Hiking & Backpacking communities

A sample group for testing Branch Outdoors. Nothing here is a real event. Sam (slritter@gmail.com) is the page admin.

Asheville

Club running the Heart Lake Program Center near Lake Placid with hikes, workshops and trail work.

Lake Placid NY

Local Adirondack Mountain Club chapter with member-led hikes, paddles and trail work.

Lake George NY

Women's outdoor club teaching hiking, backpacking and other outdoor skills to build confidence; based in Queens.

New York, NY · not in an area yet

Boston chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club with local walks, hikes, paddles and climbs.

Cambridge MA

Appalachian Mountain Club chapter leading hikes, rides, paddles and trail work around Philadelphia.

Philadelphia, PA

Volunteer chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club leading hikes, paddles and ski trips, including many in the White Mountains and western Maine.

Portland, ME

Rhode Island chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club with hikes, biking, paddling and climbing.

Providence RI

Volunteer-led chapter running hikes, backpacking, paddling, skiing and trail work trips across the White Mountains.

Conway, NH

Worcester chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club with hikes, paddles and trail work.

Worcester MA

Nonprofit running desert hikes, tours, dark-sky programs and classes in Borrego Springs.

Borrego Springs, CA

State park partner offering guided desert hikes, naturalist classes and events in Anza-Borrego.

Borrego Springs, CA

Large AMC chapter running hundreds of hikes, bike rides, paddles and ski trips a year, many for beginners, from NYC.

New York, NY · not in an area yet

Free Atlanta Meetup group for LGBTQ+ hikers with walks and hikes around the metro.

Atlanta, GA

Volunteer-led club with hikes, paddles, bike rides and camping trips around Atlanta and North Georgia.

Atlanta, GA

Nonprofit building the ridgeline trail around the Bay, hosting group hikes, rides and trail work days.

San Francisco, CA

Nonprofit training youth leaders and lending gear to take young people on wilderness trips.

Oakland, CA

Nevada County land trust that builds local trails and runs guided walks, stewardship days and a trail race.

Nevada City, CA

Body-positive Boise Meetup for short, welcoming hikes and snowshoe outings.

Boise, ID

Meetup group for BIPOC women hiking, biking and camping around Charlottesville and the Blue Ridge.

Charlottesville, VA

Colorado nonprofit getting Black people outdoors: subsidized trips, backpacking and climbing courses, and gear access. Office in Colorado Springs.

Colorado Springs

Outdoor group for gay men in NYC organizing backpacking, hiking and camping trips.

New York, NY · not in an area yet

Women's Meetup group for faster-paced morning hikes and trail walks around Boise.

Boise, ID

Land trust based in Blowing Rock that runs a public guided hiking series and outings on protected land in the High Country.

Blowing Rock, NC

Informal hiking club in the High Country around Boone and Blowing Rock.

Boone and Blowing Rock

Meetup group since 2008 for hiking, backpacking, camping and paddling at beginner to strenuous levels.

Bowling Green, KY · not in an area yet

Bozeman women's club since 1969 running weekly group hikes, snowshoe and ski outings.

Bozeman, MT

Local history nonprofit running guided history hikes, mine tours and walks around Breckenridge.

Breckenridge CO

Ohio nonprofit that maintains the Buckeye Trail, which runs through Cuyahoga Valley, with group hikes and trail work events.

Peninsula, OH

Moab nonprofit running outdoor education, adult adventures and community events in canyon country.

Moab, UT

Long-running club running bus hikes from the DC area to trails in Maryland, Virginia and beyond.

Washington, DC

Hiking and trail-maintenance club, founded in 1923, with club hikes across Western North Carolina.

Asheville

Club for hikers climbing the Catskill peaks over 3,500 feet, with a public schedule of group hikes and trail maintenance days.

Tannersville, NY · not in an area yet

Catskills outdoor club offering hikes, paddles, bike rides and snowshoe outings plus trail stewardship.

Tannersville, NY · not in an area yet

Volunteer club that maintains local Finger Lakes Trail sections and runs frequent group hikes, paddles and trail work outings.

Ithaca, NY · not in an area yet

Cleveland club hiking since 1919, with scheduled group hikes in the Metroparks and Cuyahoga Valley and new-hiker info.

Peninsula, OH

Seacoast Meetup group for meeting people through hikes, walks and other outdoor activities.

Portsmouth, NH · not in an area yet

Colorado's statewide hiking and mountaineering club, based at CMC Basecamp in Golden: trips, schools and free Explore Nights for newcomers.

Golden

Volunteer-led hikes, climbs and mountaineering trips around Boulder, the Indian Peaks and Rocky Mountain National Park, with skills courses.

Boulder

The Colorado Springs group of the Colorado Mountain Club, formed in 1919. Leads hikes, climbs and courses around Pikes Peak.

Colorado Springs

Park partner nonprofit running guided hikes, photo walks, volunteer drop-in days and programs in Cuyahoga Valley.

Peninsula, OH

Student-run outing club running hiking, backpacking and climbing trips with gear to borrow.

Ithaca, NY · not in an area yet

Albuquerque nonprofit running outdoor expeditions and camping programs for young people.

Albuquerque, NM · not in an area yet

Volunteer association leading interpretive hikes and programs in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park.

Julian, CA

Land trust offering free guided hikes, bird walks and nature events on its Central Oregon preserves.

Bend, OR

North Shore land trust offering guided hikes, nature walks and volunteer stewardship days on its reservations.

Essex, MA

Women's adventure Meetup in Boise organizing hikes and trips.

Boise, ID

Volunteer chapter leading hikes, bike rides, paddles, camping trips and trail work around Central Florida.

Orlando, FL

FTA chapter in the Tallahassee area leading hikes and trail maintenance on the Florida Trail.

Tallahassee, FL

FTA chapter for Miami-Dade and Monroe that maintains the southern Florida Trail in Big Cypress and leads hikes.

Miami, FL