Have you recently moved and are looking for friends? Hoping to get active and meet some people? If you don’t already have friends in this space it can be intimidating to jump in. Don’t worry though, in this post, I’ll break down some easy ways you can join the outdoors community.
In recent years, Facebook groups for hiking have really taken off! Niche groups focused on hiking in your region are likely waiting for you! Try searching for keywords including your city, town, or county are words like outdoors, hiking, etc.
Once you find a group, look for posts about group hikes, women’s hikes, singles hikes, or anyone looking for a hiking buddy. (Be safe!)
Don’t see any? Consider making your own post!
Conservation groups/Volunteering
A great way to get involved is by signing up to volunteer to help out with a conservation group. The day of, you may doing activities like building trails, collecting trash, or planting native species. The folks running the event will ensure your task matches your level of comfort and pair you with a partner or group. I’ve often found that these groups are extremely welcoming and can teach you a lot about the outdoors.
Join a Niche Club
Popular outdoor activities include rock climbing, birding, disc golf, winter sports, and rock hounding. These activities often have clubs and are always looking for new members! It can be nerve-wracking to put yourself out there and try something new, but you may surprise yourself with how much you enjoy a new hobby!
I recently took a curling lesson with a group of strangers and loved it! The club even passed out free beers afterward and encouraged us to stick around and hang out with them after the lesson had finished.
I hope that you are able to use some of my suggestions, meet some great people, and enjoy the beautiful great outdoors. Let me know in the comments other ways you have gotten involved in the outdoors community in the comments below!