Trail Awareness and Safe Spaces: Pam Pinkston of Southern Queer Folk Hikes
Pam Pinkston is a trailblazer.
Not the kind of trailblazer who makes rogue paths and disrupts ecosystems. (All nature lovers know that’s a huge no-no!)
Rather, Pam is a person who blazes connections between individuals and nature. If she observes groups of people who’d benefit from the physical and mental health benefits of being outdoors, she makes the outdoors accessible for them.
Queer Hiking in the South
In 2017, Pam returned to her hometown of Macon, Georgia, after a few years away and noticed a lack of awareness about her community's outdoor resources and trails.
Determined to change this, Pam established Southern Queer Folk Hikes, a hiking group for marginalized individuals to come together and enjoy the healing benefits of nature. With a broad definition of “Queer,” the group welcomes anyone who feels queer in their body or mind to join their hikes.
She’s also founded the MOSS (Macon Outdoor Spaces) Initiative, a long-term project focused on helping the city’s BIPOC community access local outdoor spaces.
As someone who once felt like she didn’t belong in nature, Pam makes sure that all her hikes’ participants, regardless of their race, disability, or identity, feel safe and supported. Part of that support comes from strength in numbers, with more support coming from her “no hiker left behind” stance and the safety precautions she takes before her hikes begin.
The Rundown of Our Chat
Here's what you'll learn in this interview with Pam Pinkston of Southern Queer Folk Hikes. The timestamps represent where in the video you can hear that particular discussion.
[02:43] Moss Initiative: Tackling inequity in Macon, Georgia to remove barriers faced by the local BIPOC community in outdoor recreation.
[06:20] Hiking therapy: How the Nature Meditations deck and group reflections offer mental health benefits on the trails.
[10:38] Belonging on the trail: Overcoming self-doubt to create an inclusive space for all hikers, regardless of size, gender expression, gender identity, or sexuality.
[14:29] Queer hiking safety on trails: A discussion on vulnerability, precautions, instincts, and protection as a queer person hiking alone, especially in the U.S. South.
[19:21] Dauset Trails: Pam’s wildlife encounters and stunning hikes in this Macon wildlife rescue center.
Ready to Learn More about Pam Pinkston and Southern Queer Folk Hikes?
Here's the full video of me speaking with Pam.
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Lisa: Hello and welcome to another episode of DEIB Outdoors. I'm your host, Lisa Kalner Williams, and today we have a very special guest joining us, Pam Pinkston from Southern Queer Folk Hikes. Southern Queer Folk Hikes is based in the Macon, Georgia area, and believes that everyone and everybody can enjoy the outdoors.
Pam leads weekly hikes for those that wanna benefit from walking in nature in a supportive environment. Welcome to the podcast, Pam.
Pam: Hi. Thanks for having me.
Lisa: Oh, it's my pleasure. I'm really excited to have you talk about your club. Would you call it an outdoors club or a hiking club?
Pam: I think really probably the best way to describe it is a hiking group at this moment.
Lisa: Great. Well, can you tell me a little bit about how your hiking group Southern Queer Folk Hike began?
Pam: So, I'm originally from Macon, Georgia, but I've, I've moved away several times, and this last time I was in California, and I moved back in the end of. 2015. So at the beginning of the hiking season 2016, I really just wanted to find other people to hike with. I quickly found that people in the area really didn't know that we had so many outdoor resources here, specifically the trails, and that was one of the reasons I even decided to stay in Macon this time is because we do have so many things here and I, I miss those things when I'm away. So it kind of became this trail awareness group.
And then at the same time, I also found that there were quite a few people here that just didn't feel safe hiking. And I thought, okay, I, I actually can provide that safe space. And, that's where the name came from.
Yes, was pandering to the queer community, but I also meant it in all the ways that queer is defined. And, and just felt, you know, Southern Queer Folk HIkes was just a, a good name to kind of get all the people that maybe didn't feel like they belonged on the trail in general to come in and give them a safe space.
Lisa: I love the origin of that. Yeah, just, just make it as wide open as possible. How has it grown and when did it start?
