Get Paid To Hike: 13 Best Ways To Make Money Hiking In 2024
Want to get paid to hike? This is the ultimate money-making guide to the best ways to earn as you go on hiking adventures!
You know I’m no stranger to the great outdoors, whether it’s hiking up to the Everest Base Camp or motorcycling through Vietnam’s stunning countryside.
I wish I knew these fantastic ways to get paid to hike sooner!
The hikers’ community has always been so supportive, that it would be a shame not to share these secrets to making money while enjoying the hobby.
Imagine hiking on the world’s best trails and the experiences pay your bills!
Get Paid To Hike: 13 Best Ways To Make Money Hiking In 2024
1. Start A Hiking Niche Blog
2. Write & Sell A Hiking E-Book
3. Host Guided Hiking Tours
4. Start A Youtube Channel On Hiking
5. Become A Hiking Content Influencer
6. Join Affiliate Programs
7. Take & Sell Hiking Photos
8. Write For Hiking & Travel Publications
9. Become A Campground Host
10. Work As A Cabin Caretaker
11. Get A Job As A Park Ranger
12. Host Classes Outdoors
13. Hike As A Pet Sitter
Affiliate Link Disclosure
Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.
Get Paid To Hike: 13 Best Ways To Make Money Hiking In 2024
1. Start A Hiking Niche Blog
Bet you saw this coming! Starting your own niche blog is probably my favorite answer if you ask me how to turn hiking into a career.
My blogs have earned me financial freedom and independence that I wouldn’t have had if I stayed at my stuffy office job. Imagine turning your passion into profit with a hiking blog that you can start as soon as today, even without experience.
It sounds intimidating, especially if you’re not a tech-savvy person but it truly isn’t.
I had ZERO background in html/coding, and now I’ve simplified my journey of building lucrative blogs in this WordPress Wizard Course for beginners.
When you’re ready to dive into SEO, Keysearch is my favorite research tool for that!
Now how do you make money hiking with blogs?
There are plenty of profitable income streams but the main ones are display advertising, sponsored blog posts, hiking sponsorships, affiliate partnerships, brand deals, and subscription packages for premium content.
Even donations (a patreon) can pay you! You should start building one of the best hiking blogs out there to inspire and inform other hiking enthusiasts!
Who knows? With the right strategy and consistency, you might just be able to earn more than a professional hiker salary.
Tip: Expand your topics to include travel, health & fitness themes related to hiking!
Related Posts On Building A Bankable Blog
- 491 Brilliant Blog Names For A Profitable Blog [2024]
- How To Get Paid For Blogging On WordPress In 2024
- 37 Blogging Tools For Beginners To Skyrocket Traffic & Income In 2024!
2. Write & Sell A Hiking E-Book
If you have a flair for descriptive writing, don’t stop at niche blogs. Quit Googling “hiking jobs near me” and get paid to hike anyway by writing and selling your own e-book!
You found this page; this means you’re a professional hiker or avid hobbyist eager to dive into professional hiking with plenty of experience.
I’m guessing you know a thing or two about the places you’ve hiked, what you discovered along the way, or secret hiking hacks that changed the game for you.
Tell them all in your book for beginners to better understand this thrilling hobby or professional hikers to get inspired to challenge places you’ve hiked.
Plus it’ll be so convenient for readers to take it along to guide them through hikes.
With e-books, there’s no fuss in looking for editors, publishers, or distributors.
Skip all that and do it yourself!
Pinterest, Amazon, and Apple Books are popular marketplaces that you can sign up to start selling your digitally-downloadable e-book.
Other platforms like Sellfy, Podia, BigCommerce, Google Play, Payhip, and Booktango are worth exploring too.
3. Host Guided Hiking Tours
Hiking through a new trail – especially off the beaten path – can be scary, am I right? Especially for female solo travelers who want to experience the local trails.
This opens the perfect opportunity to make money hiking by hosting guided tours!
There’s nothing quite like having an expert local guide others safely through the trails, mountains, rivers, or even stunning waterfalls.
Keep your group of guests small for a more private, personalized tour that you can charge higher for.
Depending on where you are and how many hours you put in, you can make approximately USD$120-$250 per day.
Opt to go independent or offer your hiking guide service to tour companies that have a steady flow of guests to get paid to hike.
4. Start A Youtube Channel On Hiking
Popular Youtube channels are making up to USD$50,000 a month, with the top tier creators making up to millions in dollars.
You can be one of them by starting a Youtube channel on hiking!
Hiking offers some of the most incredible views; it’s a visual experience that would do great documented in videos for others to enjoy.
Videos evoke emotions with sights and sounds that can immerse viewers in your point of view. And guess what? You can start with just your trusty smartphone.
Modern phones these days have specs that come close to expensive, professional-grade video equipment.
Even filmmaker Steven Spielberg used an iPhone to shoot a music video that now charts 1 million views on Youtube.
