Immerse yourself in a weekend of learning traditional craft and skills in a feral forest setting as we learn from female instructors about their folk skill talents! This weekend is all about trying new things, being more connected to the land, and coming into balance with a slower pace.

Join us for Mother’s Day Weekend on this trip all about unplugging and spending time outdoors together! We’re headed to Prairie Rose State Park for a weekend full of adventure. We’ll be joined by two DNR naturalists as we hike and paddle our way through the park.

If you’ve ever thought, “I wonder if you can backpack in Iowa…” or have been looking to get into backpacking and want a non-intimidating introduction, then you’re in the right place! On this trip, you’ll spend the weekend backpacking at Hitchcock Nature Area in the Loess Hills of western Iowa. The Loess Hills are an extraordinary geologic formation just outside the Missouri River Basin formed long ago by years of blowing sand and soil. They provide amazing views and excellent hiking, and are incredibly unique to Iowa.

If you’ve ever thought, “I wonder if you can backpack in Iowa…” or have been looking to get into backpacking and want a non-intimidating introduction, then you’re in the right place! On this trip, you’ll spend the weekend backpacking at Yellow River State Forest in the heart of northeast Iowa.

Homebased in one of Minnesota’s most picturesque state parks (Tettegouche here we come!), this trip will be a marathon of beautiful hikes in the north woods surrounded by rugged beauty, all in pursuit of some of the best waterfalls in the Midwest. We’ll be visiting at least four state parks and 10+ waterfalls, so get your boots laced and join us for this epic adventure! 

On this trip, Sprout/Adult pairs will spend one night camping under the stars together at Jester Park just outside of Des Moines. Jester Park is a great place for kiddos, with miles of trails and Saylorville Lake shoreline to explore! This two-day, one night adventure is the perfect beginner camping night for Sprouts! 

Come with us to experience one of the least-visited and most remote national parks in the country. Isle Royale is a backpacker’s dream destination, and a place you’ll yearn for time and again.

See the Mighty Mississippi from both land and water! Spend a weekend at one of Wisconsin’s most beautiful parks—set at the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers in the Driftless area of the Midwest, Wyalusing State Park provides it all.

Come with us for the ultimate outdoor lover’s adventure in beautiful northern Michigan along the shores of Lake Michigan. On this trip, you’ll experience every wild experience nature has to offer, from hiking hundred foot dunes to riding the Great Lake waves! There’s a reason folks in the know have been flocking to northern Michigan in the summer for generations, and we can’t wait to show you everything the region has to offer, from outstanding water activities to local fruit stands that will blow your socks off!

Our Sprouts trips are designed for our young Wanderers and their adults to enjoy a trip outdoors together! On this trip, Sprout/Adult pairs will explore the cool caves of Maquoketa State Park and spend two nights camping under the stars together at Eden Valley Refuge, just 10 minutes from the caves.

Get down and dirty inside the earth! There’s a reason this is one of our most popular trips every year! On this trip, you’ll explore two different cave systems in eastern Iowa — Maquoketa Caves State Park and a private cave close by in Clinton County! Get to know the amazing cave landscapes and formations through some of the richest Karst landscape in the state!

Our Sprouts trips are designed for our youngest Wanderers and their adults to enjoy a trip outdoors together! They’re full of fun activities and bonding for both kids and adults, and are a great way to dip toes into the world of outdoor adventure! On this trip, Sprout/Adult pairs will spend one night camping under the stars together at Ledges State Park north Des Moines.

Our Sprouts trips are designed for our young Wanderers and their adults to enjoy a trip outdoors together! On this trip, Sprout/Adult pairs will explore the cool caves of Maquoketa State Park and spend two nights camping under the stars together at Eden Valley Refuge, just 10 minutes from the caves.

On this trip, Sprout/Adult pairs will spend one night camping under the stars together at Jester Park just outside of Des Moines. Jester Park is a great place for kiddos, with miles of trails and Saylorville Lake shoreline to explore! This two-day, one night adventure is the perfect beginner camping night for Sprouts! 

Become one with the river on this epic paddle of one of Wisconsin’s most beautiful and remote river stretches. On this trip, we’ll pack all of our possessions into top of the line canoes and carry it all with us as we paddle through the remote last stretch of the Lower Wisconsin River in the state’s southwest corner.

Come with us as we backpack through the Pictured Rocks, the famous coastline of Lake Superior on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and one of only three national lakeshores in the country (and the nation’s first!). Known for its fantastic views of Lake Superior and beautiful “painted” sandstone cliffs, Painted Rocks is a haven for nature lovers.

Join us up north in the wilds of Minnesota as we leaf peep our way through the woods. This trip is full of beautiful hikes and some exceptional views, and is a great way to see classic fall color before Minnesota hibernation sets in.

If you’ve ever thought, “I wonder if you can backpack in Iowa…” or have been looking to get into backpacking and want a non-intimidating introduction, then you’re in the right place! On this trip, you’ll spend the weekend backpacking at Hitchcock Nature Area in the Loess Hills of western Iowa.

If you’ve ever thought, “I wonder if you can backpack in Iowa…” or have been looking to get into backpacking and want a non-intimidating introduction, then you’re in the right place! On this trip, you’ll spend the weekend backpacking at Yellow River State Forest in the heart of northeast Iowa.

Western South Dakota is home to some of the most rugged, beautiful Midwest landscapes, and this trip gives you a bite of all of them! Embark into the wildness of South Dakota with us as we visit TWO National Park sites in one week!