Pam: That was 2016. So I'll be honest, there were actually a couple years in there that it kind of, I guess floundered is probably the best word. Mm-hmm. Because Macon is not an outdoorsy community. We have hunters and fishers here, but that's not really my group.
But otherwise, we really have a hard time getting people outside and, and it's largely due to the fact that it gets so hot here.
Lisa: Mm.
Pam: And then the pandemic hit.
Lisa: Ah ha!
Pam: Like everybody else's outdoor groups. That was really the, the jumpstart I think it needed. But once that got going, I noticed that a large part of our community wasn't there and it was the BIPOC community. And our community is majority BIPOC. So, you know, I have this area that is full of outdoor resources in an area that is the majority BIPOC that's not showing up.
Across the nation, the BIPOC community doesn't have access to its outdoor spaces. But I felt like here, because of that dynamic, it was really a travesty, and I really wanted to do something about it. So as the hiking group was, was continuing to grow, I was trying to brainstorm and, and think of, how can I help that problem.
And so I've started a side initiative. It's in infant stages, but it's called the Moss Initiative. Moss standing for Macon Outdoor Spaces. And it is solely for focusing on helping our BIPOC community access its outdoor spaces.
Lisa: Mm.
Pam: It's going to do that by curating community partnerships, pooling resources possibly securing grants.
And you know, it'll, it'll be getting rid of obstacles that are logistical, like maybe transportation or Doing things that are maybe more complex, like getting rid of the historical and generational trauma that's tied to those outdoor spaces.
Lisa: Mm-hmm.
Pam: It's gonna take some time. And eventually, it's a project that I will be handing over to somebody in the community.
We have a group that's called Bike Walk Macon. Hmm. They're all about getting people outside in their streets, using their cars, less, getting on their bicycles, walking you know in their communities.
And there's reasons behind the focus on this. You know, it lessens poverty and lessens crime, but they have, they have the same. Intentions.
It's just that the Moss Initiative will focus on the trails.
Lisa: Yes. And we definitely need more people like you saying let's do something about it. And at some point, I'll hand it over to the community when the time's right.
You know, I was thinking when you mentioned the Bike Walk Macon about reducing poverty and so on. I mean, also great reason to get a community of any type outside is to improve physical health to improve cardiovascular and to increase positive mental health outcomes.
And I know that you have been outspoken about mental health issues. I was a fervent follower of your weekly May posts talking about mental health issues and your lived experience with that. In what ways do you link mental wellness to hiking, outdoors?
Pam: I talked about it in, in my videos, but the short of it is that I got my degree from Wesleyan College here in Macon, and it was in psychology. And you know, in my classes we, we definitely talked about the, the link between physical activity and the benefits to your mental health. We didn't talk about hiking specifically, but just in general physical activity and after one of my psychotic breaks, I moved to Utah and it was a community that there was a lot of hiking opportunities. So I just jumped into that and found that it helped me a whole lot. And the more I did it, the better I felt.
And, you know, I realized I had this tool. Hiking was a tool that I had, but I was gonna need to be intentional with it. And at that time, you know, meditation was still something that you did in a room, sitting on a pillow, with nice music around you. Mindfulness, of course, was a word, but it, it wasn't, it wasn't really in the mainstream like it is today.
And there was research out there connecting nature and its mental health benefits. But there wasn't a whole lot. You weren't really hearing forest bathing just yet.
So I went the intuitive route and kind of made my hikes, my therapy sessions. I'd have my two dogs, and we'd be on a trail and usually there was just nobody around.
And I would talk out loud, whether it was about something that just had been popping up or if I was having a problem and I was usually just bawling in the middle of the trail somewhere and...
Lisa: incredible.
Pam: But I would leave the trail feeling so much better and realize, okay, this is an, an intentional way that I can use my hikes.
And I kept working, on that practice from there. By the time I moved to Macon, there was a whole lot more research available. So you did start hearing about mindfulness a whole lot more, and there was a whole lot more about therapists actually doing sessions in nature.
You were hearing about forest bathing and there was a whole lot more ties between the mental health benefits of not only being out in nature, but being amongst trees or near a body of water.
