WHY CHOOSE TRAIL OTTER?

TRAIL OTTER is THE ONLY HIKING & BACKPACKING OUTFITTER GUIDING EVERYWHERE IN LETCHWORTH STATE PARK, THE GRAND CANYON OF THE EAST!

We are also the exclusive guides into Fall Brook Falls, a 101-foot private property waterfall and gorge where fossils date back 370 million years!

Our goal is to provide you with the friendliest and most entertaining trail experience possible. We’ve taken the time to learn the local trails, create a great little gear store, obtain all the proper licenses and permits, attend and pass rigorous first aid courses (the scenarios were c-r-a-z-y!), build relationships with property owners and state park managers, and know the best ice cream stands, breweries and restaurant locations. Then we apply all that accumulated (and mostly useful) knowledge to trail logistics so you have the best on- and off-trail experience possible.

How do we do this? By offering scheduled and private hiking tours, backpacking trips and skill building classes, taught by professional NYS licensed guides. We also sell quality gear that we use ourselves and can teach you how to use properly.

We also coordinate Letchworth’s & the Greenway’s hiking challenges. If you’re curious about either the Letchworth or Greenway trails, we have the maps, gear, knowledge and all-season experience to provide you with exactly what you need.

Additional reasons to choose trail otter

Check out what else we do for you:

• Minimize Risk:  We know trail conditions & wilderness first aid, we’ll inform you on how to dress for conditions, what to bring, and what to use to keep disease carrying bugs away. We even have satellite communication capabilities for those no cell phone reception areas, just in case.

• Companionship:  You won’t get lost & you’ll have someone with you if something unexpected happens.

• Regional Knowledge:  Learn about local history, geology, plants, animals, waterways, fossils, local village vibes and weather. 

• Personalized Tour Options:  In addition to scheduled tours, we can customize a personal tour to your availability, ability and comfort level.

• Local Community Networking:  We love to share our favorite places to eat, drink, stay, shop and where to have even more fun in the Genesee River Valley so you’ll feel like a local.

how we started

Our story begins on the Appalachian Trail, climbing Mt. Greylock in Western Massachusetts, where Bill and Sonni met on an 8-hour February hike. We belonged to a local hiking group but had never met in the many years attending hikes. (*cue romantic music here*) Our eyes met during introductions, and as Bill puts it “I talked to her for 6 of the 8 hours on that hike.” Sonni’s hiking friends asked “Do you know that guy?” to which she said nope! As they say, the rest is history. We continued hiking all across Western Massachusetts, including the New England National Scenic Trail and portions of the Appalachian Trail in Vermont and New Hampshire. Each hike brought new experiences, increased knowledge and new friendships.

Trail Otter was born four years later when we returned to the Genesee River Valley to care for family members. We love hiking so much we wanted to share our passion, so we opened a gear store and started providing area hiking tours and backpacking trips for both locals and tourist. Now each hike brings rewarding interactions with people from all over the world!

FAQ’s:

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. Stop in our store or 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 Bill has completed Wilderness First Responder (WFR) training. Trail Otter provides all clients with a Personal Information Sheet to carry with them in the event of an emergency. 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 at our store 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 or stop in the store.

DO YOU HAVE BOOTS OR CLOTHING?

We have Darn Tough socks. Unfortunately we do not carry hiking boots, jackets, shirts, pants, or underwear.

join us!

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