Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine

What Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine does

Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine is a privately held regional outdoor lifestyle publication founded in 1995 in Charlottesville, Virginia, and operated under Summit Publishing LLC. The company produces a monthly print magazine distributed free at outdoor recreation locations across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic (Baltimore to Atlanta), supplemented by a WordPress-based website (blueridgeoutdoors.com) that publishes daily news, blogs, gear reviews, music features, and event listings. Its audience comprises active regional outdoor enthusiasts organized by activity verticals including hiking, biking, paddling, fly fishing, climbing, running, camping, snowsports, fitness, travel, and regional music, with a stated reach of more than 500,000 readers per month.

The business generates revenue through a diversified mix of streams: print and digital advertising (sold via a media kit spanning print, digital, social, custom content, and email), paid magazine subscriptions managed through simplecirc.com, sponsored content partnerships with regional tourism boards and nonprofit organizations, an e-newsletter product, periodic contests and giveaways, and a branded merchandise storefront at shop.blueridgeoutdoors.com. The company is structured as a small team of 11-50 employees led by President Blake DeMaso, Editor in Chief Jedd Ferris, and Publisher Leah Woody, with functions covering editorial, creative, web/digital, advertising sales, circulation, social media, and business management.

Distribution combines free physical placement at outdoor retail and recreation locations, digital self-serve subscription, and e-commerce. The product portfolio includes the flagship magazine, the website, a weekly e-newsletter, an outdoor events calendar, contests, a merchandise store, and special issues such as the Festival Guide and Best of the Blue Ridge Awards. Strategic customer relationships are concentrated in regional destination marketing organizations, including partnerships with Pocahontas County (WV), Roanoke, Pulaski, Southside Virginia, and Damascus, VA tourism boards, as well as cause-marketing collaborations with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the Djimon Hounsou Foundation.

Name

Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine

Legal name

Blue Ridge Outdoors, Inc.

Website

https://blueridgeoutdoors.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine is a privately held regional outdoor lifestyle publication serving the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, producing a monthly print magazine, a daily content website, an e-newsletter, events coverage, and sponsored tourism content for over 500,000 monthly readers under Summit Publishing LLC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Recreation Media

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Travel & Outdoors Magazines (MPAJAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health, Fitness & Wellness Magazines (MPAJAEAD), Sports & Recreation Magazines (MPAJAEAJ)

Keywords

• Outdoor recreation magazine
• Regional lifestyle publication
• Print magazine advertising
• Adventure travel content
• Outdoor sports coverage

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlottesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Print Magazine Advertising: The magazine generates revenue primarily through advertising sales in their print publication. The media kit indicates various advertising options including print, digital, social, custom content and email advertising.
2. Magazine Subscriptions: Revenue from paid magazine subscriptions through simplecirc.com platform.
3. Contest Sponsorships: Contests and giveaways featuring outdoor gear and adventure vacations from Blue Ridge Outdoors and sponsors. Sponsors provide prizes while the magazine gains marketing reach.
4. Sponsored Content: Sponsored content partnerships with regional tourism boards and outdoor brands including Pocahontas County WV, Virginia's Blue Ridge, Roanoke Region, Pulaski VA, and others.
5. Merchandise Sales: Online merchandise store selling Blue Ridge Outdoors branded apparel and gear.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine publishes a monthly print and digital outdoor recreation magazine, supplemented by a website, e-newsletter, events calendar, contests, and branded merchandise store, covering hiking, biking, paddling, fly fishing, climbing, running, snowsports, camping, fitness, travel, and regional music across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. The magazine is distributed free at outdoor recreation locations from Baltimore to Atlanta and reaches over 500,000 readers monthly.