Once I was in the area, I found Outdoor Journal Tour.
So Kenya developed the Nature Meditations deck. It's a deck of cards. Each card has a paragraph on it. And when I'm by myself, I will pull a card and if my mind is, is going too chaotic, you know I'll use it to pull myself back to that center it gives to focus on if I'm in a group, I'll pull the part at the beginning of the hike and urge the group to use that as a talking point through the hike.
And it brings everything into perspective and, and that that's really what it's about. So, you know, you can do this. Not necessarily hiking. It might look different for everyone. You know, it might be that you go in your backyard and you know, just take a couple of minutes to reset.
Or if you're a gardener, you know, putting your hands in the dirt or re-potting some plants, or, you know, sitting on the front porch in a rocking chair, watching some people pass by, you know, whatever it is, however, it looks for you. It's that healing aspect of nature that we're really trying to tap into.
Lisa: Yeah, I've been reading a lot about disability and the outdoors, and they even say at some point you can just sit and look out a window if you're unable to go outside.
Pam: Exactly.
Lisa: Just to experience the, the benefits from that. And as I'm thinking of disabilities in nature I do know that you're always very upfront when you post, so most of your events are through Meetup and they always say if you have any you know, special accessibility need to let you know. And I that definitely goes to the ethos of your group's kind of hiking for all and, and everybody. Have you personally ever been held back on a hike because of a limitation?
Pam: The, the short answer is no.
I think it's I think it's always been more of the inner monologue showing up to a hike and not seeing anyone else that looks like me or Maybe just feeling like I've been left behind, that that has happened, for sure.
Lisa: Mm-hmm.
Pam: And I think just having that happen is, is really what has tuned me into making sure everyone feels like they belong on the trail. Because I told myself that I don't belong on the trail.
You do get on the trail and, and you're breathing heavy, and you know, you gotta take more breaks and things like that. And, you know, the inner monologue starts going, and it's telling you, this is just too hard. You don't belong here. And it is just not true.
It's outdoors. It's for everybody. And even if it takes you longer, it doesn't matter. You're still benefiting from that. And yes, I still have to have those talks with myself on a regular basis.
I still find people that have been told, “Oh, you can't do that. You're, you're too big to do that.” Luckily, we, we live in an area that doesn't have a lot of elevation.
Lisa: Yep. That helps.
Pam: There's not a lot of climbing here.
I think the highest elevation that I've gotten here is like maybe 350 feet.
Lisa: It's not Colorado.
Pam: Yeah. No.
We have some hills, but they're, you know, and they might be steep, but they're very short.
No one gets left behind on my hikes. If we have to stop to take a break, we'll stop. There's nothing that says that we have to get to the end by a certain amount of time.
That's why I do add on the descriptions, if not all of the trails are accessible unfortunately, but a lot of them can still be done even if you do have to use a cane or you have to use trek poles.
And so that's why I add that. I'd like to start being able to use the spoon system that Syren with Disabled Hikers uses. I'd rather get more understanding of it before I start using it. But I think it's a great system that she uses.
I think that would help people with accessibility issues.
Lisa: For sure. Could you, for our listeners, explain what that method is?
Pam: Syren with Disabled Hikers published a Guide to Washington Trails. It's for disabled hikers. And so with each trail there's a description of the trail itself and all of the possible obstacles that are there. But there is a a spoon description, we'll, we'll call it. And basically it says you need this many spoons to do this trail.
Lisa: Okay, got it. Yes. Oh, that's really very helpful. I'll leave a link.
Pam: Obviously, we need more people like her because one person trying to do all of the trails, you know, would obviously just take forever.
Lisa: Exactly.
Pam: But, but what they're doing is just amazing. And I, I, I think it's needed.
Lisa: Yes, for sure. And it sounds like in your own way, you are doing what you can at the moment to make people feel like, oh, this, this is doable. Or maybe I'll sit this one out and I'll wait for the next one.
I was wondering it sounds like you have a broader definition than some people when it comes to the word queer. That, you know, if you just feel queer in your, your body or in your mind, you're welcome to hike.
