Finding Community on the Trail: A Look at SLC Sapphic Hikers

For many, hiking has become part of the rhythm of life in Utah — a go-to way to pass time and connect with nature. But for the SLC Sapphic Hikers, it represents something larger: a pathway to community, connection and belonging.

The group was founded about a year ago by Vanessa Vazquez Gonzalez and Stephanie LaFontaine, enthusiastic hikers who noticed a gap in the outdoor community. “We were looking around and realized there wasn’t a hiking group where lesbian, sapphic-adjacent, trans and non-binary people really felt safe to hike,” Gonzalez explains. Rather than waiting for that space to appear, the two women took it upon themselves to create it.

When it comes to their core mission, LaFontaine puts it plainly: “We want everyone to come and feel accepted and seen and safe in a space where they can just be themselves.” For Gonzalez, this objective was shaped by her own experience as a queer woman of color who came out later in life. “I felt like there wasn’t a space for me in the past,” Gonzalez explains, “so I really wanted to make this group a no-judgement area. We don’t care what your background is!”

“We want everyone to come and feel accepted and seen and safe in a space where they can just be themselves.”

The group began to took shape when Gonzalez created their Instagram account, garnering over 100 followers in just 24 hours. She used that platform to spread the word about their first hike, a journey to Red Butte Canyon Overlook. When the day of the hike came, the group’s organizers were shocked to see just how many people arrived. “I thought maybe two or three people would show up,” Gonzalez reflects, “but when Steph and I got there — a few minutes late, of course — there was a group of almost 30 people!” The moment was both surprising and affirming: The demand for this kind of community was already there.

What began as a single hike has evolved into a community of support systems, friendships and even romance. “Honestly, I think a lot of the welcoming atmosphere of the group comes from the natural ability of women to communicate and connect,” notes Jennifer Lemon, the group’s social media manager. That openness shows up immediately on the trail, and by the end of each hike complete strangers leave with newfound friends and plans to see each other again.

“It’s really important for both of us to feel grounded and connected to the Earth.”

With LaFontaine and Gonzalez coming from Indigenous and Mexican backgrounds, respectively, their relationship to nature plays a central role in shaping the group’s identity and mission. “It’s really important for both of us to feel grounded and connected to the Earth,” Gonzalez says. “Sometimes, there’s just so much noise in my head. But listening to the birds and feeling the wind in my hair, I feel okay. I can work through things that I couldn’t process before.”

As the group continues to grow, both founders have been prompted to reflect on what it all means long term. For LaFontaine, it’s about creating the kind of space she wishes had existed earlier in her life — and one that her children can feel comfortable in. For Gonzalez, the legacy is both personal and political. In a time when queer rights can feel uncertain, she sees the group as a form of resistance and visibility. “We are still here,” she says, “and we are going to dominate these spaces.”

“A lot of the welcoming atmosphere of the group comes from the natural ability of women to communicate and connect.”

With several events planned for June, including hikes on June 3 and 18 and a Pride Month social on June 26, the group continues to offer new ways to get involved. For those looking to connect and exist a little more freely outdoors, the invitation is clear: There’s a place for you here.

To stay up to date on all things sapphic hiking, follow @sapphicsonthesummit on Instagram!

Read more sapphic celebration from SLUG:
Dykes on Bikes: Riding With Pride
Local Review: meg jordan — Miss Hippie

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