Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Hatchell Katrina Carlsen
Hi Lauren Hatchell, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Lauren: I’ve always loved nature and hiking, but honestly, I struggled with staying oriented on trails. Getting lost, especially when I was hiking alone, became a huge barrier for me. At one point, I worked on a project that built location-registered ‘hand-drawn’ festival maps, and I realized that the same concept could apply to hiking. There are so many beautifully detailed maps produced by park services, and I thought, ‘Why not combine those with tech to make them even more user-friendly?’ That’s when the idea for the app started to take shape – it was about creating a tool that would help hikers feel more confident exploring trails.
Katrina: I came across Lauren’s post about her app in a hiking group on Facebook, and I was immediately intrigued. Hiking and camping have always been a big part of my life, especially growing up in the Pacific Northwest, and I’ve been exploring Texas State Parks since I moved here in 2015. I’ve always loved building tech projects that encourage people to get out and be active, and Lauren’s vision for the app really resonated with me. I knew I wanted to help bring it to life, so I reached out, and that’s how we started working together!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Lauren: I started the project in 2020 when I (like many people) had seemingly endless hours of free time. Of course, I was happy when society returned to normal, but it has been challenging to balance my full-time job, a social life, and continuing to work on the app. Fortunately, it’s a really fun project, so I make time for it! Although I have a coding background, learning to write apps was quite different from anything I had done before and there was a learning curve. Fortunately, I had some friends to help me along the way, as well as many excellent online resources (thank you, stackoverflow.com!)
Katrina: It’s been great to join and contribute to the Texas hiking community, and we’ve enjoyed adding to the vibrant network of hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. Of course, it hasn’t been without its challenges. As the owner of another early-stage tech company, a significant portion of my time is devoted to managing and growing that business. Despite this, I’ve noticed many similarities between both tech projects, and I’m excited about our new OUTX developments and how they’ll continue to enhance the hiking experience for users
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
At Outdoor Explorer: Texas (OUTX), we specialize in helping hikers confidently explore the incredible national, state, and city parks across Texas and beyond. Our app features beautifully detailed, location-registered park maps, including those from Texas State Parks, so you’ll always know exactly where you are on the trail. What sets us apart is our commitment to making outdoor exploration seamless and stress-free – our maps can be downloaded for offline use, so even when you’re off the grid, you can hike worry-free. Plus, we offer a feature to record and log your hikes, allowing you to track your adventures and revisit favorite trails. OUTX is all about making nature more accessible, getting more people outside, and showcasing the lesser-known beauty that Texas parks have to offer. Every hike should be a rewarding and memorable experience.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
While we’ve explored parks across Texas, we’ve discovered many new trails through building the app. Connecting with other hikers, relevant groups, and getting feedback from users has introduced us to places we hadn’t heard of before. We’ve met awesome people like Amy Martin, the author of Wild DFW, who showed us some great hidden gems we hadn’t come across yet, and we’ve also received requests from users to add maps from parks they’ve visited. It’s incredible how much diversity is out there, and we’re still uncovering new natural areas all the time!
Pricing:
- Our app is free to download on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. We’re continuously improving and adding exciting new features, some of which may come with a cost in the future, but they’ll offer valuable tools and enhanced experiences for hikers.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.outdoorexplorertx.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/outdoorexplorertx/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/outdoorexplorertx/
