Sep 22, 2023 - Things to Do

Des Moines' not boring: Wander Women group

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A group of women who are hiking — A group on a Wander Women hiking trip. Photo: Courtesy of Wander Women

Go on a backpacking trip, hike through fall foliage or learn how to make campfire cocktails through Wander Women.

Why it matters: The local outdoor business offers women and non-binary people a less intimidating way of discovering Iowa's outdoor scene while learning new skills, co-owner Kerri Sorrell tells Axios.

Flashback: Jenn Riggs founded Wander Women in 2018 after seeing a need to "bring women together" in Iowa's underrated outdoors.

While guiding groups are prominent out west, they were missing here, Sorrell says.
The goal is to provide a community while also teaching skills like fire building and camping basics.

State of play: They offer an array of trips and classes, including a day trip through the Loess Hills, a hike and yoga event at Yellow Banks State Park and a bike maintenance class.

What's next: Wander Women has expanded into Omaha and dreams of turning the Midwest into an "outdoor recreation hub."

"We're taking it one step at a time," Sorrell says.

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Des Moines' not boring: Wander Women group

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