Building a queer and transgender outdoor community one trip at a time

The Venture Out Project leads backpacking and wilderness trips all around the U.S. for the queer and transgender community and conducts transgender inclusion workshops for educators, adventure professionals, summer camps and more. Identity-specific and community-oriented trips are designed for all experience levels and vary in duration, difficulty, and price so participants can find the best fit for their desired challenge level. At The Venture Out Project, LGBTQ+ folks of all ages build outdoor skills, develop confidence through challenge and adventure, cultivate a practice of environmental sustainability, and strengthen their connections to themselves, and to the group they’re working with.

“Funding for our nonprofit allows us to offer affordable and diverse adventures across the country and to compensate our LGBTQ+ outdoor leaders and facilitators fairly for their time and expertise,” says founder Perry Cohen. “Our aim is to dismantle barriers to outdoor access for queer and trans people nationwide and approach outdoor recreation sustainably and with the Earth in mind.”

The Venture Out Project’s Work

The Venture Out Project supports its community through the following programs.

• Wilderness trips and skill-building workshops for LGBTQ+ people who seek outdoor challenge, joyful movement, and self-growth in their relationship with nature and each other
• With backcountry and frontcountry events like Intro to Backpacking, Advanced Canoeing, White Water Rafting, Forest Bathing, Carpentry Basics, and more – there’s something for every adventurer, no matter the age or ability level
• Educational workshops and consulting services to corporate and nonprofit brands, schools, and camps that believe in creating equitable outdoor and occupational spaces for LGBTQ+ people

Read about The Venture Out Project on Outside Online.