With the incredible outdoors as its backdrop, Canoemobile allows youth and families to explore, to stretch their comfort zones, and to build their self-confidence. It offers students the chance to see how what they learn in the classroom shows up outside of school. It brings people together in community — creating shared moments that remind… [Read more] 2025 Canoemobile: Paddling, Learning, and Exploring with 30,000+ People
On a gorgeous early September evening, the west-coast sun was quickly playing catch-up to the horizon when the group of eight Wilderness Inquiry adventurers rounded the last bend to Lake Crescent — their entry point to a five-day Olympic National Park adventure. After a winding, three-hour traverse from the urban jungle of Seattle, the six… [Read more] An Olympic National Park Adventure: Maintaining Lifelong Connection to the Outdoors Through Senior Adult Travel
When you think of Wilderness Inquiry, it’s hard not to draw a connecting path to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) — as that’s where it all started. Our organization’s history is tightly coupled with that of Minnesota’s iconic natural wonder, where our first and founding trip took place in 1977. In the years… [Read more] Trading the Daily Routines and Stresses of Military Life for the Serene Surroundings of the Boundary Waters
In the thick of a steamy mid-July afternoon standing along the shores of Minneapolis’ Lake Nokomis, Isaac didn’t hesitate a beat to share some high hopes for his upcoming trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). Hooking his thumbs through the shoulder straps of his bright-blue PFD, he deftly parried a suggestion of… [Read more] Brick by Brick: Cultivating Confidence and Connection Through Skill-Building Experiences
This past April, a group of six women set off on an unforgettable adventure to Morocco — a first for Wilderness Inquiry! Traveling along the stunning landscapes, historic sites, and vibrant markets of Morocco, these women formed a bond as they connected with the beauty of their surroundings. [Read more]
Through engaging adventures in national parks, public lands, and waterways, the Military Families Outdoors (MFO) program provides service members and their families the opportunity to experience the life-changing benefits of nature. In its 2024 pilot year, MFO impacted over 9,000 participants through an array of outdoor experiences, including guided hikes, canoeing and kayaking excursions, camping trips, and environmental education programs to support positive mental and physical health outcomes for all military family members who participate. [Read more]
A Wilderness Inquiry adventure is so much more than a trip. It’s an experience, an opportunity for connection, a place where everyone belongs. And we think no one is better to tell that story than those exact people who explore the natural world with us. This is Devin’s story. Devin’s journey with Wilderness Inquiry began… [Read more] Unpacking the Impact: Devin’s Story
With the official move to our new headquarters in Bloomington, MN comes one of the most exciting updates to our operational space and capacity: a beautiful new kitchen! For nearly 50 years, Wilderness Inquiry has been bringing people together in the outdoors, and continually exploring and refining the myriad elements it takes to do so.… [Read more] Fostering Food and Community in Our New Kitchen
This year, we adventured with more than 40,000 people across familiar and new locations nationwide and internationally. Wilderness Inquiry saw incredible growth and deepening impact. And we continued to innovate by introducing new programs, forging new partnerships, and embracing new communities to best serve all who adventure with us. 2024 was a year of transformative change, and we are deeply grateful for the community of supporters whose generosity significantly contributes to our success. [Read more]
For more than 15 years, Wilderness Inquiry has partnered with the U.S. Forest Service – Urban Connections program. Through a progression of outdoor education and recreation experiences – from backyard to backcountry – our shared work has engaged youth from urban areas within the Forest Service’s Eastern region to build confidence and connection in nature. [Read more]
