About Kassidy & Tyler
Hey there! We’re Tyler and Kassidy. We are avid hikers and love exploring the outdoors. We love nature, adventure, and travel.
We first started hiking together when we studied abroad in Europe, and have been hooked ever since. Now, we travel all over the world to check out the best trails.
So although we didn’t start hiking when we were little, we’ve taught ourselves how to hike, have gone through our fair share of struggles, and have learned along the way.
We’re based in Minnesota, but have taken a few long-term road trips in our campervan, and also lived in the Pacific Northwest for 6 months. The PNW is our favorite spot in the entire US, and we might want to move back someday!
In total, we’ve traveled together to over half of the states in the US, 22 of the US national parks, and have visited 14 countries. And we’ve hiked in almost ALL of them!
Why The Hiking Helper?
➔ To showcase all of the best destinations around the world for hiking trails, including from our favorite places like the Pacific Northwest and the Southwest USA.
➔ To share tips for beginner hikers and people looking to get started. We want to show you that hiking isn’t just for experts, and anyone can get out on the trail and do it!
➔ To give you recommendations and tips, from our own personal experience, so that you don’t feel intimidated by hiking. (We didn’t start until we were teenagers, and are still thriving! So you don’t have to start when you’re little either!)
Whether it be tips on properly fitting your boots, figuring out what to wear, or just finding the perfect trail, we’re here to help you through it.
We’re here, as people who taught ourselves how to hike, ready to share everything that you need to know about getting out on the trail.
We’re not like a lot of other bloggers who started hiking with their parents when they were a baby or had explored 10 countries by 10 years old.
We got into hiking on our own when we studied abroad together and have failed, made mistakes, and learned from them.
The Hiking Helper is here to help you learn and save yourself from making those same mistakes that we did. (We’re talking about wearing cotton, hiking in flip-flops, and choosing a trail that was WAY too hard for us as beginners.)
Who We Are
Tyler and I met back in 2015 while we were still in high school. We started dating right away, and well, the rest is history.
We love to travel together and have been all over the world. I thank Tyler for my love of travel, because he’s the one who asked if I wanted to study abroad together in Denmark.
We love to hike, ski, mountain bike, swim, and do most outdoor things together. Here’s a bit about each of us.
About Kassidy
I was born and raised in northern Minnesota (read my blog about Minnesota here)
I’m a huge lover of all things outdoors. In the winter, I’m on a ski lift, and in the summer, on a trail. I also love paddleboarding, road tripping, international travel, and I’m learning to mountain bike!
I first started hiking in 2019 when we studied abroad in Europe. We went on a few hikes in Norway and Scotland and absolutely loved them. And I’ve never looked back!
I graduated college back in 2021 with a degree in social work and quickly realized that it wasn’t my thing. Tyler and I decided to take a road trip around the West Coast of the USA, where we fell in love with hiking even more.
We returned from our road trip, and 6 months later, packed up our belongings and moved across the country to Washington for the first half of 2022 for Tyler’s job.
Living in the PNW was a life-changing experience for me and I spent almost every single weekend on a new hiking trail! I love the PNW and hope to move back someday. There are still so many trails left unexplored.
I do all of the writing for The Hiking Helper.
About Tyler
Tyler also graduated in 2021 as a mechanical engineer, and he still works in this field, because he really loves it!
He also grew up in Minnesota. He loves all things with an engine. But snowmobiles are his favorite. He rides them in the winter, and even when summer comes around, you can catch him racing a snowmobile on water.
As an engineer, you’ll always find him with a wrench in hand, working on some sort of project in the garage. Currently, he’s putting together a snowmobile to race next summer!
He also loves to hike, and we found our love for it back in Europe when we studied abroad together. He loves finding the most beautiful hikes and won’t settle for anything less.
Tyler takes a lot of the pictures for The Hiking Helper and helps with editing.
Where We’ve Been Featured
We’re very proud of all of the features and articles that we’ve participated in. Here are just a few of the places where you can find us.
Our Woven Journey — Best Hikes Near Seattle
Full Suitcase — Olympic National Park Itinerary
The Planet D — Best Hikes in Mount Rainier National Park
Mindful Travel By Sara — One Day in Seattle, Washington
Wander Era — Portland to Seattle Road Trip
A World to Travel — Pacific Northwest Road Trip
Happiest Outdoors — Best Washington State Road Trips
Savoteur — Things to Do in Bend, Oregon
Happy hiking,
Kassidy & Tyler