If you enjoy hiking and being outdoors you can actually start to generate your own income by becoming a hiking guide. To be a great hiking guide you will need to have a love for being outdoors, a good sense of direction and you will need to be familiar with several of the local hiking trails that are in your areas. Having knowledge of the trail you are on as well as its history is also extremely important. Here is a look at how you can go about earning money for yourself by working as a hiking guide.
One popular group you can cater to is tourists. Many are surprised to find that tourists enjoy coming to trails and parks just as much as they enjoy going to the larger more well-known tourist attractions such as amusement parks. You can offer your services for special times of the day as well as during months of the year where tourists are likely to be in town. These are generally around Spring and Summer time. Be sure to take them to some great locations where they can get good pictures. If you are able to you should also try and print out a flyer or brochure with some information about the trail or park you are taking them hiking on. Be sure to include any information on any wildlife you may be likely to see or any other interesting bits of information you think would be valuable or interesting. If you are able to study up on other languages such as French or Spanish this will also assist you as you go about becoming a hiking guide.
Another group that can benefit from your hiking guide skills are school age children. Both private and public schools enjoy taking their kids for small field trips to visit trails and parks. Home schoolers also enjoy the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. When dealing with children, even older children, it is important to stick to trails that somewhat easy to hike on as well as ones that are not too far off the beaten path. Try to pick the most interesting trails with lots of good sights and wildlife for children to see. For extra fun you can hand out information sheets on the types of animals or plants they may get to see. For younger school age children you could also hand out some coloring sheets featuring the animals they may see while hiking on the trail. One idea to make it extra fun is to plan a picnic to while you are out hiking. Have each child brings along with own non-perishable lunch as well as plenty of water for them to drink. This can be a very rewarding hobby that makes money.
To make your hike successful try to do them on days that are generally less crowded and at times where you are less likely to run into a large group of people. Early mornings are great for hiking because you will have a greater chance at seeing some of the wildlife and it is quieter.
Comments on this entry are closed.