Black Iowa Outdoors founder Monica Goodlett has recently led many hikes in Central Iowa, including one around Gray’s Lake (pictured).
Writer: Mathany Ahmed
Photos: Craig Farley
Monica Goodlett fell in love with hiking on the New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia.
At the time, the registered nurse from Iowa had taken a position in nearby Charleston, hoping to break out of a rut.
The bridge, which is featured on West Virginia’s quarter, is a feat of modern engineering that offers breathtaking views of the Appalachian Mountains and the paradoxically named “New” River, which has been winding through the mountains for 32 million years.
The juxtaposition of the ancient landscape and modern design kept Goodlett coming back to the trails again and again, despite the physical difficulty of those first few hikes. “Seeing that incredible view after going through all that sparked everything for me,” she said.
The call of the wild followed Goodlett when she moved back to Iowa in 2022. She founded Black Iowa Outdoors earlier this year to share her love for hiking with other local Black and brown Americans. Each month, she leads a group of up to 30 hikers of all levels along the trails and into the woods in Central Iowa.
She hopes the group will help her community reconnect with nature and get some exercise. “There were other hiking groups, but they didn’t quite fit,” she said. “I wanted to be among other African Americans and also inspire them to get outdoors.”
Goodlett also uses the hikes to promote mental health in the Black community, which is one of her passions. She is an ambassador for the statewide “Make It OK” initiative. “It’s not always about medicine or other coping mechanisms,” she said. “Just getting out there and walking can give us purpose.”
Black Iowa Outdoors was Goodlett’s capstone project during a professional development course she took at the African American Leadership Academy, organized by the Directors Council, a group of local Black executives.
Part of the course focused on the One Iowa Economy report, which highlights a number of racial disparities in Polk County. For example, the county’s Black residents are more likely than their white neighbors to experience chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes. Black parents in Polk County are more likely to report poorer mental health.
As a nurse, Goodlett knew about hiking’s physical and mental health benefits: It lowers blood pressure and helps control blood sugar. The endorphins released during hiking can boost hikers’ moods and improve their sleep.
So creating Black Iowa Outdoors was a natural fit. “What better way to bridge that gap, help our community and better my own health, too?” Goodlett said.
Group member Craig Farley said taking his children on group hikes reminds him of his early years hiking with his dad.
Farley has watched his daughter Siana, a soft-spoken 14-year-old, flourish during the hikes. He recalled watching her overcome her nerves during a mid-hike sharing session, to share an observation that surprised him. “I’m just excited to spend time with my dad,” she told the group.
“It was a really good moment,” Farley said. “Those are the opportunities this group creates.”
For Goodlett, hiking also creates an opportunity for education. During a Juneteenth hike this summer, for example, a representative from the outdoor outfitter REI led a workshop on hiking safety.
In the future, Goodlett plans to build more partnerships with local businesses, expand educational and outreach opportunities, and establish Black Iowa Outdoors as an official nonprofit. In the meantime, she focuses on small successes — one step at a time.
“It’s going to take time,” she said. “If I can just inspire one person, that’s everything.”
