the famous Yosemite National Park with its iconic Half Dome trek?
From coastal sanctuaries and desert sand dunes to towering mountains and breathtaking ocean views, finding a hiking partner or a group to enjoy these places’ natural beauty makes the adventure much more fun.
Explorer Chick Meetup Hike Group on the West Coast:
California
Oregon
Washington
More Ways To Find West Coast Hiking Buddies:
The Pacific Crest Trail Association manages 2,650 miles of the National Scenic Trail that runs through California, Oregon, and Washington. Whether your ideal outdoor adventures are day hikes, backpacking trips, or training for a long trail thru hike, joining the PCT social channels is a perfect way to meet other West Coast women hikers.
Women’s Hiking Groups on the East Coast
There are tons of outdoor adventures to be found on the East Coast. Some great hiking regions in the East include Maine’s Western Mountains, New Hampshire’s White Mountains, Vermont’s Green Mountains, and New York’s Adirondack Mountains.
The Appalachian Mountain Range spans the entire East Coast, from northern Alabama to the Canadian border. The National Scenic Trail of the same name runs almost as far, from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine.
New England and the other states of the Northeast get all four seasons to the fullest. Mild summers, charming winters, lush green springs, and world-famous falls. The Northeast boasts some of the best fall foliage in the entire country, and some of the oldest footpaths to enjoy it from.
Explorer Chick Meetup Hike Group on the East Coast:
Massachusetts
New York
Pennsylvania
Maryland
More Ways To Find Fellow Hikers On The East Coast
You can find hiking friends and hit the trails with local organizations like the non-profit organization Appalachian Mountain Club. With chapters from Washington D.C. to Maine, the group promotes protecting and enjoying the outdoors through education resources, volunteer work, and stewardship.
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail Conservancy works with other local organizations on the East Coast to protect and maintain the 2,190-mile footpath that runs from Georgia to Maine.
Women’s Hiking Groups in the Southern States
The Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and North Carolina are part of the southern Appalachian Range and are also stewarded by the Appalachian Mountain Club. The range extends through Shenandoah National Park all the way to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Areas like Red River Gorge in Kentucky and Tallulah Gorge in Alabama are popular among adventure enthusiasts for both gorgeous hiking trails and epic climbing routes.
Walks in local parks? Backpacking adventures to famous mountain peaks? Explorer Chick Meetup groups have the perfect outdoor adventure for you.
Explorer Chick Meetup Groups In The South:
North Carolina
South Carolina
Kentucky
Tennessee
Georgia
Florida
Arkansas
Texas
Women’s Hiking Groups in the Midwest
The Midwest comprises a dozen states, each with its own unique places to get outdoors. Lakeshores, badlands, and forested trails make up the terrain of states like Wisconsin, Missouri, Michigan, and Minnesota. The Midwest’s national parks should be on every bucket list!
Voyageurs National Park is more than a hiking destination — in fact, it’s 40 percent lakes! Kayak, paddle, or enjoy this popular Midwest park on foot. Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio is perfect for multi-sport adventures, with biking trails, scenic hiking, and a ‘boatload’ of ways to get on the Cuyahoga River.
Are you heading further west for outdoor adventures? Find your perfect trail among countless options in South Dakota’s Badlands National Park and get your chance to hike among the stunning sandstone landscape.
Ohio
Nebraska
Wisconsin
Iowa
Illinois
Indiana
Michigan
Missouri
Women’s Hiking Groups in the Western States
There are Explorer Chick Meetup groups for ALL kinds of outdoor adventures. Western states like Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico fall within the Rocky Mountain Range and are literally overflowing with national parks and hiking trails.
Get your outdoor adventure on with hiking trails in national parks like Grand Teton and Yellowstone in Wyoming, or Rocky Mountain and Black Canyon of the Gunnison in Colorado. Head to the desert to explore Utah’s five famous national parks with a group of girls giddy to hit the trail.
Find women who are just as hungry for the next adventure as you are! Connect and become a member of one of these unique communities:
Western Explorer Chick Meetup Groups:
Colorado
Idaho
Utah
Arizona
Nevada
New Mexico
Ready to Get Hiking?
There’s nothing like getting active outdoors with other women who love adventures. The Explorer Chick community aims to inspire and empower women like you to live your BEST outdoor life. Our trips, classes, and events create a special bond between the women who join them.
Our epic tours trek through national parks and backpack under the stars, like our Utah Hiking and National Parks Adventure or our Yosemite Half Dome Backpacking trip.
Join women who want to get outdoors in jaw-dropping destinations and experience the conversation and comradery of women-led adventures in the dopest destinations.
Come as strangers and leave as best friends when you connect with other Explorer Chicks on one of our epic adventures!
Meet the Writer
April Brightman
April is an adventure lover and freelance writer based in New England, with a passion for public lands, wild places, and all things outdoors. She loves camping in any form and spends as many weekends as she can hiking New Hampshire’s highest peaks, or road-tripping with her sweet dog Marley. If not in the mountains, you can find her planning her next expedition or caring for one of her far-too-many-houseplants.
Favorite outdoor adventure: National Parks Hiking and Road Trips!
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