{"id":197533,"date":"2026-06-03T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.slugmag.com\/?p=197533"},"modified":"2026-06-03T15:24:07","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T21:24:07","slug":"finding-community-on-the-trail-a-look-at-slc-sapphic-hikers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.slugmag.com\/community\/finding-community-on-the-trail-a-look-at-slc-sapphic-hikers\/","title":{"rendered":"Finding Community on the Trail: A Look at SLC Sapphic Hikers"},"content":{"rendered":"
For many, hiking has become part of the rhythm of life in Utah \u2014 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.<\/p>\n
The group was founded about a year ago by Vanessa Vazquez Gonzalez<\/strong> and Stephanie LaFontaine<\/strong>, enthusiastic hikers who noticed a gap in the outdoor community. \u201cWe were looking around and realized there wasn\u2019t a hiking group where lesbian, sapphic-adjacent, trans and non-binary people really felt safe to hike,\u201d Gonzalez explains. Rather than waiting for that space to appear, the two women took it upon themselves to create it.<\/p>\n
When it comes to their core mission, LaFontaine puts it plainly: \u201cWe want everyone to come and feel accepted and seen and safe in a space where they can just be themselves.\u201d For Gonzalez, this objective was shaped by her own experience as a queer woman of color who came out later in life. \u201cI felt like there wasn\u2019t a space for me in the past,\u201d Gonzalez explains, \u201cso I really wanted to make this group a no-judgement area. We don\u2019t care what your background is!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want everyone to come and feel accepted and seen and safe in a space where they can just be themselves.\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\nFor many Utahns, hiking is a go-to way to relax and connect with nature. Photo: Derek Brad<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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<\/em>. When the day of the hike came, the group\u2019s organizers were shocked to see just how many people arrived. \u201cI thought maybe two or three people would show up,\u201d Gonzalez reflects, \u201cbut when Steph and I got there \u2014 a few minutes late, of course \u2014 there was a group of almost 30 people!\u201d The moment was both surprising and affirming: The demand for this kind of community was already there.<\/p>\n
What began as a single hike has evolved into a community of support systems, friendships and even romance. \u201cHonestly, I think a lot of the welcoming atmosphere of the group comes from the natural ability of women to communicate and connect,\u201d notes Jennifer Lemon<\/strong>, the group\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really important for both of us to feel grounded and connected to the Earth.\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\nSLC Sapphic Hikers continues to grow. Photo: Derek Brad<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
With LaFontaine and Gonzalez coming from Indigenous and Mexican backgrounds, respectively, their relationship to nature plays a central role in shaping the group\u2019s identity and mission. \u201cIt\u2019s really important for both of us to feel grounded and connected to the Earth,\u201d Gonzalez says. \u201cSometimes, there\u2019s 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\u2019t process before.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the group continues to grow, both founders have been prompted to reflect on what it all means long term. For LaFontaine, it\u2019s about creating the kind of space she wishes had existed earlier in her life \u2014 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. \u201cWe are still here,\u201d she says, \u201cand we are going to dominate these spaces.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of the welcoming atmosphere of the group comes from the natural ability of women to communicate and connect.\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\u2019s a place for you here.<\/p>\n
![\"Sapphic](\"https:\/\/www.slugmag.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/SapphicHikersDB-4-400x267.jpg\")
![\"Sapphic](\"https:\/\/www.slugmag.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/SapphicHikersDB-1-400x267.jpg\")