Our last Canoemobile rig returned from the road this month marking the end of our 2024 season. With more than 32,000 youth, families, and community members paddling and learning on waterways closest to them, Canoemobile reached more people across more states than ever before.
More People, More Places
By changing waterways into places of recreation, learning, and community-building, Canoemobile provides opportunities for participants to explore nature close to where they live.
This year, in addition to programming with established partners and in longstanding locations, we teamed up with Blue Star Families as part of our Military Families Outdoors program to bring Canoemobile to service members and military families in 11 states, including new locations in Colorado, Florida, and Virginia.
From Colorado Springs to Jacksonville, Canoemobile’s expanded reach meant more rigs of vans, canoes, and Outdoor Leaders headed out on tour, growing and deepening our overall reach in communities.
The Wilderness Inquiry crew was the best! They were so hard-working, positive, and welcoming. Their efforts made people feel secure in what was for many a new activity, excited about the adventure, and empowered by the voyage.”
— Blue Star Families partner in Norfolk, VA
Paddling Together
Strong partnerships with key organizations are critical to Canoemobile’s success and impact in each city. Longtime partners, as well as those who collaborated with us for the first time, provide valuable community insight, expertise, and support that make our work possible. This year, the incredible support and teamwork of partners and funders across the country contributed to the success of Canoemobile, including Blue Star Families, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and the USDA Forest Service, among many others.
As one of our most well-established Canoemobile partners, the USDA Forest Service recently featured Canoemobile and our continued partnership, highlighting our time in Milwaukee and involvement with their Urban Connections program nationally. Support from partners like these make Canoemobile possible and enrich the learning and recreation experience for our participants.
Canoemobile’s Impact
By creating shared spaces for outdoor engagement where #EveryoneBelongs, teaching outdoor skills, and working directly with local partners and families, Canoemobile provides a foundation for participants to safely and positively experience the outdoors. From San Francisco to the Bronx, communities welcome and enthusiastically look forward to Canoemobile’s arrival in their city to serve thousands of youth and adults of all backgrounds and abilities. At its core, Canoemobile is an experience that all can participate in and builds foundational connections to the outdoors.
This is the best field trip we’ve ever had!”
I just want this moment to last forever.”
— 2024 Kankakee River Days student participants
Learn more about Canoemobile and how the program supports pathways to deeper outdoor engagement.
For Canoemobile in Minnesota:
- STEM-based learning is funded in part by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR)
- History and culture-based learning is funded in part by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund of the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment
Canoemobile in the News
- ‘Canoemobile’ program takes kids out of the classroom and onto the water – KAAL TV, May 6
- Floating classroom teaching young students life lessons – KIMT3, May 8
- Canoemobile returns to take students for a river tour – Austin Daily Herald, May 8
- Exploring our treasured waterways – Grand Rapids Magazine. May 9
- GRPS Students Learn About and Canoe Grand River – Wood Radio, May 15
- GRPS students learn, canoe on Grand River – Wood TV, May 15
- More than 800 GRPS eighth graders, along with Grand Rapids Mayor Bliss, take learning on the water with ‘canoemobile’ water experience – WZZM 13, May 15
- Watch Grand Rapids students paddle along the Grand River for Canoemobile 2024 – MLive, May 20
- Girl Scouts use outdoor learning on Lake Erie as a floating classroom – Click on Detroit, May 29
- Girl scouts earn paddling patch after ‘floating classroom’ experience on Detroit River – Detroit Free Press, May 29
- Harlem River tour boosts environmental efforts and community engagement – The Riverdale Press, Aug. 9
- Milwaukee teens take to the water for first time outdoor adventure – TMJ4, Sept. 19
- Canoemobile returns to East Grand Forks for area River Watch students – Grand Forks Herald, Sept. 28
- Gary ‘Canoemobile’ makes a splash at Marquette Park – Capital B, Oct. 9
- Newark Fire Division Supports Annual Canoe-Mobile Event – Shore News Network, Oct. 12
- Urban Connections program brings Canoemobile to major cities – USDA Forest Service, Nov. 5
