WHAT’S A TRAIL OTTER?

TRAIL (n.): a track made by passage especially through a wilderness, hopefully ending where you parked your vehicle

Otter (n.): any of various largely aquatic carnivorous mammals that love to have fun and cause hearty laughter

TRAIL Otter (n.): a human having the most fun they can on the trail!

HOW MUCH FUN ARE YOUR TRIPS & TOURS?

Depending on the type of trip or tour, we mix in a combination of skill building, plant identification, camp setup, fossil hunting, knot tying, history, and cooking on the trail. We love to share hard-earned tips and tricks to make our trips & tours more fun and your future adventures more enjoyable.

I’M NEW TO HIKING & BACKPACKING, CAN YOU HELP ME?

Absolutely! Everyone at Trail Otter started out as a rookie/noob/scaredy cat, so we understand how intimidating hiking and backpacking can be. Give us a call to discuss what you may need in terms of skills and gear so you’ll feel more confident and less apprehensive to go exploring.

HOW SAFE ARE YOUR TOURS & TRIPS?

Safety is our #1 concern for you, our guides and the environment. All guides are CPR Red Cross certified and completed Wilderness First Aid (WFA) training. We take great care to accurately describe trip & tour difficulty, physical requirements and provide expected weather conditions. But with all things inherent with Mother Nature, our anticipated experience may be quite different from on-trail conditions. Trail Otter guides will monitor conditions and modify trips to protect our clients as much as possible. Unfortunately, we cannot eliminate all risks or guarantee complete safety.

CAN I GET A CUSTOM TOUR?

Yes., we love taking clients on custom tours! It allows us to customize your abilities and desires to fit an amazing experience. With our extensive knowledge of the Genesee River Valley & Letchworth State Park, we can provide custom hiking tours for beginner, intermediate and advanced hikers & backpackers. See hidden gems and fantastic views few visitors see from paved roads. Call us to discuss what type of custom tour you’d like to have.

DO YOU OFFER SKILL BUILDING CLASSES?

Yes, we offer skill building classes and include skill building on select hiking tours and all backpacking trips. We take our time teaching you each skill so you’re no longer intimidated, then give you plenty of practice time to test your new knowledge and ask additional questions.

ARE THERE PRIVATE SKILL BUILDING CLASSES?

Yes, please call us to discuss which skills you’d like to learn and we’ll put together a custom plan.

CAN YOU MAKE KNIVES, HATCHETS & FIRE LESS SCARY?

What’s more scary than tools that can cause major bodily harm, or being burned by fire? We are true believers in getting proper training before attempting to use any tool that can really do damage. With demonstrations, guided observation and practice you’ll be able to use knives and hatchets to process firewood in a manner that minimizes potential harm. Then you’ll have the opportunity to make a fire using multiple starting techniques. You’ll move from uncomfortable to familiar to confident by understanding how these tools work, how they can hurt you and how to avoid serious injury.

WHAT IF I BECOME TOO UNCOMFORTABLE?

The last thing we want is for you to be uncomfortable with any of our skill building activities. We offer a 100% money-back guarantee to anyone who isn’t enjoying any of our skill building classes.

CAN I PURCHASE GIFT CARDS FOR ACTIVITIES?

Yes! We have gift cards in any amount. Give us a call.

join us!

Come experience the sights, smells, and sounds of nature with Trail Otter!

We hike and guide in the geographical center of Western New York and the Finger Lakes, conveniently nestled between New York City, Niagara Falls and Toronto Canada.

Call or head over to our Events & Classes page to arrange an outdoor adventure in beautiful Upstate New York.