The transition to motherhood is an adjustment in so many ways. Shanti Hodges was like a lot of new moms in that when her son, Mason, was born, she didn’t have a lot of other friends with small children.
She had enjoyed an active outdoor lifestyle before Mason was born, but since surfing, snowboarding, and mountain biking aren’t so newborn-friendly, she was in need of some new hobbies.
She decided to join a group for new moms and, although she really enjoyed meeting other women and making new friends, she was still longing for the great outdoors.
One day, she invited a few other women to go for a walk in Forest Park in Portland. Five women joined her for that first hike. The next week, they met again and ten women ventured out. Fifteen came the week after that.
All Hodges had to do was pick a place, date, and time, and women responded. Clearly, she was meeting a need in her community. Hike it Baby was born.
Growing organically
Hodges knew right away that she had stumbled onto something. In the age of social media, a few shared photos from their Portland hikes had parents across the country wondering how they could find this kind of outdoor community. With a background in technology and media, Hodges soon created a Facebook group and a website to help the idea spread and grow.
Hike it Baby grew quickly, and by the end of its first year in existence, groups had formed in 100 cities across the U.S.
It also became expensive. The website needed to be able to handle the volume of traffic it was receiving. The calendar tool was upgraded so that hundreds of people could find a hike near them or add one that they were organizing.
When it became unsustainable for Hodges to fund it privately and maintain it as a hobby, she established Hike it Baby as a nonprofit organization. In addition to grants and corporate sponsorships, some funds are raised through fundraisers like the “Hike it Baby 30,” challenging participants all over the world to hike 30 miles in 30 days with their babies and toddlers and log it with a special tool.
Hike it Baby members pay an annual fee of $10 to gain access to the nationwide schedule of hikes and events, plus other resources to help make it easier to get outside with young children.
Today, the day-to-day operations of Hike it Baby are managed by a staff of 13, both full- and part-time employees. Shanti Hodges remains on the Board of Directors, but has stepped down from a paid role within the organization. It is an exciting moment for the founder of an organization to be able to step back and watch it flourish and grow—and Hodges has reached this point in less than five years.
Building trust
On the surface, it may not seem like a national organization would be needed for new parents to have opportunities to take their babies hiking. After all, the trails are there for all to use without joining an organization. But Hike it Baby makes it easier for families to explore the outdoors together, by reducing barriers and facilitating community.
Hodges compares it to other well-known and trusted organizations. If a stranger tries to sell you cookies, you would likely say no. But if she is wearing a Girl Scout uniform, that changes the situation. In the same way, an invitation to hike in the woods with your baby might make many parents, especially moms, uncomfortable. But when the invitation comes from someone who represents an organization with an established reputation, it feels safer to give it a try.
Hike it Baby has established guidelines and trains local ambassadors on how to lead hikes and outdoor events. There is consistency regardless of location and parents have learned what they can expect from an outing. They know they will receive support and encouragement, and that there is freedom to stop and feed or change a baby as needed. Consistent language is used to rate the length, pace and difficulty of hikes so that everyone can find one that best fits their family’s needs.
Raising a generation
With a stated purpose of raising a generation to love the outdoors, Hike it Baby strives to help families overcome obstacles that may keep them indoors. This month, Hike it Baby plans to launch a new tool to help moms and dads alike find family-friendly trails in their neck of the woods. They are also working to increase diversity on the trails and to reframe the definition of “hiking.”
Flipping through outdoor magazines and catalogs can give the impression that outdoor adventures are reserved for middle class caucasians. Hike it Baby is partnering with other organizations to find ways to promote more racial and socioeconomic diversity. The goal: to see more minorities and immigrants exploring nature and teaching their children to love the outdoors. They currently have a grant to further this goal in five cities across the U.S.
Not everyone has easy access to big mountains to hike, but even in cities, long walks can be planned in parks and green areas. The goal is to make spending time outside attainable for all families.
Hike it Baby, the book
In 2018, Shanti Hodges released a new book, appropriately titled Hike it Baby: 100 Awesome Outdoor Adventures with Babies and Toddlers.
The book includes details of some of her favorite places to be outdoors with her son, along with contributions from Hike it Baby ambassadors around the country. New parents can find all the information they need to plan an outdoor adventure with little ones. In promoting the book, Hodges was able to travel and visit some of the locations she hadn’t been to personally and meet up with Hike it Baby branches to hit the trail.
On to new adventures
The adventure continues for Shanti Hodges. Now that she has stepped back from day-to-day leadership of Hike it Baby, she’s starting to plan women’s retreats based on outdoor exploration in her new home state of Utah.
After meeting so many moms during her time with Hike it Baby, she realized that many women are taking care of everyone but themselves. Hodges wants to help women find the healing and rejuvenation they need in nature. Her new venture is called Hiking My Way and her next retreat is coming up in March 2019. She also continues to write and produce adventure content.
Above all, she prioritizes hitting the trail regularly with Mason, now 5 and a half years old, and raising him to be part of a generation that loves the outdoors.
Visit hikeitbaby.com or find them on Facebook for more information or to try a free, 90-day membership. For more information about Shanti Hodges, visit Hiking My Way or find her on Instagram.
