About Lauren and Trails That Rock
The Elevator Pitch
Lauren and her family have been hiking together since 2018. They’ve enjoyed many hikes from Massachusetts to Tennessee and even out west in Colorado. Some of their favorite hiking trails can be found in Pennsylvania, close to their home. Lauren started Trails That Rock to share some of the best hiking trails in the US, suitable for both beginners and avid hikers.
The Full Story
Thanks to her Eagle Scout father and nature-loving mother, Lauren grew up hiking! Her parents started taking her out on the trail when she was an infant. She explored many of the Pennsylvania State Parks as a child and would often hike the Pulpit and Pinnacle Trail while camping at Blue Rocks Campground. Her favorite memory is climbing through the rocks at the Pinnacle Summit.
Lauren’s parents were also big on traveling, so she has experienced hiking in many of the National Parks, including Joshua Tree and Yellowstone.
Since her sister went to school in Colorado (Go Rams!), Lauren had many opportunities to hike all over the Centennial State, including Longs Peak (although she didn’t make it to the summit) and Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs (which she eventually brought her kids to).
Once high school rolled around, Lauren’s hiking days were put on hold. Between the many extracurricular activities and maintaining a social life, hiking wasn’t a priority. In fact, Lauren didn’t really “hike” anywhere for about a decade.
After having children, Lauren remembered all of the fun she had as a child hiking through the forest and climbing over rocks. She decided it was important for her kids to experience that too! One of the first trails she took her kids to was Ringing Rocks County Park in Bucks County, PA. After that, her love of hiking was reignited, and she made it a point to get herself and her family out on the trails again.
Now, Lauren drags her family out on hikes on free weekends. They explore many of the trails near their home, including sections of the Appalachian Trail and their favorite place to hike in Philly, Wissahickon Valley Park. They’ve also made a point to travel around the eastern US, including the Red River Gorge in Kentucky and the Finger Lakes in New York. It’s been fun exploring the country’s different geography and ecology while spending quality time with her kids and husband.
Lauren hopes to continue hiking as long as she can! She is inspired by her parents, who, in their late 70s, continue to get out on the trail all over the world (they recently hiked a glacier in Iceland!). There is too much of the world to see, and her bucket list of trails is too long.
