tThere’s something about walking across an entire country that reconnects you. Spend months outdoors, solving problems as you go and overcoming all kinds of ups and downs. You don’t come home the same person who left. The trail changes your priorities, increases your confidence, and pushes you toward new possibilities you may not have imagined before.
For some hikers, that change becomes a spark. They take the courage, creativity, and resilience created along the way and turn it into something new: small businesses built for the same community that formed them.
Built by hikers: small businesses born from long trails
This article highlights hikers who transformed their trail experience into resources the community depends on: injury prevention, strength training, nutrition, art, storytelling, and more. Support built by people who understand the journey because they have lived it.
Whether you’re preparing for your first long-distance hike or feeling the spark to build something of your own, these hikers show what can grow when you follow the momentum that starts on the trail.
Here are five hikers who turned their passion for hiking into small businesses built by hikers, for hikers.
1. Blaze Physio – Mobile PCT Physiotherapy for Hikers
Morgan “Blaze” Brosnihan hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 2019 and noticed a familiar pattern: hikers dealing with injuries on remote trails miles from proper care, pushing through the pain because they had no other option. Instead of accepting that as part of hiking, Morgan imagined what support would be like if it reached hikers exactly where they were.
That idea eventually became Blaze Physioa mobile physical therapy and telehealth practice designed for hikers. Each season, Morgan travels the PCT in his bright red Blaze Physio van (a little PT clinic on wheels), showing up at trail towns, trailheads, and anywhere hikers need help. Their dog, Honey, has also become a beloved part of the experience, offering tail wagging, hugs, and the occasional “free shower.”
Morgan’s approach is rooted in compassion and a deep belief in what hikers are capable of. As she shares,
“Helping someone with leg cramps at mile 500 and running into them again in Washington (listening to my advice helped keep them on track) reminded me how adaptable the human body can be when someone really wants something.”
It also taught him that hikers aren’t just customers; They are a community that values care, intention, and genuine support.
Blaze Physio supports hikers in every phase of their journey:
- Strengthening prior to the trail and injury prevention.
- On-Route Assessments and Movement Guidance Along the PCT
- Post-journey recovery support
His work is a reminder that you don’t have to face injuries alone. And with the right support, setbacks caused by injuries don’t have to put an end to your hike.
You can learn more about Blaze Physio at Morgan’s website either instagram.
Photo: Morgan Brosnihan
2. Abstract Hikes: Trail-Inspired Art, Prints, and Storytelling
After hiking the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail, Alina “Abstract” Drufovka wanted to capture more than just the landscape. I wanted to capture the feeling of a long distance hike. What started as reflections in a sketchbook turned into abstract walksits vibrant brand focused on storytelling and preserving memory.
Alina’s work—prints, stickers, patches, apparel, and custom commissions—features bold colors, trail emotions, and the influence of her Colombian-American heritage. For many hikers, their art becomes a way to hold onto something that would otherwise be difficult to describe.
A fundamental lesson from her walks still guides her today. As Alina explains:
“The trail became a metaphor for everything in my life… Starting a business seemed as daunting as a long-distance hike, but step by step, I learned that the same persistence that got me through the trail can help me overcome anything.”
This same spirit drives its community building. At this year’s Appalachian Trail Days, she co-hosted Dirtbag Dating, a speed dating event inspired by her own love story on the trails: she met her partner on the first day of her hike.
For hikers who want to take a piece of the trail with them, abstract walks offers a creative way to keep those miles alive.
You can learn more about abstract walks at Alina’s. website or about her instagram.
Photo: Alina Drufovka
3. The Trek: the largest digital platform for hikers
Before The Trek became one of the largest digital homes for the long-distance hiking community, it began like many trail-born ideas: with a hiker trying to understand what the trail really demands.
After hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2011 and the Pacific Crest Trail in 2017, Zach “Badger” Davis realized that success on a long trail isn’t just about equipment or physical fitness, but largely mental.
That idea led him to write Appalachian Trials and then Pacific Crest Testsbooks that helped countless hikers prepare for the psychological side of hiking. (For me personally, Pacific Crest Tests was the most important resource I read before hiking the PCT.)
Those books eventually spawned something much bigger: The Trek, a platform created to support hikers at every stage of their journey. What started as one person’s attempt to articulate the mental challenges of hiking has grown into a full-scale community hub featuring editorial journalism, trail news, gear deep dives, hiker stories, and real-time reporting from the AT, PCT, CDT, and more.
«Long before The Trek gave me a job, it gave me the information I needed to start planning my first hike,» says The Trek editor-in-chief Kelly Floro. “Watching this community grow over the years has been incredibly rewarding.”
Today, The Trek includes podcasts, a clothing store, and thousands of personal trail blogs; However, their mission remains the same: to help hikers feel seen, supported, and mentally prepared for the adventure that awaits them.
You’re probably already on The Trek website if you’re reading this article, and you can also find out more about them on Instagram.
Photo: Zach Davis
4. Trailside Fitness – Strength and Conditioning Training for Hikers
When Lee “Flick” Welton hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 2018, he realized what many hikers quickly learn: Most people don’t give up for lack of determination—they do so because their bodies weren’t ready for the repetitive strain of long-distance movement.
Drawing from his experience as a personal trainer and physical therapist assistant, Lee created Trailside Fitness in 2017 to help hikers develop the strength, mobility and resilience needed for big mile days. Their program combines clinical knowledge with lived trail experience and adapts to the reality of hikers who have full-time jobs, limited equipment, and big goals.
One of his biggest motivations came from what he saw before his own hike:
«Seeing the completion percentage and injury rates on hikes was really eye-opening…I knew that with the right training more hikers could be successful and I had the right skill set to make an impact.»
Trailside Fitness offers high-level support through structured training plans, personalized strength work, and movement guidance that takes hikers from preparation to post-trail recovery.
For long-distance hikers, Lee’s message is simple: Your body deserves a plan, too. Training doesn’t have to be complicated: just intentional, progressive and consistent.
You can learn more about Trailside Fitness at Lee’s. website or more in your instagram.
Photo: Lee Welton
5. Backcountry Foodie: Backpacking Nutrition, Meal Planning, and Ultralight Recipes
Lover of country cuisine was created to solve a universal backpacking problem: how to fuel your body to cover big miles without carrying unnecessary weight or losing your mind planning resupply.
Founded in 2017 by registered dietitian Aaron Owens Mayhew, RDN, the project began while she was preparing homemade, ultralight meals for her own Pacific Crest Trail attempt. Along the way, he realized that hikers needed simple, nutrition-focused guidance tailored to backpacking realities—not gourmet meals or generic sports nutrition.
As Aaron says, “During my hikes, I realized how difficult it was to maintain proper nutrition without carrying too much weight, and I continued to meet hikers who struggled with the same thing.”
Since then, he has tested and refined his systems on the Appalachian Trail, the Oregon Coast Trail, the Colorado Trail, and the Condor Trail.
Today, Backcountry Foodie offers:
- Ultralight, High-Calorie Backpacking Recipes
- Customizable Meal Planning Spreadsheets
- Dietitian-Led Guidance for Performance and Special Diets
- A subscription-based meal planning platform
They are also widely known for their Hiking Calorie Calculatora free tool that helps hikers estimate their caloric needs based on terrain, mileage, and backpack weight.
For anyone who wants to feel stronger and more supported on the trail, Backcountry Foodie offers tools created by someone who understands both the science and the lived experience.
You can learn more about Backcountry Foodie on their official site. website or later instagram.
Photo: Aaron Owens Mayhew
Supporting companies founded by hikers who support you
A long-distance walk can change your trajectory in ways you never expected. These hikers show what’s possible when you follow the momentum that begins on the trail. A reminder that the term is often not an end, but a beginning.
As you plan your next big adventure, consider turning to the small businesses founded by hikers that keep this community strong and supported. Whether you need injury guidance, strength training, nutritional help, or creative trail-inspired resources, these offerings are created by people who understand the experience in a way only other hikers can.
Cover image: Graphic design by Mackenzie Fisher.