But for the more traditional or, that in 2023, what we call queer, what obstacles have queer folks faced in the outdoors for, for folks who are not aware? And in what ways do you help to make it be a, a supportive environment while you're out in the woods?
Pam: Well, I am queer. I'm, I'm pansexual and polyamorous.
But I also understand that I pass for cisgender and straight. Mm. And so with that privilege, I feel like I kind of, the onus is on me to be able to provide that safe space. Because when you do not pass especially in the south, I, I feel you are kind of going into an area when you go out into the, on the trails, you're going into an area where you're just gonna be more v vulnerable.
Especially if you're by yourself.
Lisa: Mm-hmm.
Pam: Because you, you don't really know who you're going to pass on the trails. You're out in the middle of the outdoors. You may not have great cell reception. And just like being a woman on your own, you know, and I've been in those situations where I have felt unsafe.
Lisa: Mm-hmm.
Pam: That's really why I started the group in its formality is, I feel like to have that safe space. It takes numbers, even if it's just two people.
Lisa: Mm-hmm.
Pam: You take the steam out of people who may have bad intentions. Even if it's just making a, a stupid comment as they pass.
And obviously, the more numbers you have, the the better off you are. And that's really, to me, that's the biggest part of making sure that everybody is safe in the group.
I still have times where it's me and just one other person, and I'll make sure that that other person still feels comfortable going on the hike. Do they still feel safe going on the hike? And if they do I do what I do when it's just me. I make sure my parents know.
Lisa: Mm-hmm.
Pam: My parents are my safety lifeline precautions. So I text them you know, where we are and I take a picture of what we're wearing so that they know, just in case something does happen they know what we're wearing.
And I always have my location turned on for my parents. So that that other person knows that we've got some safety precautions in place.
I often pass on my knowledge and experience when it comes to paying attention to your surroundings and trusting your gut.
Lisa: Mm-hmm.
Pam: To me, those really are very important. Mm-hmm. And not everybody naturally has that, that knowledge. I've shown up for a hike and for whatever reason, not felt it.
And I'll turn around and go home. Or I've been in the middle of a hike and passed a certain person and, and decided, Nope, this, this isn't right. And I've either changed my, my path or I've just gone straight back to my car.
Lisa: Mm-hmm.
Pam: You know, it comes down to trusting my gut and knowing, you know, it's, it's just better to, to do that than chance that, you know, something can go wrong.
And I've passed those things on to people, hopefully, to help them build some confidence in case they do want to hike alone. Mm-hmm.
And then there, there's some days where I'll, my dogs can't hike anymore. They've gotten too old. They're little dogs. It's not like they really provided a whole lot of protection to deal with, but they're loud.
But you know, there's some days where I maybe I have that extra anxiety. I'll grab my cousin's dog.
Lisa: Mm.
Pam: If I just feel like I need that extra bit of protection. There's ways to do it. It's really whatever you feel works for you. And sometimes it is, it's just maybe hiking with somebody else until you kind of have that confidence to do it on your own.
Lisa: Those are great tips, especially if you're providing a space where people thought they couldn't hike before they're finally hiking, but they're new, and so yeah, understanding all of that is really important. Yeah. I've even gone to a parking lot. I pulled in and there was a car next to me with. A gentleman that made me very uncomfortable and I just, I just left, I just drove off.
It wasn't anything that I could point to. But it was just a feeling and I think that's super important for you to impart to folks that walk with you.
Pam: Yeah.
Lisa: Okay. Pam, do you think you are ready for the lightning round of questions?
Pam: Sure.
Lisa: First, can you recall your favorite hike of the year so far? So you can think of the year as 2023 or the past 12 months, whatever works best for you.
Pam: So we have a trail here called Dauset Trails.
It's next to a nature center where they rescue wildlife that can't be put back out into the wild. And they use them for educational purposes. They do some rehabilitation too, but there is a center there, but the trails are on private property that got, that was donated for trails and they were developed as mountain biking trails.
But of course, you can, you can hike them too. And you can, you can just, As many miles as you want off of them. They just all kind of loop back onto each other.
Lisa: Mm.
Pam: But I had gotten up enough miles where I think I was doing five or six miles at the time. So I was finally able to kind of get to the back that I hadn't been able to get to before.
