$235-395 (sliding scale)
Immerse yourself in the beauty of Whiterock Conservancy, an absolute gem and one of our favorite places in the state! Protected by a private land trust, Whiterock Conservancy has over 5,500 acres of unique and protected landscapes, 40+ miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, and is one of the darkest places in Iowa, making its stargazing unmatched in the state!
On this trip, you’ll spend Saturday morning paddling the Middle Raccoon River through Whiterock (water level depending) and then go on a group hike in the afternoon. You’ll camp with an amazing group of folks and learn from expert guides all of the ins-and-outs of camping in a safe, collaborative and fun environment. We’ll cook meals together around the campfire, share in fire circle discussions, have down time to relax and rejuvenate and generally just enjoy Mother Nature and all her gifts!
This trip is specifically designated for Wanderers who identify as queer and feel most comfortable in spaces designed for women. It will be led by two queer guides.
A $20 fee is included in registration for boat rental and shuttle. Water levels in the state have been low the last couple of years, so if the river isn’t paddleable, you’ll be refunded the rental fee post-trip!
Trip Details
Adventure Rating: Beginner
Main activities: Hiking, paddling
Camping Details: Modern campsites with access to both pit toilets and flush toilets/a showerhouse about a 0.3 mile walk from the campsites
Skills learned on this trip: Fire building and starting, beginner paddling, hiking preparation & safety, camping preparation & safety, Leave No Trace, basic camp cooking, setting up and taking down tent
A note about the BIPOC & Queer Hikers trips
It is no secret that BIPOC and queer folks have been historically and systematically excluded from outdoor recreation, and undervalued as important members of the outdoor community, both here in Iowa and the Midwest, and universally. Access to the outdoors, education about recreation and the natural world, and the safety and care folks need to feel comfortable outside has always been gatekept by white and straight people. We (Jenn, Kerri, and our guides) know that there is so much work to do to create safe, welcoming, inclusive spaces outdoors, and it matters to us to actively try to counteract this history in our business, and to build a community where all Wanderers have access and feel comfortable and empowered in the outdoors. To that end, our affinity trips follow a "pay what you can" pay structure, which you'll see reflected here on the registration page. We've set a base recommended trip price of $235 to ensure we are able to cover trip costs and adequately pay our guides — if that pricing is still out of reach for you, please reach out to us (either in DMs or at hello@wanderwomenmidwest.com) to discuss other pricing options! If you are compelled and able to pay more than the base price, you can increase your registration amount in $25 increments up to $395, the full value of the trip.
About Whiterock Conservancy
Whiterock Conservancy was formed 10 years ago to manage one of the largest land gifts in the history of Iowa generously given by the Garst family. Today it stewards 5,500 acres along the scenic Middle Raccoon River Valley near Coon Rapids, Iowa. The gorgeous Whiterock landscape that attracts visitors from all over the state, region, and nation is a mix of savannas, rolling pastures, native and restored prairies, wetlands, riverside bluffs, fishing ponds, crop ground, and unique historic, geologic, and archaeological sites. Source: Whiterock Conservancy
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Wander Women trips are designed to be restorative and relaxing, full of connection and knowledge building. Days are filled with activities ranging from skill-building workshops (like fire building or plant identification), hammock reading and card playing, to group hikes, impromptu yoga sessions and creek stomping. Nights are spent around the campfire sharing in storytelling, often digging deep into ourselves and our place in nature.
Please know that to us, there’s no right way to wander. We ask that you come as you are — you don’t need to have the gear, the knowledge or anyone else with you to make this trip great. We grant participants and ourselves the right to be imperfect or nervous, and encourage a “challenge by choice” mentality — letting you decide when you’ll step outside your comfort zone, knowing it’s often rewarding when you do. By the end of the weekend, we want you to feel confident in newfound skills, your place in the outdoors and your part in this community. That’s what these trips are all about!
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Each Wander Women trip has an Adventure Rating attached to the trip to give Wanderers a better idea of the activity level and physical requirements of the trip. These ratings are based on general Wanderer ability. If you have specific questions about a trip’s difficulty or specific accessibility questions, please reach out to us at hello@wanderwomenmidwest.com!
Beginner: This trip is designed for the low-key adventurer. Hikes will be taken at a leisurely pace and include small elevation changes on easy to navigate trails (wide, free of roots and other obstacles). Plenty of down-time built into this trip for participants to relax and create time for themselves. No prior outdoor skills required.
Moderate: This trip is designed for the adventurer looking for a jam-packed weekend or in-depth, hands-on skill building. Hikes will be longer (6+ miles) and taken at a moderate pace. There may be other recreation activities (paddling, paddleboarding, fishing, etc.) that are beginner-friendly but require moderate physical strain. There will still be plenty of down-time built in for participants to relax and create time for themselves, but there may be optional additional adventures offered. No prior outdoor skills required, unless otherwise noted.
Challenging: Participants are expected to hike, backpack or paddle long mileage days, often with weight on their backs or in their boats. Terrain will be challenging and have elevation changes or tricky parts to navigate. Previous hiking and paddling experience is strongly recommended.
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Your trip fee includes:
Delicious meals cooked for you all weekend
Campsite and/or cabin reservations (note: most out-of-Iowa trips will require car tags or park fees — you’ll be made aware when you’ll be responsible for those)
Guided, hands-on outdoor skills instruction and facilitation from our expert guides
A Wander Women swag bundle with goodies for you to enjoy during and after the trip
Communal gear, like camp chairs, cooking equipment, guide books, activity boxes, and more
Membership in our private Facebook group and exclusive access to Wander Women day hikes, educational opportunities, and other special events
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We are once again offering gear rental this year! We know that buying camping gear on your own can be very expensive and cost-prohibitive, so we’re excited to offer affordable gear rental while maintaining the highest standards for comfort and durability.
Choose between shared tent (Wanderers who opt to share a tent will sleep in a spacious 4-or-6 person tent with one other participant during their trip), solo tent or backpacking gear.
Note: All participants signed up for backpacking trips will have their own tent.
Gear Rental: What’s Included
Frontcountry trips: Tent (solo or shared), sleeping bag, sleeping bag liner, sleeping pad and/or cot, tent lantern, camp chair, dining mess kit
Backpacking trips: Backpack, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, backpacking stove, utensil kit, water bottles, trekking poles
*At this time, we do not have the ability to rent gear a la carte. If you have a backpacking tent but no other gear, you will still need to rent the full gear package.
HOW IT WORKS
During sign up, select your gear rental choice as an add-on to registration right in the trip page. Super easy!
Gear Rental (Solo Tent): $40
Gear Rental (Shared Tent): $35
Gear Rental (Backpacking): $45
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We want our trips to be accessible to all Wanderers. If you’re not able to afford the full trip fee now, WeTravel (our booking platform) easily lets you make a downpayment (this is also your non-refundable trip deposit!) and pay in installments throughout the year! There is NO fee for choosing the payment plan option!
All participants are subject to the Wander Women Trip Cancellation Policy.