Take viewers along on your hiking excursions, share hiking tips for beginners, show all your favorite hiking gear, or maybe even interview public figures on a casual hike.
Inspire others to embrace nature’s wonders and fall in love with the hiking lifestyle.
As views and subscribers grow to meet the monetization requirements, you’ll soon be earning money from Youtube ads, sponsored videos, and affiliate marketing.
5. Become A Hiking Content Influencer
Don’t stop at Youtube. If you’re already documenting your hiking lifestyle, expand the content creation to other platforms to become a hiking content influencer.
When you have a following on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Twitch, and more, that’s your golden ticket to hiking for a living.
It’s not to most conventional of hiking careers, but boy does it pay!
Here’s how you can get paid to hike as a content creator/influencer:
- Brand ambassadorship
- Hiking gear partnerships
- Affiliate programs
- Sponsored postings
- Hiking sponsorship deals
- Paid event appearances
- Live gifts from viewers
- Crowd-funded hiking projects
- Exclusive paid content
- Make & sell your merchandise
Once you start making money, consider investing in equipment like good cameras for bloggers or vloggers to level up your content quality!
6. Join Affiliate Programs
I’ve mentioned this phrase a few times, but you may wonder what exactly is it.
More importantly, how do I make money hiking with affiliate programs?
An affiliate program, or affiliate marketing, is a win-win agreement in which a business pays you a commission for each sale of its products or services.
As an affiliate partner, you promote the goods and when others buy them from your link, for example, you earn a percentage of that sale.
You don’t even need a blog to be an affiliate partner with popular merchants like Amazon, Klook, or TripAdvisor.
Related Posts On The Best Affiliate Programs
- Affiliate Marketing On Pinterest In 11 Easy Steps [2023 Update]
- 39 Best Affiliate Programs For Beginners Without A Website in 2023!
7. Take & Sell Hiking Photos
One of the reasons why hikers like us do this is for the captivating views – am I right?
There’s that special kind of joy when you scale to elusive mountaintops or magnificent waterfalls so deep in a country that you discovered a hidden gem.
Photographs of these rare, precious sceneries have a demand in the market.
Yes, I’m talking about taking and selling your photos as a way to get paid to hike. Sites like Shutterstock, Getty Images, or Alamy will pay for original photographs.
Alternatively, reach out to your local tourism boards, travel agencies, or even hiking brands that may want these photos to be used in their advertising campaigns.
Another option is to make it part of your brand, and sell your photos as prints!
8. Write For Hiking & Travel Publications
If starting a niche blog or writing an e-book sounds like too much work, how about making money writing for hiking and travel publications?
It’s one of the fun jobs that involve hiking and traveling, which sounds like a dream.
Opportunities are not limited to just local guides, directories, or magazines – online sites also look for full-time or freelance talents to write on specific topics.
Use your knowledge and experience in hiking and traveling to make money.
Write a few samples to build up your portfolio and start approaching potential clients.
I’ve worked with freelance writers who have gotten paid to travel with all expenses covered, participate in local activities, then write about it for travel sites.
That could be you, never having to wonder how to hike for a living anymore.
Related Posts On Becoming A Freelance Writer
- How To Become A Freelance Writer With No Experience 2024!
- Freelance Writing For Beginners-8 Steps to Get Hired in 2024
- 21 Freelance Writing Websites That Pay Well! (2024 Update)
9. Become A Campground Host
Do you enjoy both hiking and camping?
If you do, becoming a campground host could be your calling. Of all the jobs that involve hiking, this one also engages your interest in camping.
While the main responsibilities of campground hosts include maintaining cleanliness at the grounds and ensuring campers adhere to rules, hiking is also part of it.
First, check out campgrounds around your location for vacancies.
I’d recommend taking hikes around the campsite to get to know its surroundings and familiarize yourself with potential safety risks campers might face.
Knowing this and how to recommend the right trails for campers who are keen to hike might just land you the campground host job.
You might even be able to sell a curated selection of your tried-and-tested hiking gear to campers onsite. That’s more money for you!
10. Work As A Cabin Caretaker
In many countries, hikers traipsing along a long trail journey can rent cabins from state parks to rest.
Where there are cabins, there are caretakers who ensure the cabins are taken care of. A cabin caretaker is one of the many great hiking jobs for you to get paid to hike.
This is for you if you love the outdoors and don’t mind living in remote locations away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
A caretaker’s responsibilities include cleaning, maintaining, and ground-keeping duties and assisting visitors with recreational activities in the areas.
Yes, that includes hiking, mountain biking, fishing, or even kayaking in idyllic nature!
In some snowy mountain locations, you might also be expected to report on the local weather, skiing conditions, and avalanche warnings.
Sounds like a thrilling hiking lifestyle to me!
