Get Paid $20,000 to Hike the Appalachian Trail As a 'Chief Hiking Officer' (Video)

A Virginia-based beer company wants to pay one lucky brew lover $20,000 to hike the Appalachian Trail as part of the ultimate socially-distanced ‘workcation.’

Devils Backbone Brewing Company is looking to hire a CHO or “Chief Hiking Officer” to hike through 14 states, from Georgia to Maine, in the spring of 2021, the company shared with Travel + Leisure. The applicant has to love hiking since they will likely be hiking most days (there are more than 2,000 miles to cover) for about five to eight months — but don’t worry, there will be plenty of beer along the way.

“At Devils Backbone, we’re all about living ‘Slow by Nature,’” Hayes Humphreys, the Chief Operating Officer at Devils Backbone Brewing Company, explained to T+L. “We’re located just off the Appalachian Trail at mile marker 842 and since opening, we’ve hosted thru-hikers who want to rest and recharge on their zero-day. These folks really understand how life-altering it is to slow down and take in what’s going on around you. They’re the ones who inspired our Chief Hiking Officer position."

“This is a great opportunity for a hiker who loves beer and is looking to shake up the pace of life by spending next summer on the Appalachian Trail,” he added. “Given the state of things today, we could all use some restorative time in the great outdoors.”

In addition to all the free beer, the brewery (whose own Basecamp Brewpub & Meadows sits at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains) will supply hikers with free backpacking gear and transportation along with the $20,000 stipend. And there will be some fun parties thrown in their honor along the way.

The hiker, who should be experienced in the wilderness, will camp out under the stars and share their experience with fellow beer lovers through social media.

The job is open to residents 21 years and older in the areas Devils Backbone sells its beer: Washington, D.C., Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

To apply, applicants need to post a link to a video on the brewery's website telling their story and why they want to take on the challenge by July 31.