About

Mission

Blue Ridge Hiking Company's mission is to make the outdoors accessible and enjoyable to all. We believe that the trail is there for everyone at every phase of life. This means that we welcome all hikers regardless of their background or ability level.

Blue Ridge Hiking Company strives to foster a positive relationship between people and the outdoors. We do that by providing safe experiences on the trail with engaging, knowledgeable, and well-equipped guides.

We embrace and encourage diversity on the trail, including but not limited to race, age, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and special needs. We are an LGBTQ+ friendly business, and provide a safe and inclusive environment on all of our trips.

Blue Ridge Hiking Company's guides and groups also follow the principles of Leave No Trace so as to set an example and educate on the importance of enjoying the outdoors responsibly.

Our Team:

Lindsey Barr, Manager and Lead Guide
Lindsey grew up in central North Carolina, where she developed a love for the outdoors and earned her Girl Scout Gold Award. In 2012, she left her career in engineering behind to follow her dream of helping introduce others to an active outdoor lifestyle. When she isn't at work, she is exploring area trails and dreaming of her next adventure. In addition to hiking and backpacking, she enjoys cycling, rock climbing, paddling, fly fishing, knitting, and sewing.

Tina Currin, Assistant Manager and Lead Guide
After Tina sold her first home in North Carolina, she made a life-altering decision: Hit the highway and explore every state and national park possible. Whether climbing in the Rockies, bushwhacking through Arctic backcountry, hiking rim to rim in the Grand Canyon, or thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail she discovered the variety of experiences one can have in our wild spaces. She enjoys sharing what she has learned with others — no matter where they are in their own journey.

Matt "Gnome" Dobson, Lead Guide
Having moved around the world pursing other professional interests, Matt has decided Western North Carolina is the place for him and helping to expose others to our natural world is the perfect way to spend his time. With over 12,000 trail miles on his legs, many of them have been in Southern Appalachia. Matt has a Plant Sciences degree from the University of Tennessee and has spent many of his hours in nature studying its science and history.

Jenn "One Day" Gift
Jenn grew up in Central North Carolina, spending her summers enjoying the state’s beaches. It wasn’t until attending Brevard College for a BA in Graphic Design and Photography that she fell in love with the mountains. She has been a Wilderness Therapy Mentor since 2010 and has hiked over 5,500 miles on the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail and the Camino de Santiago in Spain! She approaches the wilderness with curiosity and creativity. You’ll often find her cheesin’, cause smiling’s her favorite!

Christine Martens
Christine grew up in Virginia. She thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2010, and the Pacific Crest Trail in 2014. She has also hiked in Europe and New Zealand. She has worked as a guide for Blue Ridge Hiking Company since 2015, and loves to share stories from her adventures and her knowledge of local plants and animals with others.

Francisco Miller
Francisco grew up in Ohio, where he developed a love for the outdoors. After graduating college with a Marketing degree, he went on to work in Chicago, France, and Spain before realizing the fast paced life of sales wasn’t cutting it. He sold his belongings and thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2014, the Pacific Crest Trail in 2015, and the Continental Divide Trail in 2016. After moving to Asheville, he knew that sharing his passion for life and the outdoors as a guide was the way to go.

Lauren Smucker
Lauren has spent her life exploring the Appalachian Mountains. The adventures started as a child in Pennsylvania, and continued during her four years studying fine art. Lauren moved to Vermont where she led trail building crews, created an ice castle, and hiked the state’s Long Trail. She thru hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2018, and now enjoys creating sculptures and identifying flora and fauna in the mountains she calls home.

Tamera Trexler
Hello! I am Tamera and I have been backpacking, hiking, biking and kayaking the regions of Western North Carolina for 30 years. I love long distance hikes: Appalachian Trail; West Highlands Way of Scotland; Foothills Trail; Glacier N.P.; Yosemite NP; the Long Trail; sections of the PCT, Mount Rainier NP and many more to come. I would love to share the waterfalls, peaks and pinnacles and forests of WNC with you!

Company History

About Jennifer

Blue Ridge Hiking Company was founded in 2008 by National Geographic Adventurer of the Year and renowned backpacker, Jennifer Pharr Davis. A native of Western North Carolina, Jennifer grew up in these mountains but never bacpacked until she tackled the Appalachian Trail at age 21. It was when she hiked aross a solitary ridge at sunset that she realized - for the first time in her life - she was a part of nature. That moment made her feel beautiful, capable and wild. She vowed to help other individuals experience "that" feeling.

At the age of 24, Jennifer founded Blue Ridge Hiking Company to help everyone - especially women - to experience the joy and empowerment of spending time on trail. Twelve years later, Blue Ridge Hiking Company has helped thousands of individuals experience the transformation experience of walking through and with nature on day hikes and overnights.

Blue Ridge Hiking Company guide in Pisgah National Forest, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Mount Mitchell State Park, Dupont State Forest, on the Appalachian Trail, and more!