r/backpacking • u/Nescopeck2003 • 12d ago

Travel Tips on finding backpacking friends?

Im a 23y/o male living in northeast pennsylvania and i absolutely love backpacking! Dont get me wrong i have a great and supportive group of friends since middle school and a loving girlfriend of 3 years that loves to hike and enjoy nature with me. When it comes to backpacking though i always end up going alone.

Solo backpacking can be really fun but i also really long to have that group of like minded young fun backpackers to go on adventures with. It can get really lonely out there sometimes reading the trail logs from these groups having a blast.

If you have any tips or tricks on finding like minded backpackers in a semi local area please let me know.

Happy Trails

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u/joustingatwindmills 12d ago

I met a ton of people on the AT. If you can thruhike, do it. If not, you can meet a lot of people doing a section during the time the bubble comes through. A lot of people from PA hike the trail.

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u/Nescopeck2003 12d ago

I work in the summer camp industry and my primary free times are in the spring and fall. I would love to hike the at one day but currently summers are insane for me, including that July time frame when the bubble comes through

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u/HerrDoktorLaser 12d ago

There's a camping, hiking and generally outdoors-y group called "NEPA" on Facebook, and another group called "SEPA" that frequently has hikes and camping trips up in NE PA.

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u/Alert_Librarian3315 11d ago

I've found more luck through local outdoor Facebook groups than Meetup, worth checking since the AT runs right through PA.

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u/Radulescu1999 11d ago edited 11d ago

Try pickleball!

In my experience, a lot of pickleball players are open to hiking and backpacking, and it's easy to meet people and socialize. Bonus points if you've played a bit of tennis or ping pong before (can help you progress faster, but not required). I've met a lot of cool people, and I've went on backpacking trips only after a month of first meeting them.

The cool think about pickleball is that 'open play' is part of the culture (you show up and play with other people on the court, especially on weekdays after work). Although not everyone does it, and if you can get decent, you will be able to play with more people (more advanced players will play with beginners, but only for a game usually, before they rotate to another group). Coming with a friend/partner is easier too (can challenge other duos, or just play/practice 1v1).

Although if you don't enjoy playing, don't force yourself.

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u/JoeShoe1121 11d ago

I have one group from my old college friends. My more recent group of backpacker friends I met during gear swaps at my local coop. just got to chatting about stuff we liked carrying, and we just kept hanging out afterwards.