Groups by Activity
A list of groups focused on getting families involved in specific outdoor activities. For groups focused on getting families outside in general, see the separate section for that. These should be groups open to families world-wide - for region specific groups see the section for that.
| Sport | Forums | Other | |
| Backpacking | Backpacking with Babies and Kids | Backpackers Basecamp (only a limited number of posts) Backpacking Light (but is scouting-focused) | |
| Camping | Camping with Kids Camp Kids Family: Camping Group Camping Mums | none found | |
| Climbing | Parents That Rock | none found | |
| Cycling | Bicycle Touring with kids Biking with Kids (Rascal Rides Community) | CycleChat: Family & Recreational Cycling section BikeRadar: Family & kids cycling section Bike Forums: Recreational & Family section Crazyguyonabike: Touring with kids section | |
| Hiking | Hiking with Kids Hiking Gear - Babies, Toddlers, and Kids B/S/T (for gear exchange) | no kids sections found | Hike it Baby! - to meet other people in your area |
| Snowsports | Snowboarding or Skiing with Kids! Ski Moms Snowsports with Babies and Kids (Cross country/Downhill Ski, Snowboard,Etc) Backcountry Touring with Kids (Ski & Splitboard) | no kids sections found | |
| Paddling | kayaking with KIDS!!!! Kayaking Kids Paddling with Babies and Kids | no kids sections found | |
Local communities
Other groups to check out if you're looking for local communities:
Also, check out the national diversity and inclusion groups which often have local chapters.
Diversity Groups
These are groups specifically focused on getting under-represented groups involved in outdoor sports, including national, local, and worldwide groups. Groups that are focused on a specific region and are family-friendly should also be listed on the local communities section. Groups that are focused on getting kids to play outside in general should be listed in that section and highlighted as a group focusing on diversity and inclusion.
Coalitions that are working to build diversity in the outdoors, where most of the groups on this list were found:
- Diversify Outdoors: DiversifyOutdoors.com began in January 2018 as a coalition of 29 outdoor digital influencers with a combined reach of over 200k on Instagram alone. In that first month, they launched a digital media campaign to promote #diversifyoutdoors which has now been used over 33k on Instagram. They are small business owners, non-profit directors, activists and thought leaders who are harnessing the power of social networks to create an outdoor diversity, equity and inclusion space online and in communities across the U.S.
- Melanin Base Camp: Mission: to increase the visibility of outdoorsy black, indigenous, people of color, to increase our representation in the media, advertising and in the stories we tell ourselves about the Outdoors.
| Group Name | Type | Local? | Mission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outdoor Afro | General | Outdoor Afro has become the nation’s leading, cutting edge network that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. We are a national not for profit organization with leadership networks around the country. With more than 80 leaders in 42 cities around the country, we connect thousands of people to nature experiences, who are changing the face of conservation. So come out in nature with us, or be a partner to help us grow our work so that we can help lead the way for inclusion in outdoor recreation, nature, and conservation for all! | |
| Native Women's Wilderness | General | Native Women’s Wilderness, to inspire and raise the voices of Native Women in the Outdoor Realm. To encourage a healthy lifestyle within the Wilderness. To provide education of the Ancestral Lands and its People. | |
| Venture Out | General | To provide a safe and fun space for queer, trans, and LGBTQ+ people to experience the outdoors. To provide education and support that helps schools and organizations affirm their LGBTQ+ community members. |
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| Unlikely Hikers | Hiking | Unlikely Hikers is a diverse, anti-racist, body-liberating outdoor community featuring the underrepresented outdoorsperson. We’re an Instagram community, a nationwide hiking group and a podcast! The outdoor industry and media has, for too long, displayed a very narrow definition of who is “outdoorsy” that isn’t representative of most of us. We are people of size, Black, Indigenous, People of Color, queer, trans and non-binary. We are people with disabilities and people who utilize the outdoors to aid our mental health. We talk about access, politics and conservation while we honor the land and its Indigenous stewards. We don’t conflate these experiences, we explore and build community at their intersections. We all have a story! If you see yourself as an Unlikely Hiker, then you are. Welcome! | |
| Black Girls Do Bike | Cycling | BlackGirlsDoBike.Com's interest is in growing and supporting a community of women of color who share a passion for cycling. We champion efforts to introduce the joy of cycling to all women, but especially, women and girls of color. We are establishing a comfortable place where lady cyclists can support, advise, organize meet-ups/rides and promote skill-sharing. We hope to demystify cycling and be a liaison to help usher new riders past barriers to entry and into the larger cycling community. We rejoice when women choose cycling as a tool for alternative transportation, self-care, and ultimately empowerment. We look to share positive images of ladies and their bikes to affirm the truth that black girls do indeed bike! We encourage bike advocacy, education, volunteerism and safety in all communities and corners of the world. |
