About girl gotta hike
Girl Gotta Hike Public Transit Series Hike to South Mountain Reservation in NJ.
Girl Gotta Hike encourages women of all ages to get away from the grind and connect with the ground - online, on-air and via guided hikes and backpacking trips in and around NYC. It’s your resource for information, encouragement, camaraderie and confidence that will help you reach your personal summits. From short day hikes near home to multi-day backpacking trips, the Girl Gotta Hike community has your back and will be cheering you on every step of the way.
Interviews with fellow female adventurers and entrepreneurs on Girl Gotta Hike The Podcast celebrate the strength it takes to endure the specific challenges women face in conquering their outdoor goals, businesses and day-to-day life. Blog posts provide tips on anything from gear choice, to navigating trailhead logistics to exploring the mental health benefits that hiking can provide. Media recommendations showcase what other awesome women have written, filmed and created about their adventures.
Many women have wanderlust for the woods but find that taking time for themselves in this era of over-connectedness is a challenge unto itself. By purposefully stepping outside and breathing in open air, Girl Gotta Hike believes the mental and physical benefits of hiking help us to recharge and be more present in the everyday, at home, at work-from-home, and with our relationships.
Welcome all to Girl Gotta Hike.
About Melissa "Click!" Goodwin
Melissa at the end of her 2,181-mile Appalachian Trail journey, Sept. 5, 2011.
Founder of girl gotta hike, photographer & NYS licensed Outdoor guide #7863
Basecamp: Brooklyn & Pine Hill, New York
Trail Name: Click!
Long Distance Treks - 4,000 miles and counting: Appalachian Trail 2011, John Muir Trail 2016, The Long Trail 2017, Everest Base Camp 2018, Hundred-Mile Wilderness 2019, Northville-Placid Trail 2020, Wonderland Trail 2021, Pacific Crest Trail (Section A) 2022, Colorado Trail 2023, Tahoe Rim Trail 2024
Catskill 3500 Peak Completionist
Catskill All Trails Aspirant (60% down, 40% to go!)
As a city-dweller who also craves being outside in nature, it takes some serious dedication to navigate getting out of the city and into the woods. It’s a challenge that I enjoy conquering because I know just how sweet the rewards can be.
After returning from my six-month thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, my husband and friends noticed how much I loved talking trail with anyone who asked. They encouraged me to share my knowledge with other adventurous women in a more public forum. I hesitated for a while, focusing on what I thought were the ways I should be making money in NYC.
And then it hit me – life is short and I what I really should be doing is the things I love.
I love sharing experiences through photography. I love exploring story through podcast interviews and blog posts, and I absolutely love encouraging other women to get out and hike! The camaraderie in the hiking community is incredible, and the friendships born on trail are some of those that I cherish most. Helping other women recognize the power they have within themselves is truly the best part of it all.
To see more of Melissa's professional photography work, click here.