Women’s Spring Cohort

A meaningful personal challenge grounded in nature.

New for 2026, Baker Road is offering our first Women’s Cohort. This backpacking adventure combines community, movement, and deep immersion in nature alongside supportive guidance and resources from the Baker Road crew. Though this is new offer, it’s been crafted on the heels of countless trips and in deep collaboration with our partner Bailey Hanley who will serve as our energetic guide for the experience. This new offer is one of a handful of new access points into the Baker Road mix.

Over the course of 3-months, 15+ women will commit to working and training together to ready themselves for a 45-mile adventure in the Pennsylvania wilderness. The culminating trip, covers much of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail over the course of 4 days. Alongside inclement weather, rocky trails, and significant elevation change, hikers share wisdom they’ve encountered at critical moments in their lives. These ‘wisdom shares’ serve as a catalyst for deep connections, vulnerability, and often, disruptive moments where hikers shift their perceptions and identities in remarkable ways.

The trip is supported by a dedicated and committed crew, all alumni of past Baker Road adventures and with deep competency in wilderness safety. Though this challenge may feel out of reach now, it’s this crews’ promise to meet your conviction with support, hospitality, and grace; ensuring you can hike your own hike successfully, however it may transpire. No experience is necessary, just a willingness to invest in yourself and be open to the guidance of the Cohort.

This adventure is open to women as young as 14, so long as they’re accompanied by a legal guardian. Registration is open, we anticipate this trip will be filled up quickly. If you’ve got questions about your readiness or if cost is prohibitive for your participation, please contact us at service@bakerroad.com.

Baker Road operates with offered pricing, trusting the best groups have diverse experiences and often, diverse financial resources. So please hike your own hike and pick your own price. The offer for this adventure is $1,600 and discounts are available from 10 to 50% off. You’ll find this information after clicking ‘Register Now’ below.
Your investment in this adventure includes all guidance, group gear, permit fees, and dinners on the trail. Participants will incur additional costs for their personal gear, trail nutrition, and transportation to the trainings and trip. For prior Cohorts, participants have invested between $400 - $1,000 additional dollars in equipment. This secondary spend will be based on your existing experience, gear, and patience navigating FB Marketplace. Baker Road has limited rental kits available, if helpful.
Prior to registration, please consider the following commitments. Participation in the majority of training is critical to ensure your readiness and our collective experience. Most training experiences will happen in Knox County, OH, roughly 60 minutes from Columbus and 90 minutes from Cleveland.
- Mar 7, 2026 - Cohort Kickoff + Training, 8a - 12p
- Apr 4, 2026 - Optional Community Training, 8a - 12p
- Apr 25, 2026 - Training #2, 7a - 2p
- May 10, 2026 - Virtual Gear Check, 3p - 5p
- May 13-16, 2026 - Trip to PA
- May 29, 2025 - Reunion Lunch, 12p - 2p
This 45-mile adventure is perfect for someone with a base of fitness and a willingness to train 1-2 times per week. Our daily trip mileage will range from 7 to 15-miles with 20-30 additional pounds of gear carried. This focuses the experience on a physical challenge while creating meaningful space for recovery, reflection, and relationship. We created this format for those who feel deeply drawn to the power of nature and community, but whose current season of life makes it harder to fully take on a higher-volume physical demand.
The Baker Road crew is well acclimated to first-timers with no history backpacking. We’ll be ready to support you unconditionally alongside offering curated education opportunities and training protocols during the Cohort experiences.
Kickoff Gathering
We’ll begin with an in-person kickoff to set the foundation for the adventure and months ahead. You’ll receive a clear logistics overview, conversation around gear, and a full pack demonstration so you can see how everything comes together. We’ll finish with a short hike to test pack fit and weight, ask questions, and make early adjustments together.

Training Hikes & Skill Building
At our second training, we’ll cover backpacking essentials that make a real difference on trail, including water purification, foot care, and blister prevention and treatment. These sessions are practical, hands-on, and designed to build confidence rather than overwhelm.

