1. CANCELED - Wilderness Inquiry Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

8:00 a.m. Saturday, October 7 - 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 11
(5-Day; 5 hour drive to put-in)
Cost: $525

The ultimate in stillness, silence, and solitude can be yours as you canoe and portage the pristine waters comprising Minnesota’s million-acre Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). Home to moose, lynx, and eastern timber wolf, this area includes a mix of towering red and white pines, tamarack bogs, and beautiful white paper birches. Includes paddling, portaging packs and/or canoes. You’ll assist with campsite responsibilities. Wilderness Inquiry (WI) specializes in offering fully accessible trips. Includes: two guides, all meals, transportation, tent, group camping and cooking gear, PFD, canoe and paddle, and any adaptive gear needed. Reserve a room at the Days Inn Minneapolis near WI for the Friday night before the trip and receive a special rate (not included in cost of trip). Minimum/maximum 7 participants. www.wildernessinquiry.org.

2. CLOSED - Discover Itasca! Headwaters of the Mississippi

8:00 a.m. Tuesday, October 10 – 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 11
(Overnight; 4 hour drive from conference site)
Cost: $165

Discover where the mighty Mississippi River begins its 2,552-mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico. Walk the forests of old growth pine traversed by nomadic hunters and voyageurs. Includes interpretive programs, time on your own, an evening campfire, and a behind-the-scenes discussion of the sustainable design/interpretive elements/cultural considerations in the Mary Gibbs Mississippi Headwaters Center. Suitable for families ages 8 and older; lodging (www.himinnesota.org/headwaters.htm), transportation, bedding, all meals, and bike or canoe rental included. www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/itasca.

3. CANCELED - Duluth–Lake Superior and its Tributaries & Hawk Ridge

7:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 10
(2-1/2 hour drive from conference site)
Cost: $90

By the shores of Gitche Gummie (which holds 10 percent of the Earth's available freshwater), visit Proctor Public Schools and the 2005 MN Teacher of the Year to learn how his students use the watershed as a living laboratory. Then it’s on to Hawk Ridge to learn how migrating raptors use the watershed for direction. Next stop is Jay Cooke State Park on the St. Louis River, where you’ll learn about the Voyaguers. Finish the night on the shores of Lake Superior at Duluth's Canal Park. Eat a meal, visit the shoreline boardwalk, and shop in the stores. Suitable for families ages 8 and older; transportation and box lunch included. Dinner is on your own.

4. CANCELED - Karst Geology and Wild Caving with Quarry Hill Nature Center

8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 10
(1-1/2 hour drive from conference site)
Cost: $90

Discover Karst geology through hands-on activities at Quarry Hill Nature Center. Start with a simulated “cave crawl” to learn what to expect during the wild caving adventure. Then travel about 35 miles to explore a limestone cave. Bring extra clothes that can get dirty! Optional belly crawl and crevassing if time allows. Highly strenuous; suitable for families ages 10 and older; no disability access; transportation, box lunch, helmet and headlamps, and insurance fee included. www.qhnc.org.

5. CLOSED - Discover the Scenic St. Croix River!

8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 10
(1 hour drive from conference site)
Cost: $85

Engaging exhibits in the newly-opened St. Croix National Scenic Riverway visitor center introduce this beautiful river, water quality issues, and educational initiatives. After your visit, spend three afternoon hours enjoying spectacular fall colors and wildlife while learning about the river as you paddle an easy seven miles. It’s amazing to find such a unique place so close to a large metropolitan area. Moderate; suitable for families ages 10 and older; transportation, box lunch, and canoe and equipment rental included; visitor center is accessible, must be able to sit in a canoe. www.nps.gov/sacn/visitor/index.html.

6. CLOSED - Cows, Cabins, and Clay Critters: A Three Rivers Park District Sampler

7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, Ocotber 10
(30 minute drive from conference site)
Cost: $60

Visit three very different EE centers that use unique features to promote environmental stewardship. Learn the ins and outs of agricultural-based EE at a working farm, explore a rustic residential EE facility, and discover how a unique art installation serves as the centerpiece of a nature center’s exhibits. Easy; suitable for families of all ages; disability access; box lunch included. American Sign Language available. www.threeriversparkdistrict.org.

7. Wilderness Inquiry Mississippi River Field Trip

8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 11
(30 minute drive from conference site)
Cost: $75

Paddle the “Father of Waters” in a 24-foot Voyageur canoe and experience the Twin Cities in a way few people do. Formed 10,000 years ago when the glacial River Warren cut a gorge over 600 feet deep, the Mississippi River is more than the border between Minneapolis and St. Paul — it is an “urban wilderness” corridor of rich river habitat. Wilderness Inquiry (WI) specializes in offering fully accessible trips. Moderate; suitable for families ages 8 and older; transportation, canoe, PFD & paddle, adaptive gear as needed, and box lunch included. www.wildernessinquiry.org. NAAEE reserves the right to substitute an alternate trip in case of inclement weather.

