How do you find friends who also love the outdoors? Have you recently discovered a love for the outdoors or have no one to show you the ropes? Maybe you have experience but are looking for like-minded friends who would make your time even better. Meeting new people can be daunting, and finding women with the same interests can be even more challenging.
Here are a few tips to help you find and make friends who love the outdoors as much as you do.
Recreation Groups
One of the best ways to meet new people is to find local recreational groups. Chances are, you’ll find a women’s group dedicated to hiking, hunting, fishing, or whatever activity you are interested in. Do a little research and scour the internet to look for events or meetings you can attend. If your area doesn’t have any groups specifically for women, don’t hesitate to show up to any outdoor event you have access to. Women will be there too!
Sporting Goods Stores
Another great place to find friends who love the outdoors is at your local sporting goods stores. Often the staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and happy to talk about what’s going on in the area. I’ve made great friends and picked up invaluable knowledge from conversations that started in sporting goods stores with staff and customers. Check out the outdoor stores near you and strike up a conversation – a new friend might be standing in the next fishing aisle.
Social Media
In the day when the internet prevails, so does outdoor social media. Utilizing social media networks like Facebook and Instagram can be an easy and effective way to meet friends. Start by following pages on Facebook dedicated to the activities you enjoy. Local pages are great, but join any online outdoor community that catches your eye. Instagram, Twitter, and platforms that use hashtags make it easy to follow what’s going on in the community and can be helpful for finding people in your area. I recently met my favorite fishing gal pals through Instagram and am so thankful for the connections.
Get Out
My last tip for making friends who love the outdoors is to get outdoors and actually enjoy it! Some of the best places to meet awesome women are on the trail, shooting range, or on the river. When you see someone doing what you love, introduce yourself and ask about their gun or what the fish are biting on. If you want to make a friend to explore with you, try looking in their natural habitat!
No matter what routes you take to find fellow outdoorswomen, the most important thing you can do is show up. Start going to events, join groups, and explore your community.
