Guide and angler wading a clear trout river at golden hour

Founding guides program

Become a Founding Guide on GuideTrails

Help shape the future of guide and outfitter discovery while gaining early visibility on the platform.

Why GuideTrails

A platform built around operators, destinations, and the stories behind them

GuideTrails connects customers to guides and outfitters through discovery surfaces designed for real trips — not generic listings.

Built for guides and outfitters

GuideTrails is designed around how operators actually work — not a generic travel marketplace.

Discovery that respects the trip

We help customers find great experiences by putting the right guide, destination, and story in front of them.

Destination pages

Published destination profiles connect anglers and hunters to the water and country you know best.

Field Notes

Editorial content that builds context around places, pursuits, and the people who guide them.

Guide profiles

Rich operator pages with activities, species, trip types, galleries, and direct inquiry — built to convert.

Long-term visibility

We're building durable marketing infrastructure, not a short-term listing blast.

Founding guide benefits

What you get by joining early

Founding Guides help us launch right — and receive meaningful advantages as the platform scales.

Early visibility

Be among the first operators live on GuideTrails as the marketplace grows.

Priority placement

Founding Guides receive priority consideration in featured discovery surfaces at launch.

Shape the platform

Direct input on profile tools, discovery filters, and what guides need from GuideTrails.

Founding Guide designation

A permanent founding status on your profile — earned by joining before the broader rollout.

Launch commission terms

Reduced or waived launch commissions for Founding Guides. Final terms confirmed at onboarding.

Who we're looking for

Operators who run real days outside

If you guide on water, in the field, or through a lodge week — and care about the client experience — we want to hear from you.

Fishing guides
Hunting guides
Spearfishing guides
Outfitters
Lodges

What happens next

Three steps to going live

A straightforward path from application to a published GuideTrails profile.

Step 1
Apply
Tell us who you are, where you guide, and how you run trips. No payment required.
Step 2
Review
We review every application for experience, professionalism, and fit with the platform.
Step 3
Publish profile
Work with GuideTrails to build a complete profile and go live in the marketplace.

Join the founding cohort

Ready to become a Founding Guide?

Apply today and help shape how the next generation of anglers, hunters, and outdoor travelers discover the guides worth booking.

Apply to Join