What if the best hiking in Kansas has been right under your nose the whole time?

Jeri Brungardt co-founded Women Hiking Kansas and Beyond in 2019 with a simple idea: stop losing track of friends who wanted to tag along on hikes and just make a Facebook group. What happened next surprised even her. Twelve strangers showed up to that first hike — none of them personal friends — and the group has grown to over 12,000 followers since. Jeri shares how the group scouts trails, what gear actually matters, why rattlesnakes dictate their summer schedule, and how hiking has become an unexpected source of community for women going through life's hardest moments.

Highlights

Women Hiking Kansas and Beyond started in 2019 and now has over 12,000 Facebook followers — grown entirely organically with no paid advertising
The co-founders personally hike every trail before taking the group, checking parking, safety, and seasonal hazards like rattlesnakes at Horse Thief Canyon
They use the AllTrails app to discover new trails across the state
The group is open to any female 12 and older; their oldest participant is in her upper 80s and outpaces most of the group
Monthly hikes are free; overnight trips charge a $20 fee managed through Eventbrite
Their annual September trip to Estes Park, Colorado has been running every year since 2020
Jeri recommends hiking poles for everyone — they reduce strain on your back and help probe water crossings
Always bring sunscreen, a hat, water or electrolyte drinks, and a small first aid kit
The group has attracted women from 12 different states to their Colorado trip
Cindy Kuhnauer, the co-founder, also runs Fearless and Female, a self-defense business out of Wichita
Sydney defends Spangles with her whole chest (and eats it in the Walmart parking lot so her kids don't find out)

Chapters

0:00 — Madeline's softball ear muff situation

2:13 — Podcast intro

2:49 — Meet Jeri Brungardt

3:25 — How Women Hiking Kansas and Beyond got started

5:06 — How they pick trails and scout locations safely

7:10 — What "hiking" actually means for this group

8:02 — Upcoming Salina hike (Marty Bender Nature Area + Audubon Society)

9:18 — Beginner tips: gear, shoes, water, and safety

13:32 — Age range and the community the group has built

15:31 — Jeri's personal hiking backstory

17:17 — Favorite trails in Kansas

17:07 — Trail diversity across Kansas

19:57 — Jeri's backstory and career at Wesley Medical Center

22:34 — The health benefits of walking

23:52 — Beyond Kansas: Estes Park, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas City

26:26 — How much work goes into running the group (+ Eventbrite)

31:04 — Rapid fire: shoes and hats

32:27 — Weather safety and what to do when it's 100 degrees

33:59 — Rails-to-Trails and connecting with other hiking groups

36:42 — Hiking with kids and different trail personalities

39:45 — Future plans for the group

43:25 — How the group grew through COVID and the power of one Facebook page

47:55 — Stories From a Hat: parking lots, prairie dogs, Spangles, and soup flights

53:34 — Outro and where to find Ask a Kansan

Resources

Women Hiking Kansas and Beyond — Facebook Group
AllTrails — alltrails.com — trail-finding app mentioned by Jeri
Kanopolis State Park
Elk City State Park
Monument Rocks / Castle Rock
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
Fearless and Female — self-defense business run by co-founder Cindy Coughenour, based in Wichita

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net