By Brandon Bocanegra, October 28, 2025
A small group of STEM students at Cal Poly Pomona decided to create the Boot and Broncos Hiking Club as an outlet for themselves and others to break away from books and embrace the beauty of the outdoors.
Animal science pre-veterinary student and current co-president Jade Kim started the club with fellow animal science students Jade Sanders and Cade Thomas as an escape from a heavy workload in August. Since then, the club amassed more than 70 members on MyBar.
“We basically live in the library,” Kim said. “We made this as a hobby, so we are kind of forced to go outside and be away from everything academic wise. We’re just enjoying the nature around us.”
Boots and Broncos is not a rigorous program but a social hiking club that gives students an opportunity to connect with others and exercise, Sanders added.
The club meets around three times a month, giving its members multiple opportunities to participate and be involved with the hiking community.
General meetings are on the first Wednesday of each month, where two hikes for the month are planned. The club gets location ideas from more experienced hikers within the club or through apps like AllTrails. According to Sanders, a hike typically happens the following weekend after it is announced.
“(Experienced hikers) show us options and then we chose from one as a board and then announce it in our general meeting,” Sanders said. “The second hike is later in the month, which are member-chosen hikes.”
This month’s chosen hike took place Oct. 26 at the Monteverde and La Sierra Loop in Chino Hills approximately 25 minutes from campus.
Down the road, the Boot and Broncos Hiking Club is planning an overnight backpacking trip or excursions to national parks like Yosemite and Joshua Tree once the club is approved for funding in the spring semester, according to Kim and Sanders.
Thomas, the club’s treasurer, has been hiking throughout Southern California with his dog who he plans on bringing to future club hikes. He hopes to lead members on his favorite trail in Pasadena that leads to a waterfall.
“You get absolutely drenched during it because you have to tread through water,” Thomas said. “Once you get to the end it’s this really beautiful waterfall. It’s clean water so you can swim in the little pond underneath it.”
For experienced hikers like Thomas, the club has been an opportunity to make new friendships with people who have different interests while getting some good exercise.
Students interested in hiking can follow and contact the club’s official Instagram account @bootsandbroncos for updates on general meetings or hiking announcements and apply for membership on MyBar.
The club’s only membership requirement is to attend the one general meeting each month, according to Thomas. Members who wish to attend hikes with the club will need to fill out a liability form each specific hike which can be found in the B&B CPP Hiking Club Discord server.
“If you are thinking of joining the club, definitely join it,” Kim said. “It’s for all levels and it’s very fun to get to know people who go to the same school and build bonds based on your interests in the outdoors.”
Feature image courtesy of Boots and Broncos Hiking Club
