Charissa Hipp

After a short stint working for the National Park Service as a Park Ranger and a Public Affairs Specialist, Charissa spent many years behind a desk championing Maryland's beautiful parks and public lands. Three years ago, after taking the leap into contract work, she hit the trails and began hiking. She started with trails she'd knew and then expanded to others in the Maryland/West Virginia/Virginia/Pennsylvania region. She hikes on a weekly basis, sometimes more, as much as her schedule as a wife, mother and entrepreneur allows. She's the Maryland ambassador for Girls Who Hike and is a hiking instructor for a local community college. She's on the trails every chance she gets, encouraging others to tap into the physical, mental and spiritual benefits of time spent in nature. Follow her adventures on Instagram at @hipphikergal.