Her Side of the Trail: A Hiking Podcast

If you love dogs and being outdoors, this could be the line of work you've been dreaming of! Jennifer Hartman of Rogue Detection Teams works with dogs to sniff out information about endangered animals worldwide. Her work has taken her to Bhutan, Vietnam, and all over the United States. She describes what traits they look for in the dogs they adopt from rescues and their human counterparts as well as what kind of work they've done. Find out more about Jennifer and her company at trailsthatrock.com/jennifer-hartman

Lauren encourages others to get out and hike (or do other things they are intimidated to do). You don't have to be perfect your first time on the trail!

What's it like to hike in Alaska? Well, for starters, don't forget your bear spray! Trail guide Kierre Childers talks about what it's like to live and hike in Alaska and what inspired her to start her company Revel Treks & Tours. Learn more about Kierre and company at trailsthatrock.com/kierre-childers

Lauren talks about the trending social media topic, Alpine Divorce, and ways you can protect yourself.

Backpacker and travel photographer Gwyneth Manser shares some of her favorite hiking trails in the Pacific Northwest, including must-dos for first-time visitors to the region. Learn more about Gwyneth and where to follow along with her and her wife's adventures at trailsthatrock.com/gwyneth-manser

Lauren shares some quick winter hiking tips to keep you safe as you get out on the snowy trails.

Kendall Concini shares some of the best hiking trails in Maryland (yes, Maryland!), including options that are both kid-friendly and not-so kid-friendly. Kendall also talks about her new children's book series that focuses on mental health in a way that's easy for kids to understand. Learn more about Kendall and where you can purchase her book at trailsthatrock.com/kendall-concini

Social Trails Episode 2: Lauren celebrates Black History Month by featuring 7 black women hikers and their respective social media accounts. These include: @blackhikersexplore, @planetdiyor, @blackhikingqueen, @phillyhikingbeauties, @dinedowd, and @bri_nice_bri_kind.

Halle has been a backpacking guide for the past 4 years and shares her expertise on this episode. Halle shares how to determine the best trail to try out backpacking if you're new to the sport, what kind of gear you should have (and whether you should purchase, rent, or borrow it), and tons of tips! Whether you've never backpacked before or are interested in learning something new, this episode is one for you. Learn more about Halle and get the transcript at trailsthatrock.com/halle-homel

Social Trails Episode 1: Lauren reacts to the comments people leave when creators share "Leave No Trace" posts on social media and shares some of the science behind packing out your food waste.

Laura Tolbert describes the good, the bad, and the ugly of hiking the Appalachian Trail with seven kids, ages 7 to 18 (and her husband, too!). She talks about the planning process (they started talking about doing the trail when she was pregnant with her youngest), how they managed to take the time off work and school, and all of the mishaps and fun things along the way. Learn more about Laura and get a full transcript of the interview at trailsthatrock.com/laura-tolbert

Lindsey Bybee has lived in 5 different countries, including Germany, Ukraine, and Turkey. She shares her experience hiking in Europe and the major differences from hiking in the USA. Lindsey also shares some of her favorite trails, a few mishaps, and more. Learn more about Lindsey, where to follow her on social media, and more at trailsthatrock.com/lindsey-bybee. 

What's it like recording a podcast for the first time ever? Lauren shares her thoughts and some silly outtakes about her first season of Her Side of the Trail. Listen to past episodes and learn more about each guest on trailsthatrocl.com/podcast.

Breaking stereotypes and changing cultural norms is not what Alexandrie Adebayo set out to do when she created her Instagram account, Black Hikers Explore. Instead, her goal was to show black families (and really everyone) that they belong in the outdoor space and to offer opportunities and tips to get their kids outside. Lauren talks to Alexandrie about her childhood, why she focuses on getting her children outdoors, and how she encourages other people of color to go hiking. Learn more at https://trailsthatrock.com/alexandrie-adebayo/

Hikers who are also book lovers, this episode is for you! Lauren talks with Erin Burke from Flying Off the Bookshelf (https://flyingoffthebookshelf.com/) as she shares her top picks of non-fiction and fiction books about hiking and the outdoors. This list is packed with great recommendations, so you'll want to take notes! Find the full list and show notes at trailsthatrock.com/erin-burke

What's it like to hike with a chronic illness? Christine Reed from Ruggedoutdoorswoman.com opens up about her experience of being diagnosed with POTS and learning how to manage the symptoms so she can continue to push herself to do long-distance backpacking and hiking. She also talks about her two books, Alone in Wonderland and Blood, Sweat, and Tears. Follow along with Christine's adventures on Instagram.

