Our mission is to “Inspire. Educate. Equip. We remove barriers and create access to outdoor experiences.” We are a Pittsburgh-based non-profit connecting people to the benefits of getting outdoors. Since 2001, our team of Outdoor Educators and Volunteer Trip Leaders have guided people of all ages and stages to hike, bike, run, paddle, geocache, and more.

We believe that together we can remove the barriers that stop people from connecting to the outdoors. A lack of access to equipment shouldn’t prevent people from exploring our three rivers by kayak. A lack of instruction shouldn’t prevent students from learning to bike for the first time. A lack of community shouldn’t prevent women and minority runners from joining the race.

We serve the communities of Western Pennsylvania from children to young adults to seniors, individuals to families, and preschool classrooms to college programs to corporate teams. We focus on equity when we plan our programs. We evaluate and plan to support participants’ access to green space, transportation needs, culture, skill level, ability, and interests.

In the Jefferson region, we have partnered with schools, out-of-school time sites, and community groups to provide programming to youth and seniors. Partnerships have included SHIM, Melting Pot Ministries, Youth Opportunities Development, Clairton School District, Dragon’s Den, MUSA, and more.