Day Trip Options
Mississippi River Day Trip
Group size: 35-90 participants Ages: 4th grade and older Length: 4-6 hours.
Want to spend an entire day on the river? Students explore reaches of the Mississippi (or Minnesota or St. Croix River!) in handmade 24′ Voyageur canoes. These trips usually include a lunch break and are best suited for people ages 10 and older.
Activities Day
Group size: 40-100+ participants Ages: all ages Length: 2-6 hours
Want to bring a big group of youth out for a day of outdoor fun and education? Students rotate through activity stations learning about water quality, outdoor camping skills, cultural history, and more! Activities Days can include a canoeing portion.
Step 1: Set Up Your Trip
We are thrilled to get your students excited about the outdoors! Sign up for Canoemobile programming by filling out this form:
Step 2: Prepare for Your Trip
Wilderness Inquiry has lots of resources to help you prepare your students for their day outdoors. View Standards Matrix to see connections between activities and MN state standards. Watch Preparing for Your Day Trip. Have your students start thinking about the math, music, language arts, science, and history they’ll encounter by referring to the Educator Resources page for pre-and-post trip activity ideas. We’ll provide all the safety equipment you need for a day outdoors. For clothing and gear, it is important to consider the weather.
Step 3: Learn More
Mississippi River Routes
The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA) is a National Park Service unit running 72 miles of the river right through the Twin Cities. It is a unique and valuable asset to our community. Wilderness Inquiry offers three highlighted routes along MNRRA.
Native and European History on the Mississippi
Highlighted Route: Hidden Falls to Harriet Island
Paddle along the historic banks of the Mississippi River and learn about the lives of Dakota people, Voyageur Fur Traders, and European settlers.
Moving Waterfalls and Growing Cities
Highlighted Route: Mississippi Gorge
Focus on the geological history of the Mississippi River bluffs and its impact on the development of the Twin Cities.
Human Impact on the Upper Mississippi Ecosystem
Highlighted Route: North Mississippi
Take a closer look at plant and animal life along the Mississippi River and explore our human impact on the ecosystem.
Activities Day Themes
Activities Days are available in a variety of locations throughout Minnesota. Common Twin Cities locations include Chain of Lakes, Theodore Wirth Park, Minnehaha Creek, Fort Snelling State Park, and additional local parks and waterways.
Experience history and culture at Fort Snelling State Park.
Activities include:
Canoeing
Fur Trading Game
Dakota War Memorial
Nature Hike
Teambuilding
How healthy are our waterways? Experiment and find out!
Activities include:
Canoeing
Fishing
Nature Hike
Water Quality Testing
Get outside and get active! Enjoy a healthy snack and learn to make it yourself.
Activities include:
Canoeing
PFD Relay Races
Healthy Snacks
Nature Hike
Teambuilding