And I get to the back, and there's this creek, and it had enough water in it and it, there was all these spillways and it, and I was just following along and really enjoying, like, seeing all the water and stuff. And I came around the, and there was not like lots of these little you know, my mountain biking trails.
There's lots of steep little hills. And then they'll, you know the, the, the dips and everything. So I was enjoying all of that.
And I came around a corner, and there were these two these two cows, what the bowl of one was. I'm assuming its mate. And they just sort of look up at me and I'm like, oh, hey.
And we sort of have this little conversation. I'm trying to decide. Do I wanna try to go around them or not? And the bull kind of made it clear that he was not gonna let me around, but it was just that little interaction after having gone and seen the water and, and all of that. You know, it wasn't this huge momentous hike or anything like that. It was just a little bit of interaction with the cows and, and all of that, that made it just my favorite hike of the year.
Lisa: Wow.
Pam: That is what makes my hikes fun, is those little, especially with wildlife, it's just those little interactions.
Lisa: That's so neat. And it was almost a congratulations. You've now like gone to the end of the loop system, right? We're gonna give you a little something special.
I have a hiking journal, like to capture those moments that maybe aren't Instagram, you know, worthy necessarily, but just you're, you're left in awe and you wanna remember that in the future.
Question number two is what do you typically have in your backpack on hikes that most folks don't?
Pam: I always carry a first aid kit and and mostly that's because I'm, I'm leading these heights and so I feel like that's my responsibility to have that.
Trying to think what else. And I ha, I always have my Nature Meditations deck.
Lisa: Mm.
Pam: And then I have my Kula Cloth.
Lisa: Can you explain what a Kula Cloth is?
Pam: Kula spelled K-U-L-A. Is it's a cloth that is for people who have to squat to pee in the woods. And one side is, antimicrobial. And you use it to patch yourself dry after you pee and it has snaps on it so you can fold the part that you used and it doesn't have to touch anything else.
It's great to use, especially like if you're day pack backpacking or, or out camping and things like that.
But I love the company and, that way you're not hauling toilet paper into into the woods. You're not leaving behind things that aren't supposed to be left behind.
Lisa: When I'm doing hikes more than four, four miles, I have that and my P Style.
And then the last one is kind of paying it forward to folks because DEIB Outdoors is highlighting folks that are doing great work and diversity and belonging and outdoor recreation. So I'd love to hear your shoutout for someone that's doing great work in the space and will link to their socials and all of that.
Pam: So there's the Venture Out Project. That I really like. I hate it because most of everything they do is up actually in your direction. They don't really do anything down here.
And then of course, there's Pattie Gonia.
Lisa: Yes,
Pam: She does amazing, amazing work, and she's actually got something. An event down in my area, I think in September in Atlanta that I'm going to, and I can't wait.
Lisa: Okay. Can you describe what she does?
Pam: The biggest thing of course is, is just representation in the outdoors. Both for really for the queer community, but, but of course, drag in the community. Drag in the outdoors. But she's been really instrumental in campaigning for diversity in the workplace for outdoor companies.
Lisa: Mm-hmm.
Pam: She's a really good person to look into.
And I really have to bring up Outdoor Journal Tour and We Hike to Heal again just because I, I, I really can't stress enough. They're, they've had two camp out and retreats, both of which I've attended, and that's, that's cemented like the importance of them in my life.
Lisa: Wow.
Pam: They've had three, I think BIPOC retreats just for BIPOC women. And now that they, now that We Hike to Heal has become a nonprofit, there's lots of things on the horizon that they're gonna be doing. And they're just a really good organization.
Lisa: Mm-hmm. Yes. It's funny how you long for Venture Out to come to you. I long for We Hike to Heal to have over.
Pam: Right? Yeah.
Lisa: Maybe we'll meet halfway in like Maryland or something.
Well, Pam, thank you so much for explaining what you do with Southern Queer Folk Hikes and your take on diversity in the outdoors and the healing power of the outdoors. I really enjoyed this conversation.
Pam: Thank you so much for having me. I really do appreciate it.