8. CANCELED - Underwater Adventures Aquarium

12:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 11
(20 minute drive from conference site)
Cost: $50

You’ll truly experience “environmental education in society,” as you tour an aquarium in the heart of popular culture at the Mall of America. The trip will include a behind-the-scenes tour of the exhibits with Underwater Adventures education staff. You’ll also have time to explore the mall. Easy; fully accessible; suitable for families of all ages; transportation and aquarium admission included. www.sharky.tv.

9. Wildlife in the Shadows of Skyscrapers: The Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge

7:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 11
(20 minute drive from conference site)
Cost: $65

Hike the Bluff Trail in the Lower Minnesota River Valley and find spring fed creeks, waterfowl and songbirds, playful river otters, rare and native plants, and giant cottonwoods. At the Bass Ponds, investigate a proposed trout stream restoration project and learn how stormwater is filtered throughout these ponds. Located within a mile from the Mall of America, this refuge is one of only four urban national wildlife refuges in the nation. Moderate five-mile hike; suitable for families ages 14 and older; no disability access; transportation and lunch provided. fws.gov/midwest/minnesotavalley.

10. Rice Creek Meander

1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Saturday, October 14
(15 minute drive from conference site)
Cost: $65

Come paddle one of the largest stream restoration projects in Minnesota. Rice Creek – straightened in the early 1900’s for agriculture – is now reconnected to its natural path. Learn the project’s environmental benefits and experience what Minnesota was like in pre-settlement times by hiking through the restored prairie. Moderate; suitable for families of all ages who feel comfortable taking their child in a canoe; must be able to sit in a canoe, adjacent paved trail is wheelchair accessible; transportation and box lunch provided. Spanish language interpretation can be provided.

11. Lebanon Hills Regional Park Afternoon Hike

3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Saturday, October 14
(30 minute drive from conference site)
Cost: $35

Join Minnesota naturalists from Dakota County and the Minnesota Naturalists’ Association for an afternoon hike in Lebanon Hills Regional Park, located in Eagan, MN. Participants will enjoy a guided stroll through prairies, potholes, savannahs, woods, and wetlands. Topics discussed will include Minnesota’s history: natural, cultural, and historical. From the early lumberjacks to modern-day marvels, participants will hear fun and entertaining facts and tidbits while touring one of Minnesota’s unique natural places. This field trip will include a tour of the Lebanon Hills Visitor Center, a model of sustainable building design; the only building of its kind in the Upper Midwest. Suitable for families of all ages; not accessible; includes transportation and guides. www.co.dakota.mn.us/parks/hills.htm.

12. CANCELED - Como Zoo and Conservatory

8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Sunday, October 15
(15 minute drive from conference site)
Cost: $40

Spend the day behind the scenes at one of only three free AZA-accredited zoos in the nation. Participants will prepare “enrichment” for the primates, meet a gardener and a zookeeper, observe animal training, learn about the many conservation projects taking place, get a behind-the-scenes tour of our growing range, and have opportunities for free exploration. Suitable for families ages 6 and older; disability access. Lunch is on own at the onsite cafe.

13. CLOSED - The Green Institute and Minnehaha Falls

8:45 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Sunday, October 15
(30 minute drive from conference site)
Cost: $40

Spend the morning at the Green Institute, known for its sustainable design, including a green roof, solar energy, and sustainable building materials. The Institute houses a variety of businesses and organizations, including Peace Coffee, a distributor of organic fair trade coffee which is delivered to local venues via bicycle. Next enjoy a delicious lunch at a local organic restaurant, Ecopolitan. End the day with a visit to a local gem, Minnehaha Falls, a beautiful waterfall in Minnehaha Park in the heart of Minneapolis. Suitable for families ages 8 and older; disability access. www.greeninstitute.org www.minneapolisparks.org.

14. CANCELED - Rivers and People Coming Together: Fort Snelling State Park & Historic Fort Snelling

9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Sunday, October 15
(20 minute drive from conference site)
Cost: $60

Discover many of history’s “firsts” here at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers: the first treaty in Minnesota, the Dakota internment and exile, the American Fur Company post, the building of the Mendota bridge — all are stories to be discovered from the only Hmong interpreter in the state, and possibly in the United States. Fort Snelling is conveniently located close to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport. Participants can arrange for a taxi from Fort Snelling. Suitable for families ages 8 and older; disability access; box lunch and transportation included.