About Us
Embark on unforgettable adventures with On Trail Guides. Our carefully curated hikes and backpacking courses are designed to immerse you in the beauty of nature while ensuring your safety and enjoyment. Put on your hiking shoes and get ready to explore the great outdoors with us.
- Our Mission -
To provide safe and enjoyable outdoor experiences to guests while maintaining an expedition mentality, leave-no-trace principles, and a judgment-free environment.
OUR JOURNEY
Matt's passion for the outdoors was sparked at a young age while camping and hiking around the country with his parents. Growing up in the foothills south of Lake Erie, there were abundant green spaces to explore and enjoy.
Matt
While obtaining a bachelors degree in environmental science - education and interpretation, Matt worked as an intern in Great Smoky Mountain National Park. He led backpacking trips into the backcountry.
Matt has explored alternative means of travel such as packrafting through remote sections of Mexico.
During the summers of 2017-2019, Matt was the lead guide for Adventure Terra. A company leading folks 200+ feet into the crown of old-growth douglas fir trees.
In 2019 and 2020, Matt had the opportunity to live and work in Antarctica as a carpenter. He completed cold weather survival training and was able to camp on the frozen ocean.
Hiking on the Appalachian Trail has long been a favorite activity for Matt. He was able to complete a thru hike of the entire trail in 2025.
Land and Waters Acknowledgment
With help from Kōrero - Native-land.ca
As you walk, camp, and explore the forests, mountains, and rivers of Northern Virginia, may you carry with you the awareness that these are the ancestral homelands of the Monacan, Shawandasse Tula (Shawnee), and Manahoac peoples. The practice of leaving no trace and forming deeper connections echoes a way of relating to land that Indigenous communities have upheld for generations—honoring the water, respecting all beings, and walking with gratitude. Let your footsteps continue to be light, your heart open to learning, and your guidance rooted in reverence for those who have long protected this place.