Hiking with Padme: Adventure, Transformation, and Hiking Tips

Welcome to Hiking with Padme! This blog is your ultimate resource for outdoor enthusiasts who share a love for nature, adventure, and personal growth. Whether you’re looking for detailed trail reviews, practical tips for hiking with your four-legged companions, or inspiration to boost your physical and mental well-being, you’re in the right place.

Here, we celebrate the transformative power of hiking—not just as a way to stay active, but as a journey toward connecting with ourselves, our pets, and the natural world around us. You’ll discover honest, firsthand reviews of trails that are dog-friendly and inclusive, along with advice tailored for hikers of all levels.

Whether you’re a proud pet parent seeking the perfect trail for your furry friend, part of the vibrant queer hiking community, or simply someone who loves exploring the outdoors, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Let’s hit the trails together and discover how hiking can enrich your life in countless ways!

My 90-pound Rottweiler/Husky mix, Padme, is more than just a pet—she’s my steadfast hiking partner and adventure buddy. Nearly every weekend, we hit the trails together, exploring new paths or revisiting familiar favorites in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. For Padme, these hikes are a way to channel her boundless energy, stay physically fit, and engage her curious mind. Whether she’s bounding through open fields, sniffing out interesting scents along the trail, or splashing in a creek, the joy she exudes is infectious and reminds me to embrace the moment.

For me, hiking is about more than just physical activity. It’s a chance to unplug from the chaos of daily life, reconnect with nature, and reset my mental and emotional state. There’s something uniquely calming about the rhythmic crunch of boots on dirt, the rustle of leaves in the breeze, and the soft padding of Padme trotting beside me. These moments help me feel grounded, offering clarity and a sense of peace that I carry back into my daily routine.

Hiking has also become a key part of my journey toward self-care and personal growth. It’s not just a workout—it’s a way to find strength, both physically and emotionally, and to celebrate my body for what it can do. The trails have taught me patience, perseverance, and gratitude, as I continue to discover new layers of resilience within myself. Together, Padme and I are creating memories on the trails, and each hike leaves us feeling rejuvenated, more connected to the world around us, and ready for whatever comes next.

Hiking isn’t just a workout—it’s a holistic way to nurture mental health and well-being. The simple act of spending time outdoors has an incredible ability to reduce stress, quiet the mind, and provide relief from the demands of daily life. Immersing yourself in nature, surrounded by the sights and sounds of the wild, can create a sense of calm that is hard to replicate elsewhere. For me, hiking has been transformative, playing a vital role in managing anxiety and building a stronger, more confident connection to my body.

Each step on the trail feels like a step toward greater resilience, both mentally and physically. The fresh air and natural beauty provide a mental reset, helping me to process my thoughts and let go of negativity. Whether you’re just beginning your fitness journey, working through personal challenges, or simply looking for a peaceful escape, hiking offers a powerful path to renewal. It’s more than exercise—it’s a chance to reconnect with yourself, embrace the healing power of nature, and discover strength you didn’t know you had.

• Know your dog’s limits. Things like age, size, and overall health can limit the length or difficulty of the hike. Pay attention to their energy and comfort levels as you go.
• Take at least 3x the amount of water you would take for yourself. I don’t care if I come home with extra, as long as Padme always has enough water. I’ll sacrifice my own water for her, but I’d prefer not to go without, so I bring a ton.
• Bring a water bowl or something your dog can drink from. They need something to hold their water on the trail, even if it’s just a collapsible bowl.
• Check the weather. Heat stroke is real, and extreme weather—hot, cold, or stormy—can affect your dog as much as it affects you.
• Know the landscape. My dog is genetically built for snow, so if she’s in the cold or wet, she’s happy. But summers are tough for her. I have to plan summer hikes around her black fur, which soaks up the sun and makes her miserable. For her comfort, I stick to trails close to rivers and deep under tree cover. In the winter, I can enjoy more open skies, cloudy weather, and rainy days.

• Have a pet first-aid kit and brush up on basic techniques. Just like us, dogs can get hurt out in the middle of nowhere, and we’re the ones with opposable thumbs!
• Take treats or food. If I’m snacking, Padme can snack too.
• Bring a sealable bag (like a freezer bag) for used poop bags. I forgot once. It was no fun walking five miles smelling dog poop. Depending on the length of your hike and the size of your bag, you might want to bring more than one.
• Pack a towel or a blanket you don’t mind throwing away. Once, Padme decided to roll around blissfully in some reasonably fresh cow dung—in multiple piles before I could get her back to me. There wasn’t enough water to rinse even a portion of it off. I could get to a river quickly, but not unless I drove us there. It was a mess. It was funny even while it was happening, but I had a lot of clean-up afterward. Luckily, I always keep a tarp in my car.