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| LatinXHikers | Hiking | Latinxhikers is a grassroots initiative dedicated to breaking down barriers in the outdoor industry by creating access and representation that allows our community to establish connections with nature just as our ancestors once had. | |
| Brown Girls Climb | Climbing | Brown Girls Climb is a small Women of Color owned and operated company with the mission to promote and increase visibility of diversity in climbing by establishing a community of climbers of color, encouraging leadership opportunities for self-identified women climbers of color, and by creating inclusive opportunities to climb and explore for under represented communities. | |
| GirlTrek | General | Pioneer a health movement for African-American women and girls grounded in civil rights history and principles through walking campaigns, community leadership, and health advocacy. | |
| Indigenous Womxn Climbing | Climbing | Indigenous Womxn Climb is a virtual and Land-based volunteer community dedicated to self-determination and representation of Indigenous Womxn/non-binary and Two-Spirit climbers in the outdoors. Our work is to ensure Indigenous land/place based knowledge systems, protocols and governance practices exist in our relations to the outdoors. |
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| Sending in Color | Climbing | We strive to create a diverse and inclusive climbing community and industry by implementing Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) principles to break down barriers of accessibility for all Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and create educational spaces to introduce new climbers to the sport and the outdoors. | |
| Outdoor Asian | General | To create a diverse and inclusive community of Asian & Pacific Islanders in the outdoors. | |
| https://flashfoxy.com/Flash Foxy | Climbing | Flash Foxy began as an online platform in 2014 to celebrate women climbing with women and to be a place where women could come to feel inspired by and connected to each other. In 2016 we held the inaugural Women’s Climbing Festival and now continue to bring women climbers together through a variety of events across the country. | |
| Fat Girls Hiking | Hiking | Fat Girls Hiking is fat activism, body liberation & outdoor community. We want to take the shame and stigma out of the word FAT and empower it. Our motto, Trails Not Scales focuses on Self Care in the outdoors. We promote weight-neutrality and Health At Every Size. We want to create a space where fat and marginalized folks can come together in community to create safer spaces in the outdoors. Fat Girls Hiking is a community where people can access outdoor spaces in a way that meets their needs. We believe in representation for fat folks, folks of all ages, races, ethnicities, religions, classes, abilities, genders and sexual identities. NO diet talk, NO weight loss talk, NO body shaming and NO bigotry of any kind is allowed in our online or real-life spaces. Our community is a safer space for marginalized folks and allies! | |
| The Brown Ascenders | Climbing | We are a nonprofit organization created for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) climbers by BIPOC climbers. Our goal is to Increase accessibility of outdoor spaces, outdoor related education and recreation for BIPOC adults and youths, while cultivating outlets for community, representation, and growth. | |
| Latino Outdoors | General | We inspire, connect, and engage Latino communities in the outdoors and embrace cultura y familia as part of the outdoor narrative, ensuring our history, heritage, and leadership are valued and represented. | |
| Women Of Color in Nature | General | Our intention is to increase representation of women of color in the outdoors through guided mindfulness adventures. This group is platform and open to all self-identified women of color who have the desire, to join a sisterhood community and share stories, resources, cool opportunities and create positive relationships. This is a place for anybody who wants to explore more of the great outdoors, experience themselves and other women in nature. | |
| Soul Trak Outdoors | General | Yes | Soul Trak Outdoors is a D.C. based nonprofit organization that connects communities of color to outdoor spaces while also building a coalition of diverse outdoor leaders. We run a variety of programming to serve hands-on, experiential programming. |
Groups focused on getting kids outside
Groups that specifically promote diversity and inclusion have a ★.
★ Greening Youth Foundation: The Greening Youth Foundation’s (GYF) mission is to engage under-represented youth and young adults, while connecting them to the outdoors and careers in conservation. GYF’s cultural based environmental education programing engages children from local communities and exposes them to healthy lifestyle choices in order to create an overall healthy community. GYF believes that youth and young adults from diverse backgrounds can greatly benefit from the career opportunities presented within the state and federal land management sectors. Accordingly, GYF continues to develop and strengthen partnerships with land management agencies to provide service and internship opportunities for youth and young adults thereby creating pathways to conservation careers.
★ Get Out Stay Out/Vamos Afuera|: Get Out Stay Out/Vamos Afuera is a grassroots, Central Coast nonprofit, that invites Indigenous Migrant youth to run, play, and discover themselves in the natural environment. Through equitable and culturally sensitive, outdoor programming GOSO believes the natural environment provides the perfect tools needed for youth to build self-confidence, develop leadership skills, and build community.