Canoemobile brings classroom learning outside, engaging youth to improve school performance, cultivating a stewardship ethic, and creating pathways to pursue educational and career opportunities in the outdoors.
Led by Wilderness Inquiry, the Canoemobile is a collaboration of federal, state, and local partners connecting urban youth to the natural world through hands-on, outdoor learning in cities across America. From San Francisco to the Bronx, communities welcome Canoemobile to serve thousands of youth and adults of all backgrounds and abilities on their local waterways.
Canoemobile emerged from the Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures (UWCA) program started in Minnesota in 2008. The UWCA has grown from day trips on the Mississippi river to include overnight camping and internship opportunities for youth. In 2015 the UWCA merged with Canoemobile, and today the program remains strong in Minnesota and continues to grow nationwide.
Discover what Canoemobile delivers and what the benefits are to your community.
Check out where Canoemobile is headed. It may be rolling in to a town near you!
Canoemobile offers many programs to engage your community: youth engagement days, community paddling events, overnight camping, and extended trips.
Explore lessons and activities to engage your students in place-based learning connected to subject area and adherent to state standards. Learn more through professional development opportunities for educators.
Request to bring Canoemobile to your town, or help further the mission by volunteering or donating to the program.
Read stories about the Canoemobile tour, the cities we visit, and the partners we work with on our blog.