About

We are the Cotteys and the founders of ExploreMore. I wanted to introduce ourselves real quick 😁

I'm Haley and my husband is CJ. We met in college and quickly bonded over our love and shared experiences in the outdoors. We had both been on extended backpacking trips (I did 40 days in Wyoming with Solid Rock Outdoor Ministries and CJ did 23 days in Colorado with Outward Bound)

One year later, we got married. We have had 2 beautiful daughters, Adeline Rayne (Della) and Anya Lawson (Yaya) who both love being outside just as much as we do! We spend as much time as we can hiking, running, mountain biking, climbing as a family and with friends. I (Haley) have also started hiking and trail running as well as practicing yoga and prayer in an effort to handle postpartum depression after my second child. That is a whole other story that I'm happy to share with anyone who wants to know more but I'm passionate about helping others who are stressed, depressed, etc find freedom through unplugging, slowing down and getting outside through yoga and hiking.

A few years ago we realized we were always reaching for our next vacation to the mountains and had never truly taken advantage of the beautiful outdoor spaces available to us right here in Dallas Texas. We knew we couldn't live our life wishing we were somewhere else, especially when there are tons of beautiful trails, rivers, lakes and outdoor climbing available all around us. We just had to explore a little more to find them. We also realized people don't always want to go outside because they don't feel knowledgeable or equipped for certain activities. We get told constantly "take me with you next time you go backpacking", "how do I hike with a toddler", "what kind of hiking shoes do I need" etc

So in true entrepreneur fashion, we started a business. The goal of ExploreMore is to train and equip people to experience the fun and freedom found in nature. Our most popular event is our hike, yoga and brew where we combine a short beginner friendly yoga practice with nature and a group hike followed by a "brew" which is usually a drink ticket to a local coffee shop, brewery or restaurant near the trail. We are also huge proponents of supporting and exploring local business so we are partnering with small businesses as much as possible.

Don't get me wrong, we still go to the mountains as much as possible and I still want to take people backpacking in the mountains and trying new experiences but I also want them driving 10 minutes down the street and hiking in their local park.