← Back to Home About the Muse

Former military.
Late-bloomed hiker.
Absolute nature nerd.

Wherever you are in your hiking journey, we're in this together.

🌿 Add your photo here A favorite trail shot works perfectly
40s Late-Bloomed
Hiker & Proud
Background Military Veteran
Started Hiking In my 40s — better late than never!
Role Trail Educator & Aspiring Guide
Philosophy The trail is for everyone — no exceptions
Favorite Gear Tip Amazon works just as well as REI
My Story

I didn't find hiking until my 40s.
Best thing that ever happened to me.

For years, the outdoors felt like someone else's world. I spent my career in the military — active, disciplined, always moving — but never once thought of myself as a "nature person." That wasn't for people like me, or so I thought.

Then running started hurting my hips. I still craved movement. I still craved fresh air. Social media kept showing me these breathtaking places — trails winding through forests, ridgelines above the clouds, wildflowers I didn't have names for yet — and something in me said: I want that.

"Hiking has completely transformed my life — and it just might transform yours too."

What started as a social outing became something I never expected: a source of strength I didn't know I had, independence that felt earned, a spiritual connection to the world around me, and a community of people I now can't imagine my life without. The trail gave me all of that.

Now I'm here to share every tip, trail, and hard-won lesson with you. Because this lifestyle truly is for everyone — and you absolutely do not need an REI credit card to love it. Most of my best finds come from Amazon. I've done the research so you don't have to.

Whether you're a first-timer who's never tied on a pair of hiking boots, a BIPOC hiker who's been told (explicitly or implicitly) that the outdoors isn't your space, someone in a larger body who's tired of trail content that doesn't reflect you, a member of the LGBTQ+ community looking for a genuinely affirming outdoor space, or someone navigating a disability or chronic illness on the trail — this community is for you. You belong here. I mean that.

🌲 Trail Educator 🧭 Aspiring Guide 🥾 Late Bloomer 💚 Community Builder ✊ Military Veteran 🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ+ Ally
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Why The Hiking Muse exists

Built on one simple belief:
the outdoors belongs to all of us.

The outdoor industry has a gatekeeping problem — expensive gear, narrow representation, and an unspoken sense that certain trails, certain bodies, certain people just don't belong. I'm here to push back on all of that.

📚
Education Without Intimidation

Trail knowledge should feel fun and approachable, not like a test you haven't studied for. I break down everything — safety, gear, etiquette — in plain language that actually makes sense.

💰
Budget-Friendly by Design

You don't need a $300 pack or a closet full of Patagonia to enjoy the trail. I'll show you how to get out there on any budget — because gear shouldn't be a barrier to getting outside.

🤝
Community Over Competition

No pace-policing. No "that doesn't count as a real hike." The trail is better when we support each other, and that's exactly the kind of community I'm building here.

🌍
Representation Matters

The outdoors should reflect all of us — every race, every body, every identity. When people see themselves in trail content, they feel like they belong. That matters deeply to me.

Our commitment

This space is explicitly for everyone.

If the outdoors has ever felt like it wasn't built for you, I want you to know: this community was built with you in mind. These aren't just words — they're the foundation of everything here.

All Races & Ethnicities

BIPOC hikers have always belonged on the trail. This is an anti-racist, actively inclusive space.

🏳️‍🌈
LGBTQ+ Affirming

Queer, trans, and nonbinary hikers are fully celebrated and welcomed here — no exceptions, no asterisks.

💪
All Body Sizes

There is no "hiker body." Every body on the trail is a hiker's body. You will not be made to feel otherwise here.

All Abilities

Hikers with disabilities, chronic illness, or mobility aids belong on the trail and in this community.

Ready to hit the trail?

Wherever you are in your hiking journey, we're in this together. Let's get outside.

Maia Journal

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The magic of small-scale production

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Rustic Collection Work Process

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Wheel Throwing workshops

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Behind the plates – studio stories

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Winter Vase collection coming soon

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perfect ceramics for plates

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