Our Story

We invite you to the foothills of the beautiful Rocky Mountains to reconnect with the outdoors in a new way — one that is rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing, learning, and experiencing the wilderness.

At Painted Warriors, our Ojibway, Cree, and Mohawk heritage is woven into everything we do and shapes the authentic outdoor experiences we create for our guests. Since 2012, we have been reconnecting our customers to the land through wilderness education, hands-on training, Indigenous traditions, and stories.

As highly-qualified instructors, we bring decades of expertise to making your time with us exceptional. Whether it’s a day spent wildlife viewing, teaching Indigenous hunting traditions or picking up a bow for the first time, our guests receive patient hands-on instruction and expert guidance every step of the way.

Our passion at Painted Warriors is building bridges between cultures and helping you connect to the land so you can gain a new way of seeing—the outdoors, our culture, and yourself. This is the gift we promise you when you spend time with Painted Warriors.

Tracey Klettl

Owner/ Operator of Painted Warriors

Tim Mearns

Owner/ Operator of Painted Warriors

A Bridge Between Cultures

Before Tracey Klettl and Tim Mearn started Painted Warriors in 2010, they had both been helping Tracey’s sister Brenda with culture camps at Mahican Trails and putting their advanced skills in archery and equine training along with their Indigenous knowledge to good use in a variety of programs. But one day, they realized they could combine their skills in archery, equine instruction, and years of leading programs and doing kids camps into something truly unique to them. 
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Since 2012, we have been reconnecting our customers to the land through wilderness education, hands-on training, Indigenous traditions, and stories.

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Our Partner companies

The combination of Painted Warriors and Mahikan trails provides a wide variety of traditional and outdoor programs. We work together to promote Indigenous tourism and to train students to become top-notch guides.

  • Brenda Holder

    Owner/ Operator of Mahikan Trails

  • Dave Holder

    Owner/ Operator of Mahikan Trails

Our Staff

The combination of Painted Warriors and Mahikan trails provides a wide variety of traditional and outdoor programs. We work together to promote aboriginal tourism and to train students to become top notch guides.

Rylie is always up first thing in the morning helping to get the horses ready and helping throughout the day with her faithful horse foxy sox!
Whether its taking down or setting up the camps or helping out the younger campers with activities, Cheyenne is always there to help especially if it involves using the quad!

George is the master of fun activities!!