Woke hiking groups in Oregon have been establishing segregated hiking paths exclusively for people of color (POC). The intention behind this initiative is to provide a space where POC can hike without concerns about encountering individuals who may be “prejudiced”.
According to a report by 100 Percent Fed Up, Tyrone Wilson, a black actor associated with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, volunteers as a hike leader during his days off. Wilson is recognized as one of the founders of several outdoor groups, including Unlikely Hikers, OutGrown, and People of Color Outdoors.
The Unlikely Hikers community, as described on its website, aims to be a diverse, anti-racist, and body-liberating group that highlights the experiences of underrepresented individuals in outdoor activities. The group welcomes “adventurers who are plus-size & fat, Black, Indigenous, People of Color, queer, trans and non-binary, disabled, neurodivergent, and beyond.”
As reported by Oregon Live, Wilson’s groups strive to “make recreational public land feel more welcoming to people who are more afraid of encountering a person with a prejudice than a mountain lion.”
“I am an unlikely hiker, in culture, body, and anything that would traditionally be considered the visual ideal of a hiker,” Wilson told Oregon Live. “And I’ve given all my efforts to attract people to Monday Hike who don’t think the outdoors belongs to them. It has been a real effort.”
Undoubtedly, it is crucial for everyone to feel welcome and able to engage in hiking and connect with the natural world. However, the act of labeling certain groups as “unlikely hikers” reinforces stereotypes and suggest that these individuals are not readily accepted within the broader hiking community. This approach may inadvertently create a sense that people need to overcome barriers or join exclusive groups to participate in outdoor activities, which can be counterproductive to fostering inclusivity and equal access for all.
