We believe adventure is riding a bike for the first time, feeling mud shift under your boots, or falling over your skis. The outdoors is one of the greatest learning environments of all.
Nowhere else can you find this precise mixture of adrenaline and peace.
Through Adventure Crew, city teens develop the courageous spirit to step out of their comfort zone and discover new worlds — outside in nature, and inside themselves. This deep connection to nature will change the course of their lives, no matter what environment they’re in.
Let’s make outdoors for all.
Our Mission
Connect city teens to nature and each other through engaging outdoor adventures.
Our VALUES
We center our work on fun, inclusion, discover, community, equity, and courage.
portrait of a graduate
Our vision is to see every city teen inspired by nature.
A Crew graduate will be:
Confident and Comfortable in nature
Courageous on adventures
Informed about the environment and conservation
Good stewards of the earth
Inspired to grow in life, wellness, love, and joy
Our Story
It started with a teacher and a vision.
In 2012, a teacher for Cincinnati Public Schools had an idea: what would happen if we took students on an outdoor adventure?
Soon after, a small group of local teens and teachers from Hughes High School ventured out on the Little Miami River for a five-mile float, sharing canoes, lunch, and a transformative experience.
Since that first paddling trip, Adventure Crew has grown to serve a roster of almost 1,000 students in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, providing monthly adventures for city teens at no cost.
Inspired by our natural world, Adventure Crew sees a future where all city teens experience the empowering and therapeutic effects of a outdoor adventure. Where fear is conquered, confidence is gained and peace of mind is discovered.
Founder Denny McFadden on hiking adventure with teens in 2014.
