This study explored the concept of outdoor leadership from the perspectives of emotional intelligence and transformational leadership. Levels of emotional intelligence, multifactor leadership, outdoor experience, and social desirability were examined using 46 individuals designated as outdoor leaders. The results revealed a number of unique characteristics of outdoor leaders' emotional intelligence and leadership, including contributions of past outdoor experience to the development of emotional intelligence as well as transformational leadership. In addition, there was a moderate and positive relationship between emotional intelligence and transformational leadership. (Contains 7 tables.)