Product overview

Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine operates as a multi-platform outdoor recreation media company centered on its core print and digital magazine product. The magazine has been published for over three decades and covers outdoor activities including hiking, biking, paddling, fly fishing, climbing, running, snowsports, camping, fitness, and travel across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. The product portfolio includes the flagship magazine (print and digital), the BlueRidgeOutdoors.com website delivering daily content, an e-newsletter subscription service, an outdoor events calendar, periodic contests and giveaways, and a merchandise store. The magazine is distributed monthly and is complemented by special issues such as the Festival Guide and Best of the Blue Ridge Awards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Summit Publishing: Parent publishing company that owns Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine, The Virginia Sportsman, and Elevation Outdoors magazines.
• Outdoor Adventure Media

Products and services

• Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine A monthly print and digital outdoor recreation magazine covering hiking, biking, paddling, fly fishing, climbing, running, snowsports, camping, fitness, travel, and regional music throughout the Appalachian Mountains, available by paid subscription via simplecirc.com and free at outdoor locations.
• BRO Merchandise Store Online shop selling Blue Ridge Outdoors branded apparel and accessories for outdoor enthusiasts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Published for over 30 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments11 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pocahontas County Convention & Tourism BureaucoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 July 2026Sponsored content partnership featuring outdoor recreation and history content for Pocahontas County WV. The content promotes destinations like Cass Scenic Railroad State Park, Greenbrier River Trail, Watoga State Park, and Fort Warwick.
• Roanoke Regional Tourism (VisitVBR.com)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 July 2026Sponsored content showcasing Metro Mountain Adventures in Virginia's Blue Ridge region, highlighting hiking at McAfee Knob, biking at Carvins Cove, and area breweries.
• Pulaski County TourismcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2026Sponsored content featuring Pull Over for Adventure in Pulaski VA, promoting New River activities, Claytor Lake State Park, and New River Trail State Park.
• VisitSoSi (Southside Virginia Tourism)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2026Sponsored content promoting An Easy Escape in SoSi VA (Southside Virginia), featuring Danville, Riverfront Park, and regional attractions.
• Djimon Hounsou FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2026Sponsored content for Run Richmond 16.19, a cultural run-or-walk event celebrating Black history through 400+ years. Event runs September 11-13, 2026.
• Damascus VA TourismcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2026Sponsored content for Trail Days festival in Damascus VA, the world's largest celebration of the Appalachian Trail, happening May 15-17.
• Appalachian Trail ConservancyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2026The magazine promotes a limited-edition Case Knives product that benefits the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. All proceeds from knife sales support the ATC.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Elevation Outdoors: Sister publication under Summit Publishing; a regional outdoor recreation magazine covering activities, travel, and gear with a comparable audience and advertising model, making it the most directly comparable peer.
• The Virginia Sportsman: Another Summit Publishing title, focused on hunting, fishing, and outdoor sports in Virginia; shares parent sales force and operational infrastructure with BRO, so the businesses are tightly comparable.
• Backpacker Magazine: Print and digital outdoor recreation title focused on hiking, backpacking, and gear, with a subscriber base and advertiser mix that map closely onto BRO's outdoor enthusiast reader and DMO/partnership-driven revenue model.
• Adventure Journal: Digital-first outdoor recreation magazine covering adventure travel, gear, and lifestyle; competes for the same reader engagement time and uses sponsored editorial and brand partnerships comparable to BRO's monetization approach.
• Canoe & Kayak / Paddling Magazine: Activity-specific outdoor recreation title focused on kayaking, canoeing, and rafting with similar editorial mix and regional paddle content; comparable in scope of coverage of one of BRO's marquee verticals (paddling).
• Trail Runner Magazine: Specialty running and trail running publication covering events, gear, training, and destination guides; directly comparable to BRO's running vertical including trail race coverage and regional race partnerships.
• Appalachian Mountain Club Publications: Nonprofit outdoor organization producing editorial, guides, and trail-focused content across the Appalachian region with overlapping audience and DMO/tourism partnerships similar to BRO.

Broad incumbents

• Outside Magazine: Long-established national outdoor recreation and adventure-travel title covering hiking, biking, paddling, gear, and travel; competes for the same advertisers (tourism boards, outdoor brands) and reader attention as BRO at a national scale.
• REI Co-op Journal / Uncommon Path: REI's owned content channels covering gear reviews, outdoor adventures, and travel; competes for both reader attention and outdoor brand advertising dollars alongside regional outdoor titles like BRO.

Regional players

• Smoky Mountain Living Magazine: Regional lifestyle magazine focused on the Great Smoky Mountains and southern Appalachians; competes in a neighboring geography with a similar mix of outdoor recreation, travel, and tourism-board sponsorships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/gooutandplay
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC3wIs_ueB1KKpNaJMoWsuoQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/BlueRidgeOutdoors
• Instagraminstagram.com/blueridgeoutdoors

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine