About Us

The concept of We Outie was brought to life while our founder, Stephanie Padrick, was hiking along the Potomac River at Great Falls National Park.  "What brings me the most happiness?," she said to herself while brainstorming the next chapter of her life.  "Hiking, of course!"

We Outie has made it their mission to help share the happiness and fulfillment of the outdoors through hiking with our youth on America's greatest trails. 

​

Through our programs, our hikers will develop a life-long relationship with nature. Love for the great outdoors is not a genetic trait we inherit. Conservation is a learned behavior, one that needs to be fostered and encouraged. Going for hikes with children is the first step in showing the wonders of the great outdoors and why clean water and clean air matter.

​

Not only will hikers get exercise.  Our hikers will learn to listen, observe and record and have opportunities to learn life skills. 

- Listen: Natural areas host many wonderful sounds. Our hikers will try to identify bird calls or simply count different natural noises, from water flowing to leaves rustling to bees buzzing.

- Observe and Record: Our hikers will keep a list of animals or plants they see, they can sketch plants or take photos. Hikers will keep a journal where they record hikes they take and write down memories, descriptions, and stories.

- Life Skills: Hikers will learn how to read a map, predict a storm and use a compass. We'll use a scraped knee, bug bite, or blister as an opportunity to teach basic first aid.

​

Goodbye technology, hello nature. We Outie!

​

​