Optional Community Hike
This hike is open to current Spring Cohort hikers and past Baker Road participants for a productive day on trail. We'll do this with flexible mileage options to fit into your training program and ambitions. It's also a great opportunity for connection, shared stories, and getting a feel for the growing Baker Road community.

Ongoing Support
Baker Road crew are deeply committed to your preparation and readiness. We’ll walk alongside you throughout the process, offering guidance, answering questions, and supporting you however you need as you train physically, mentally, and logistically.

Life at Camp
On trail, expect thoughtfully prepared meals, time to rest and recover, and mornings and evenings centered around sharing with one another. These moments create space for reflection, honest conversation, and the kind of community that tends to linger long after the hike ends.
As cost are incurred beginning at registration, we’ve established the following refund policy - this protects the time and resources needed to accommodate canceled spots. Refunds and credits are offered based on your chosen price.
- Before Apr 1, 2026 → 50% refund or 100% credit
- Before May 1, 2026 → 25% refund or 50% credit
- After May 1, 2026 → 0% refund or 50% credit

From Our Community

Lachandra B.

“Being with Joe in nature was liberating, soothing, and deeply healing. I even learned how to skip rocks—something I’ve wanted to do most of my life! That simple act carried such meaning: a reminder of how reconnecting with ourselves opens doors we often leave closed. My Discovery Day was not just time outdoors; it was time within.”

Zoe S.

”My Discovery Day felt like the body and mind equivalent of opening the windows of a home on the first warm spring day, after a stuffy winter. It was a day of deep breaths, contentment, and reflection, prompted by the Baker Road team's thoughtful, detailed attentiveness, a much-needed slower, more natural pace than my typical days, and the beauty, harmony, and spaciousness of nature.”

Bailey H.

"There are partnerships that feel like providence, and working with the team at Baker Road is one of them. Craig and Joe tend to every detail, the grand gestures and the unspoken necessities, with a kind of hospitality that feels both intentional and effortless. I place my full faith in their ability to hold and create space with patience, with intention, with the kind of care that allows something beautiful to grow.”

Aaron B.

"....fantastic format for personal reflection, restoration and connection to deeper parts of yourself and others."

Yogi T.

"Being caught up in the movement of work and life can get so loud sometimes. So loud that it can become a drain and distraction from your "Why". The curated adventure with Joe was exactly what I needed. To be able to pause, embrace the world around me, and get back in touch with my adventurous inner child gave me life instead of draining it. Highly recommended for a reset as the inner work begins."

Matt G.

"I spent half a day in Knox County with Joe. I came feeling weighed down by my work, without the tools to relieve the pressure. I walked away feeling lighter, grounded, and full of gratitude. Joe leads with care, empathy, wisdom, and heart. I am grateful for the opportunity to go below the pavement with him, to get to the earth underneath and feel supported in both my journey—and the adventure."

David L.

“For me, the retreat was transformative, absolutely worth traveling in from New York. It wasn't just a chance to step back and reflect, but an outlet to push myself, to move beyond mild discomforts, and be in the moment. Joe and his team are brilliant guides and helped gently nudge my own journey in the right direction.”

Christian L.

"Amazing collective spirit amongst the men. Incredible set of guides and leaders. Great camp arrangements. Beautiful trail in so many ways."

Mike P.

“One of the best opportunities I’ve had to push myself, to encourage and be encouraged, to have authentic conversations with other men, and INCREDIBLE food."

Carlin G.

"Life changing. I gained a whole new perspective about community, my physical abilities, and what being around a group of men could be when everyone comes into it with intention. If someone wants to work on their own vulnerability, mindfulness, and introspection, this experience is a must."

Brenen P.

"Genuinely life changing. The physical experience paired with the great group of guys made it an experience I will truly never forget."

Justin N.

"Because of the physical challenge, social/emotional walls came down quickly. As a result, the group was incredibly open to each other and transformation took place."

Women’s Spring Cohort

Offered Price

Key Dates

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What to Expect

Refund Policy

From Our Community

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