Hartford, CT
Paddle the Connecticut River in Hartford
Explore Hartford with Canoemobile! Wilderness Inquiry’s Canoemobile is a fleet of vans each with six, handmade, 24-foot Voyageur canoes, safety and paddle equipment, and a crew of outdoor educators. The centerpiece of the Canoemobile is integrated classroom and outdoor education experiences utilizing under-appreciated urban resources, especially urban waterways. Canoemobile programming and educational activities operate in collaboration with local, state, and federal partners. Enjoy the company of others, work as a team, and learn about the watershed in your backyard!
Sample Itinerary
Students arrive at location
Wilderness Inquiry welcome activity
Program partners facilitate rotating activity stations like:
> watershed modeling
> water quality testing
> fish and wildlife
> team building
Wilderness Inquiry facilitates paddling experience:
> water safety
> paddle/equipment instruction
> a paddle lasting about 30 minutes
Reflection and closing activity
What To Expect
You will be paddling in 24-foot Voyageur canoes, following the river's shorelines. The Voyageur canoes hold 6-10 paddlers. They are stable boats, designed specifically for safe trips on big water. Paddling distance varies depending upon the route. It is active but not strenuous.
Wilderness Inquiry outdoor educators are experienced boat captains that provide paddle and safety instructions. One boat captain will be with each canoe to steer the boat, ensure safety, and facilitate a fun experience for everyone!
Program partners will lead land-based activities surrounding urban water topics. Youth will rotate among the activity stations and paddling in canoes.
For clothing and gear, it is important to consider the weather.
Here is a list of suggested items:
- Rain jacket/poncho (WI will have ponchos available)
- Jacket or sweater
- Shoes that you are willing to get a little dirty
- Water bottle (WI will have drinking water available)
- Hat to protect you from the sun and rain
Optional items:
- Sunscreen, lip balm, sunglasses
- Camera in a plastic bag to keep it dry
- Day pack
The Connecticut River was first explored by Europeans in 1614 but had been home to Native Americans for hundreds of years before that. The Connecticut is New England's longest River, running 410 miles from the Quebec-New Hampshire border, through 4 states, before emptying into Long Island Sound. The name was derived from the Native American Pequot word "quinetucket," which means "long tidal river." The Connecticut drains an 11,000-square-mile watershed and provides 70% of the fresh water entering Long Island Sound, meaning activities within the watershed area have a significant influence on the health of Long Island Sound. The river is home to a vast array of wildlife including falcons, bald eagles, and ospreys, 12 species of freshwater mussels, multiple species of shorebirds, waterfowl, and fish, and a number of threatened and endangered species including the piping plover and the shortnose sturgeon.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is your cancellation/refund policy?
Your 10% deposit is non-refundable. If you choose to cancel your trip:
For trips in the continental United States:
• 6 weeks prior to start date — we will refund fees paid minus deposit.
• Less than 6 weeks — we will refund 50% of the total trip fee, or 100% of fees paid can be transferred to a future trip.
• Less than 1 week— no refunds will be issued.
For trips outside the continental United States:
• 12 weeks prior to start date— we will refund fees paid minus deposit.
• Less than 12 weeks — we will refund 50% of the total trip fee, or 100% of fees paid can be transferred to a future trip.
• Less than 2 weeks — no refunds will be issued.
In the rare event that WI cancels a trip, or we are unable to serve you, all fees are immediately refunded, including the deposit. Unfortunately, we cannot be responsible for personal expenses such as airline tickets. To protect your investment in your travel plans we recommend purchasing travel insurance. Information on travel insurance is included in your trip confirmation packet. If after registering you wish to switch trips, you may do so subject to availability. Fees may apply.
Under certain circumstances, such as death of a family member, change in health status, loss of employment, etc., we may make exceptions to our refund policies. Please let us know immediately if your plans change!
Some of the trip information on your website is different than the trip catalog. Why?
WI typically creates and prints our annual trip catalog in December. At that time we do our best to have finalized trip itineraries and set our prices accordingly. However, sometimes there are changes to a trip that necessitate adjustments to our prices after the catalog has gone to print.
No Dates Scheduled
Canoemobile may have just passed through, or we are amidst planning future events!
