Today we’d like to introduce you to Cynthia Coombs
Hi Cynthia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
SLC Babes Walking Club is a women-centered community open to all women, including trans women, as well as genderqueer and nonbinary individuals who align with our mission of creating a supportive and empowering space. Our group is free to join and all our events/walks are free unless specified (like fitness classes or trips to a restaurant). We meet at least once a week for walks, with bonus activities sprinkled throughout the month. Supporting local coffee shops is something we love, so we often meet at one before our walks. Our routes span Salt Lake County, and we mix up our calendar every month. During the warmer months, we host walks at parks like Liberty or Sugarhouse or even at festivals like Craft Lake City or the Avenues Street Fair. When it’s cold, we move indoors, hosting walks in malls, stores, or museums. Our goals are to foster a supportive, inclusive community while promoting local businesses, events, and festivals around Salt Lake City.
Club Background
Stephanie Cook started the club in 2021 as Hot Girl Walk Salt Lake to create a space for women to connect and get some exercise during the pandemic. Inspired by the national movement to encourage women to get outdoors and build community, the group grew quickly. In 2023, after receiving a cease and desist letter due to ‘Hot Girl Walk’ being trademarked, we took the opportunity to rebrand, becoming Utah Babes Walking Club to reflect our inclusive spirit and statewide reach. By 2024, we refined our focus to Salt Lake City and reintroduced ourselves as SLC Babes Walking Club. Each name change has allowed us to align more closely with our mission and the community we’re proud to serve.
My Story with the Group
I joined while we were still Hot Girl Walk Salt Lake in February 2023. I discovered the group through the Meetup app while searching for ways to make new friends and find a sense of community. My first walk was around Pioneer Park, followed by lunch at Caputo’s. Everyone was incredibly welcoming. What struck me most was how inclusive the group felt—throughout the walk, conversations flowed naturally, and no one was ever left out. There was always someone ready to include you in the discussion.
A few months later, I joined the membership board as secretary because I wanted to get more involved in helping and leading walks. That summer, Stephanie moved to San Francisco, and Amber Heard took over as president. In March 2024, I stepped into the role of president (ironically, Amber also moved to San Francisco!).
As president, my goals have been to maintain an inclusive and welcoming environment while expanding our activities beyond walks to include events our members would enjoy. In addition to our walks, we’ve grown to include a thriving book club that reads one book a month and meets at different restaurants and coffee shops to discuss. This month, they’re reading The 10,000 Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow.
Today, I’m proud to say that SLC Babes Walking Club has grown to 950 members on Meetup and 919 followers on Instagram, with new connections and friendships forming every day.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Diverse Interests: One challenge we’ve encountered is catering to the diverse interests of our members. Some people join just for our book club, others for pickleball events, and some to explore the city. To address this, we’ve made it a priority to understand and incorporate member feedback into our planning process. Before creating the calendar each month, we share a poll on Discord to gauge interest in various activities and events. We also maintain a suggestion box link on our Instagram for anyone to share ideas. Additionally, we encourage members who want to take a more active role to join our membership board, where they can host walks and events that reflect their interests and bring fresh energy to the group. Our board works hard to create a calendar that is dynamic and engaging, ensuring there’s something for everyone.
Utah Weather: Another challenge is navigating Utah’s extreme weather, from 100-degree days in July to freezing temperatures in January. To keep our community connected year-round, we’ve gotten creative with indoor walks and weather-proof alternatives. Some of our favorite solutions include mall walks at City Creek or Fashion Place, strolls through Ikea, and even upcoming outings to places like the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art. If the weather unexpectedly disrupts an outdoor event, we seamlessly shift gears, turning it into a cozy coffee social instead. For all our outdoor walks, we always start at a coffee shop, so if the weather takes a turn, members can stay warm, enjoy good company, and still feel connected.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I currently work as a payment specialist at a local credit union. Some skills from this role that have contributed to my leadership in the group include; Strong organizational abilities, attention to detail in complex systems, and clear communication, especially in training and collaboration.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I grew up in Herriman, Utah, as an only child, which made me naturally drawn to building friendships and finding community.
That passion carried into high school, where I created and led a ski and snowboard club, and later into college, where I joined Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. These experiences taught me the value of fostering connection and creating spaces where people feel included and supported.
In SLC Babes Walking Club, many of our members are newcomers to Utah, eager to explore Salt Lake and make friends. As a local, I love sharing my knowledge of the area and helping them feel at home. With the state experiencing so much growth, I believe locals have an opportunity to welcome newcomers with open arms. Moving is hard, and if we can make that transition easier by helping people find community and friendship, it’s worth every effort.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.meetup.com/slcbabeswalkingclub/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slcbabeswalkingclub/