11. Get A Job As A Park Ranger
Ever fantasize about living off the grid and using your passion for nature to protect parks or forest reserves?
Get a job as a park ranger; it’s one of the most fulfilling hiking careers if that’s truly your passion.
You might have to do a bit of studying for qualifications, but it’ll be worth it considering you’ll also be supporting nature conservation efforts too.
Seasonal park ranger jobs are in high supply too especially during summer.
There’s undoubtedly more to it than just being a professional hiker, but don’t worry, hiking is well within the equation.
As a park ranger, your job scope may include leading hikes and tours in the park or forest grounds, patrolling trails, assisting in conversation efforts, conducting search and rescue missions, and more.
In the US, becoming a full-time park ranger comes with a comfortable salary and benefits as you will be considered a federal employee of the National Park Service.
Here’s another good resource on how to become a park ranger.
12. Host Classes Outdoors
The great outdoors holds a wealth of knowledge and lessons. Hikers like you and me are well aware of this but not everybody does.
If you’re a teacher, be it at a school or of a specific skill, host your in-person classes outdoors as a way to get paid to hike.
Take this chance to teach students about the environment, wildlife, navigation, survival skills, and more in the local trails or forests.
If you’re a yoga instructor or art teacher, take these classes out to allow students to immerse themselves in nature.
Not sure where to start? Explore NOLS, a nonprofit global wilderness school that offers courses on environmental skills and leadership in remote wilderness areas.
There are courses for wilderness medicine certification, immersive outdoor expeditions, and even training for those who want to teach for NOLS.
On the other hand, if you’re a bit of an introvert, create hiking courses and make them available for purchase on online learning platforms like Udemy.
You can teach how to get to secret hiking trails, where photographers can take the best panoramic shots, or how hikers can prepare for their first hike up Mount Fuji.
13. Hike As A Pet Sitter
Pet sitters work to care for pets like dogs while their owners are away from home or too busy working to do so.
Duties usually include feeding the dog, making sure it stays hydrated, offering companionship, and very importantly – giving it exercise. This is how you earn money hiking – as a dog sitter!
Dogs need exercise; you need to go hiking (and make money while you’re at it). Rather than a boring walk for fresh air, bring the dogs along on your simple hike.
You’re already getting paid to care for the dog, might as well kill two birds with one stone. Get paid to hike while pet sitting, genius isn’t it?
Just make sure you’re confident with the dog’s temperament so that it doesn’t act out while on the hike.
This is especially doable for pet sitters that are asked to stay in the owners’ home, or if you host the dog in your home. Then you’ve got plenty of time to hike as you like!
FAQS On Get Paid To Hike
Can I Really Get Paid To Hike?
Yes, you can get paid to hike and explore the great outdoors on wandering trails and scaling up mountains. These are the best ways to make money hiking:
1. Start A Hiking Niche Blog
2. Write & Sell A Hiking E-Book
3. Host Guided Hiking Tours
4. Start A Youtube Channel On Hiking
5. Become A Hiking Content Influencer
6. Join Affiliate Programs
7. Take & Sell Hiking Photos
8. Write For Hiking & Travel Publications
9. Become A Campground Host
10. Work As A Cabin Caretaker
11. Get A Job As A Park Ranger
12. Host Classes Outdoors
13. Hike As A Pet Sitter
Must I Be A Professional Hiker To Get Paid To Hike?
No, you don’t have to be a professional hiker to get paid to hike.
Casual hobbyists or beginners can make money hiking by leveraging social media content creation, hiking or travel writing jobs, nature photography, and affiliate programs.
Plus, you can better inspire others who are learning to hike as your experiences are more relatable.
How Much Money Can I Make From Hiking?
You can potentially make thousands of dollars a month from hiking, depending on where you are and how you choose to monetize your hiking expeditions.
For example, expect to make USD$120-$250 a day as a hiking guide, while travel content creators can get paid up to USD$100,000 a year – or more.
What’s The Difference Between Hiking And Trekking?
The difference between hiking and trekking is hiking goes on shorter, easier trails that are commonly taken paths while trekking involves long expeditions on rough terrains in the wilderness.
Unlike hikes, treks are often more vigorous and may require training, preparation, and equipment to reach a destination. Treks can also take up to multiple days.
Now Let’s Get Paid To Hike!
Ready for an adventure? Choose your favorite trails and start planning how you can monetize this hiking lifestyle with the methods above.
Pick one that best suits you, or give it a shot with all the fun money-making ways above.
Either way, I hope to have inspired you to kickstart this journey towards better financial security, or just earn that extra bit of money to take you on all the amazing hikes in this world.
There’s no better way to take your thirst for adventures to the next level.
Start getting paid to hike today!
Related Posts
![Upwork Vs Freelancer: Which Platform Is Best?[2023]](https://outandbeyond.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Upwork-vs-freelancer-4-768x512.jpg)
