Some of the items on this list are practical in nature, but many are handcrafted and sold by small businesses (several were started by women) which is something I value tremendously, being a small business owner myself.
Chime in below in the comments section if you have received or have given something you would like to share. You can never have too many options when you’re looking for a special gift!
Jewelry and Art Gifts
1. Etsy Hiking Gifts
I created an entire post dedicated to Etsy gifts for hikers. Many of the sellers were kind enough to offer special discount codes for friends of Hope and Feather Travels, so make sure to check it out!
2. Fernworks
This Asheville-based woman artist speaks to my nature-loving soul in a deep way. In her own words, “I create tiny, intricate worlds in resin. I blend small painted scenes and found organic ephemera such as real grass, lichen, feathers, and bones into layered resin.” She’s my favorite artist to pop up in my Instagram feed, because I know I’m guaranteed an instantaneous swoon over her latest piece of art. A gift from her collection would be cherished by anyone who loves nature, without a doubt.
Hiking Clothing Gift Ideas
3. Dirty Girl Gaiters
If there is one item I’m asked most often about when I hike, it’s my Dirty Girl Gaiters. They are an essential component of my hiking clothing and I love them for many reasons:
- They keep stuff from getting in my shoes (sand, pebbles, you name it….)
- They often keep my feet somewhat drier if it’s raining.
- They are incredibly lightweight and breathable (unlike many other gaiters that make my feet and ankles soooo hot).
- They come in many different patterns, so it’s a heck of a lot of fun picking out the perfect style for someone you love! You can also give someone a gift certificate from Dirty Girl, if you’re not sure you’ll pick something they like.
- It’s a woman-owned company!
4. Purple Rain Hiking Skirt
This company was also started by a woman. She had the idea while thru hiking the Appalachian Trail after she couldn’t find a skirt on the market with what she deemed were necessary features. She designed and sewed one for herself and tested its functionality the following summer on her thru hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. After that, an amazing idea was turned into a business. I hike in my Purple Rain Skirt year round and I can’t say enough good things about it:
- It has four pockets that are the perfect width for anything from my iPhone to my maps. Two of the pockets have velcro closures to keep things from falling out.
- A wide waistband, similar to what you’d find in a maternity skirt. If there’s one perk to feeling like a beached whale when you’re 9 months pregnant, it’s the brilliant and comfortable design of those waistbands! It was an outstanding choice to create this skirt’s waistband with the same style.
- Quick drying and lightweight. I’m amazed at how fast my skirt dries if I’m caught in the rain.
- My comfort level increased dramatically once I started wearing this skirt. I used to chafe badly between my legs but that’s not an issue anymore since a skirt provides so much ventilation to help keep me cool (and yes, my legs still rub together some, but since they’re as hot and sweaty, it prevents chafing much better than any pants or shorts)
5. Hiker Trash
Yet another business started by a woman! I actually had the serendipitous pleasure of meeting Renee “She-Ra” Patrick, this company’s original owner (she still creates designs for them, but she sold it recently) while I was hiking the Teton Crest Trail. You would have thought I was meeting a movie star, and it was one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had on a trail. A dear friend gave me a Hiker Trash t-shirt for my birthday (she was with me when I met She-Ra) and it’s my most worn and favorite shirt when I’m not on a trail. They make all kinds of great stuff besides t-shirts, from hats to decals.
Food Gift Ideas
6. Blue Ridge Bake Shop’s Adventure Cookies
Who doesn’t love a home-baked treat, especially when you’ve earned it after taking a long hike?! Blue Ridge Bake Shop specializes in adventured themed cookies for hikers and outdoor adventurers and they make a great (and yummy!) gift. The company’s Fruit and Nut Granola is also a best seller and has quite the following of devoted fans. They ship nationwide and also have gift packages that can be sent to thru hikers. Oh, and it’s my own company! 🙂
Functional Gift Ideas
7. Hazelwood Soap Company’s Bug Be Gone
This western North Carolina based company is owned by one of my besties, but that’s not why I love this product. I love it because it works, it smells good, and it’s non toxic. I feel good about putting it on my kids and as an added bonus, it doesn’t dry out my skin. Total win!
Their Take a Hike lotion (also available on their website) is one of my favorite scents in the world.
If you ever find yourself in Waynesville, NC, do yourself a favor and stop by their shop because everything they create is divine (but they ship nationwide too).
8. Goodwipes for Women
If you ever visit Hazelwood Soap Company, they sell these in their store (but not online, unfortunately). If you can’t get to their store, Amazon has them too (but always try to support your small, local businesses first!).
These wipes have a fresh, clean scent that will leave any woman feeling a bit more like a woman at the end of a long day on a backpacking trip. They come in various sizes, and Iike the larger ones for backpacking trips.
9. Peak Designs Camera Clip
This camera clip straps onto your backpack’s shoulder strap and makes taking pictures a heck of a lot easier when you’re on the trail. With a quick release button, your camera stays secure when you don’t need it but it’s readily available when you do. I even carry my (heavy) DSLR camera with this clip. Their customer service is excellent (I was having a problem with my camera not releasing properly which was user error, but they walked me through the steps to figure out what I was doing wrong). If you know a woman who enjoys nature photography on the trail, this is a great gift.
10. Hiking Umbrella
My lightweight, reflective umbrella is almost always with me on a hike. It may seem like a silly thing to carry on a hike, but I never looked look back once I hiked with one in the rain and then under the hot, desert sun. The one pictured is more affordable but weighs a little more than the one that Gossamer Gear makes. Either one you buy would make a great gift. The trail name “Mary Poppins” might be fitting when you never see her without it on hikes!
Book Gift Ideas
11. Grandma Gatewood’s Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail
In a world of highly publicized and highly accomplished women thru hikers, Grandma Gatewood is the original bad ass woman hiker. I’m doubtful she would have had an Instagram account or hiking blog, had they even been available to her on her first thru hike of the Appalachian Trail in 1955 (at the age of 67!). She would have likely scoffed at the idea and I love her even more for that.
Her life’s story will inspire you and prove that you can accomplish anything you set out to do in the hiking world with enough grit and determination. I cannot express how much I treasure this book and how much I think about this woman every time I am on the Appalachian Trail.
12. Mary Oliver’s Poetry
Mary Oliver has been around a long time, but her rise to fame with a lot of folks stems from the last lines of her poem, The Summer Day: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
It’s a great quote but I hope people have had the curiosity to delve into the world of her poetry beyond that one special phrase. It is magnificent and she is my absolute favorite poet. If you are looking for a special and sentimental book for a woman who loves spending as much time as possible in the natural world, any of her collections will touch them deeply.
13. A Woman’s Journey by Cindy Ross
A final book, but certainly not last on my own list of favorites. This memoir, written about the author’s thru hike of the Appalachian Trail in the 1980s is a work of art beyond even its written words. Ross illustrated the book herself and she tells the tale of her own thru hike, long before the age of the A.T.’s immense popularity. It’s one of my favorites on my shelf and I’ve read it several times, dreaming of repeating her same footsteps to Maine one day. Here’s my full review of the book.
I hope this list has been helpful! If you need more ideas including my favorite books for kids who love the outdoors, check out my other gift guides.
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