Happy Pride! To kick off their Pride Month celebration, Into the Mud sits down with Hitesh Tolani and Matt Atkins from the viral social movement @GaysOfNationalParks — a community where queer folks are finding friendship, healing, and love in nature. From loneliness and late bloomers to sweaty mountaintop revelations, this convo is everything listeners didn’t know they needed. Grab your boots, ditch the apps, and take a hike — literally.
Gays of National Parks (GONP) is a grassroots storytelling collective and outdoor community dedicated to creating safe, joyful, and inclusive spaces for LGBTQIA+ individuals in nature. Originally launched as an Instagram page for queer hikers to share their personal stories, the platform has grown into a vibrant, real-world movement—hosting group trips to national parks, collaborating with queer artists, and building lasting connections across identities and geographies. With a focus on vulnerability, visibility, and belonging, GONP helps reclaim the outdoors as a third space for queer joy, healing, and community.
Social Media: @GaysOfNationalParks, www.GaysOfNationalParks.com
Personal Social Media: @HiteshTolani and @MattB.Atkins
Trips: In addition to sharing powerful community stories online, Gays of National Parks also organizes real-life group trips to national parks across the U.S. — including Yosemite, Big Bend, and Joshua Tree. These trips are open to LGBTQ+ participants from all walks of life and are designed to foster deep connection, self-exploration, and queer joy in the wild. Some spots are paid, while others are stipend-funded for those in need. Upcoming trips and applications are available at gaysnationalparks.com (or their IG bio!).
Merch: The stunning GONP T-shirts (featured in this episode!) are designed by a queer California-based artist named Ross, who brings LGBTQ+ history to life through wearable art. Each design reflects the spirit and story of historic queer spaces — like Marshall’s Beach, a famously gay site in San Francisco that helped inspire the rainbow flag. Proceeds from merch support both the artist and grants for trip participants. Shop the collection at gaysnationalparks.com/merch.
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For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!
Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC). Audio mixed by Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost). Filmed and recorded in the Barrow Lounge at @TheMalin West Village.
www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com
