• Mississippi National River and Recreation Area

    Mississippi

    National River & Recreation Area Minnesota

Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures (UWCA)

UWCA group paddling on the Mississippi River.

The Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures (UWCA) is an outdoor canoe program focused on getting Twin Cities youth on the Mississippi River. Each UWCA trip provides students an opportunity to uniquely experience the Mississippi River while strengthening their outdoor skills and encouraging an active lifestyle outdoors.

In its pilot year, the UWCA has gotten over 4,500 youth outdoors and on the river. The goal for the program is to reach over 10,000 youth and family annually, with an emphasis on reaching students from Minneapolis and St. Paul Public Schools and other youth and community-based organizations.

The UWCA is a partner program between Wilderness Inquiry, Mississippi River Fund and the National Park Service. To find out more about the program or to enroll in a trip, visit Wilderness Inquiry.

 
Media
Kare11 News: Video and Article
Pioneer Press: Article
Minnesota Public Radio: Audio and Article
Minneapolis Star Tribune: Video
 
 
  • The big Voyageur canoes are both safe and responsive. For many of the participants, this is the first time in a canoe or on the Mississippi River.
    Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventure
    6 Photos

Did You Know?

Coon Rapids Dam

Over 600 men worked around the clock using hand tools, horses and coal powered shovels to build the original Coon Rapids Dam in 1913.  The dam was rebuilt between 1995 and 1997.