Champagne said she and her husband, Rene, moved to The Woodlands from Florida and joined the club in 2012, but the club was formed in 1982 as a way to provide safe group hiking activities in the area.
“[We] didn’t do real hiking until my husband and I thought, ‘Let’s go to New Zealand,’ and we loved hiking so much that we really wanted to find like-minded people and an organization where we could hike,” Champagne said.
The club holds day hikes several times each month that are within about an hour of The Woodlands as well as monthly weekend camping trips further away at a Texas state park or other locations. Several times a year an extended trip is held out of state or out of the country. The most recent international trip was a September hiking trip to Iceland, and a trip to Maine is planned in September 2025, she said.
The overview
Champagne said there are about 60 active members in the group, with about 20 often going on the longer expeditions. Members do not have to be from The Woodlands, however, with membership including those from Huntsville to Baytown.
Some favorite locations for the group to travel include Big Bend National Park in West Texas as well as locations outside of Texas like Glacier National Park in Montana. The Lone Star Hiking Trail north of The Woodlands has more than 100 miles of trails, but the George Mitchell Nature Preserve also has ample local hiking opportunities, she said.
Members can choose between a range of activities each year. Hikers can go at their own rate, such as those who want to go slower and bring cameras for bird or nature photography. A Saturday morning hike might be 5-10 miles, but not all participants hike the entire length, she said. While some people camp on the longer expeditions, others stay at a hotel or have an RV.
"We go at a pace where it builds our heart rate," Champagne said. "I feel like my joints are in good shape, my legs are strong, and also I think it helps our balance as well—it’s all these things that are important as we get older."
Who it's for
Members must be 18 and over, but the age of active members includes many who are retired, Champagne said.
“I think people become empty nesters and start thinking about, ‘What do I do with my extra time now that I’m not taking my kids everywhere,’ or becoming more health conscious,” she said.
Those interested in becoming a member should submit an application with their first $25 annual membership dues. According to the club website, members should discuss their intent to engage in hiking with their physician and know their own physical limitations, as the group is not intended to train individuals.
Get involved
Monthly meetings are held at 6:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month from September to May at the W.G. Jones State Forest
Local hikes are not held in the hot months of July or August, she said, when the group might get together for dinner or hold an out-of-state hike in another area.
Champagne said membership in the club has been a valuable experience to get to know those in the community and to see more of the world.
"I’d like to say that joining the club has literally changed my life because I have now explored places in Texas and around the country that I never would have gone to otherwise, and I also feel like it’s definitely been beneficial for my health," she said.
