About Lauren and Trails That Rock
The Elevator Pitch
Lauren (that’s me!) 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 my Eagle Scout father and nature-loving mother, I grew up hiking! If you’ve heard the podcast episode with my mom, you might have already heard this story.
My parents started taking me out on the trail when I was an infant. I’ve 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. My favorite memory is climbing through the rocks at the Pinnacle Summit (and terrifying my mother!).
My parents were also big on traveling, so I’ve been fortunate to experience hiking in many of the National Parks, including Joshua Tree and Yellowstone.
My sister chose to go to school far away in Colorado (Go Rams!). Although I was very sad that she lived so far away, the plus side was it gave us even more opportunities to hike all over the Centennial State, including Longs Peak (although I never made it to the summit 🥵 ) and Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs (which I eventually brought the kids to because that place is incredible!).
Once high school rolled around, my hiking days were put on hold. Between the many extracurricular activities and maintaining a social life, hiking wasn’t a priority. In fact, I didn’t really “hike” anywhere for about a decade.
After having kids, I remembered all of the fun I had as a child hiking through the forest and climbing over rocks. I decided it was important for my kids to experience that too! One of the first trails I took the kids to was Ringing Rocks County Park in Bucks County, PA. After that, my love of hiking was reignited, and I made it a point to get my family and me out on the trails again (thankfully, Dan, my husband, was game!).
Now, I’m dragging my family out on hikes on free weekends. We’ve explored many of the trails near our home, including sections of the Appalachian Trail and our favorite place to hike in Philly, Wissahickon Valley Park. We’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 the family!
I hope to continue hiking as long as I can! I’m super inspired by my 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 my bucket list of trails is too long.
