Today we’d like to introduce you to Susie Kara Slater.
Hi Susie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in San Diego, a place that has quietly shaped nearly everything I do. I’m a pediatric occupational therapist with San Diego Unified School District, a yoga instructor at CorePower Yoga, and a doctoral student at the University of Montana studying post-professional occupational therapy. I’m also the co-author of Urban Trails: San Diego, published by Mountaineers Books and available for pre-order now, with a release date of March 1, 2026.
I knew early on that I wanted to become an occupational therapist. At 17, I took my first-ever airplane flight to attend Boston University. After graduating, I built my career while nurturing a growing love for movement, adventure, and exploration. I spent time studying, working, and traveling in places like Boston, London, Chicago, Melbourne, and New York City, before I eventually returned home to San Diego in 2012.
That same year, I added another role to my life by becoming a yoga instructor. I shifted gears in 2016 after my brother gifted me a pair of hiking boots for Christmas. Hiking immediately resonated with me—it blended physical activity, adventure, and exploration, and gave me a sense of “travel” even in my own backyard.
In 2017, looking for consistency outdoors, I completed the 52 Hike Challenge, hiking every week for a year. That effort spiraled into becoming the first-ever finisher of the San Diego 100 Peaks Challenge, followed by completing the Sierra Club San Diego County Peaks List in 2020. I continued hiking extensively across San Diego and around the country and world.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, necessity led me to explore local canyons on foot from my North Park doorstep. Those daily walks transformed how I saw San Diego, revealing subtle seasonal beauty in blooming flowers, changing leaves, and overlooked open spaces. That experience ultimately inspired me to co-author Urban Trails: San Diego, to encourage residents and visitors to engage in local travel, lessen their carbon footprint, and discover the richness of urban hiking.
I believe outdoor enthusiasts have a responsibility to balance recreation with environmental health. That belief has led me to volunteer in stewardship efforts, including trash cleanups and habitat restoration with the City of San Diego Open Space Park Rangers.
I hike a lot! I hike daily, which equates to about 2,000 miles each year across urban trails, deserts, mountains, snow-covered peaks, and unmarked terrain. I’m very knowledgeable about San Diego’s trail systems, with experience that is both current and extensive. When I’m not hiking, I enjoy spending time with my family and my dog, Gizmo, exploring near and far. I’m also an avid world traveler, having visited over 100 countries—an explorer at heart, whether the journey is across the globe or just beyond my front door.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Like many people who pursue meaningful, multifaceted careers, my path has included periods of uncertainty, self-doubt, and burnout. Balancing demanding roles in healthcare, academics, teaching yoga, and creative work hasn’t always been easy, especially while holding myself to high standards across all of them.
Writing a book while working full-time, pursuing doctoral studies, and maintaining a physically active lifestyle required significant discipline, sacrifice, and learning how to pace myself.
Physically, hiking long distances year after year presents its own challenges, including injuries and fatigue, and mentally, it requires resilience to keep showing up even when motivation wanes. During the pandemic, isolation and uncertainty added another layer of difficulty, but that period also forced me to slow down and reconnect with the landscapes closest to home.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I work at the intersection of healthcare, movement, and outdoor exploration. I’m a pediatric occupational therapist, a yoga instructor, and the co-author of Urban Trails: San Diego, published by Mountaineers Books. Across all of my work, my focus is on helping people engage more fully with their environments in ways that support physical health, mental well-being, and connection to place.
I’m best known for my extensive, current knowledge of San Diego’s trail systems. Urban Trails: San Diego brings together years of hands-on experience—hiking over 2,000 miles annually—to showcase accessible, neighborhood-based routes that invite both residents and visitors to explore the city more intentionally and sustainably. I’m most proud of creating a resource that lowers barriers to the outdoors while encouraging stewardship and respect for the land.
What sets me apart is the integration of clinical expertise, movement education, and lived trail experience. Urban Trails: San Diego isn’t just a guidebook—it’s an invitation to slow down, explore where you live, and build a healthier relationship with both your city and the natural spaces within it.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Luck has definitely played a role, but I see it as something that shows up when preparation and curiosity are already in motion. I’ve been fortunate to grow up in San Diego, a place rich in accessible outdoor spaces, and to have opportunities for education, travel, and supportive mentors along the way.
That said, most of what looks like “good luck” came from saying yes before I felt fully ready—whether that was moving across the country at 17, committing to long-term challenges, or working with my co-author Chris Griffith to pursue a book idea that started with local walks during the pandemic. Even moments of bad luck or disruption pushed me to adapt, slow down, and rethink what was possible close to home.
In my experience, luck opens doors, but consistency, effort, and intention are what allow you to walk through them—and keep moving forward.
Pricing:
- Urban Trails: San Diego Paperback pre-order price: around $18.95–$18.99 at major retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Target (prices may vary slightly by store)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://urbantrails-sandiego.com
- Instagram: @susiehikes
Image Credits
Kim Bishop