On Episode 12 of Her Side of the Trail, a hiking podcast, Emily Thornton and Lucy Hird talk about 'soft hiking,' a concept that they came up with after participating in a group hike where they realized they hiked a little differently than others. 

Now, the concept has worldwide reach, and hikers are using Discord, Facebook, and Cliq to meet up with other soft hikers nearby!

You can learn more about Emily and Lucy, how they got into hiking, and why they decided to share their concept with the world by l...

Utah is known for its amazing parks! National Parks like Zion and Bryce, as well as state parks like Snow Canyon, draw visitors to the southern side of the state for incredible views and awesome hiking trails. On episode 11 of Her Side of the Trail, Lauren speaks with Jessi Bang (The Rambling Raccoon) about hiking in Utah, the best trails, the best time to visit, and how to prepare for your hike. Follow more of Jessi's adventures online on her Instagram https://www.instagram.com/theramblingraccoon/ and website theramblingraccoon.com.

It's the 10th episode of Her Side of the Trail! And Lauren is celebrating by sharing a little bit about herself. Of course, who better to do that with her than her mom! Kris talks about hiking with kids (Lauren was just a baby on her first hike) and incorporating National Parks and outdoor activities into family travel. She also shares some tips on how to continue hiking well into your 70s and 80s. Dive into this special episode to learn a little more about Lauren and why she loves hiking!

New York State has some incredible hiking! That's why this episode features not one, but two New York State hikers, Elisabeth Celso and Alysha Weisner. Both of them share their favorite places to hike in the state, some hidden gem trails, and other valuable information about hiking in New York. Enjoy this double episode.

Do you love trails that lead to swimming holes? How about haunted trails? Or maybe even some kid-friendly trails in New England? Then you'll want to listen to this episode. Lauren speaks with author Sarah Lamagna. She has written two incredible trail guides for New England hikes and has another one on the way. Sarah even shares a spooky story that inspired her next book, Haunted Trails in New England. Learn more about Sarah and purchase her books on sarahlamagna.com

It's well known that hiking has a great impact on your mental health. Nichole Iby talks to Lauren about how hiking has helped her mentally and physically, as well as how it has changed her perspective on what her body is capable of and her relationship with food. Nichole also shares about the journals she created to give her space to reflect on each hike she takes.

Craft beer enthusiasts unite! This is the episode for you. Lauren speaks with author Hannah Powell about her new book, Beer Hiking Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Hannah talks about some of her favorite breweries with fantastic hiking trails nearby in the Keystone and Garden States.

Follow along with Hannah on social media (hikesandhopsblog) and her website (hikesandhops.org). And don't forget to buy her book! She describes the trails in detail and shares the best beer to enjoy after you're done. Available at most major book retailers.

Some people want to visit all 50 states. Lydia Weigel took it one step further and made it a goal to hike in all 50 states. And she did it!

Lauren speaks with Lydia Weigel, from Lost With Lydia, about setting her goals to hike in all 50 states, which trails were her favorite, and also the differences between hiking in the USA and abroad. Lydia even shares a story about quicksand!

You can follow along with Lydia on her next goals (hiking in all of the US National Parks) at Loswithlydia.com as well as on social...

Lauren speaks with Jennifer Allen from Wonders Within Reach about hiking with a disability. She discusses the most important aspects to make hiking easier for everyone, including essential equipment and accurate information. Keep up with Jennifer's adventures with her amazing family on social media and her website, wonderswithinreach.com. 

Lauren chats with Tory Mather from Tory Talks Trails about some of the longer treks she's done, including the 37-mile, one-day Rachel Carson Trail Challenge. Tory also shares about some of her favorite backpacking trips, including the Trans- Catalina Trail and fun hikes she's completed in Europe. Follow along on Tory's adventures on social media @torytalkstrails and her website, mytrailsaremany.com.

Do you have a hiking goal? Kim from Kim Hiked It has one to hike in all 124 state parks in Pennsylvania. And she's more than halfway to her goal! Lauren talks to Kim about the motivation behind this endeavor, learns about some of the best state parks in Pennsylvania, and discovers Kim's favorite parks in New York, West Virginia, Ohio, and more! You can follow along with Kim's hiking adventures on Instagram and TikTok (@kim.hiked.it).

Lauren talks to Lydia Blanchard from My Adventure Gang about her travels across the country with her husband and young kids, as well as the women's adventure retreats she organizes that take place all over the world, including Slovenia and Patagonia.

Introducing Her Side of the Trail, a hiking podcast featuring women hikers. Each episode, we'll chat about challenges, motivations, and the reasons we love to get out on the trail. You'll hear some hiking tips, funny stories, and learn about some of the best trails across the United States (and even the world). Learn more about each guest at trailsthatrock.com/podcast