Summer River Trips

Get Lost in Adventure & Find Yourself!

Come alive with adventure and discover the beauty of nature accessible only by river travel! We will leave behind the modern world and use only what we carry in our boats, our own resourcefulness, and the gifts that nature provides.

Why paddle with Living Earth School?

Living Earth Expeditions are the perfect blend of deep wilderness immersion, leadership lessons, team building, and personal development.

  • Your teens will learn how to be a part of nature instead of just moving through nature, connecting them with something much bigger than themselves.
  • Our river guides are trained, professional naturalists who provide meaningful mentorship throughout the trip.
river trip

James River Water Ways

From the headwaters of the James River to beyond Natural Bridge, come with us to explore this beautiful and historic route! These trips bring the perfect balance of skill and play, nature and community. Between loading up the canoes with everything we need to be self sufficient for 6 days, navigating river features with different paddle strokes, spotting herons and otters, laughing with other campers, and sleeping amidst the fireflies, your kids will find confidence and joy. Trips like these on the river can really teach us to be our best selves: campers will walk away with incredible teamwork skills, friendships, and memories.

These trips are great for beginner paddlers and experienced campers alike. No prior river experience is necessary. Skills we will learn and practice include:

  • River safety and navigation – properly wearing PFDs/lifejackets, reading river maps, identifying and traversing different water features, basic capsize and rescue techniques, and scouting and running rapids up to Class III.

  • Paddling techniques – paddle strokes that fit your camper’s experience level, how to load and balance canoes, boat parts and physics, and paddle signals.

  • Low impact camping (applicable on and off the river!) – what makes a good campsite, how to set up a tent / tarp and stay dry, packing and maintaining your gear, Leave No Trace techniques.

  • Backcountry cooking – how to start a fire and keep it going, over-the-fire cooking techniques, stove cooking, fire safety, and water filtration.

We have two fantastic river trips running for the summer of 2026, both on the upper James!

Details & Registration – River Expeditions

  • Ages 12 – 18

  • 2026 Dates:

    Water Ways: June 21 – 26th

    Water Ways: July 12 – 17th

  • Location and Times for Drop off and Pick up:

    Drop off: Irongate Boat Launch, Botetourt Rd, Eagle Rock, VA – Sunday @ 9:30 am

    Pick up: Snowden Boat Ramp, Big Island, VA – Friday @ 11:30 am

  • Cost: $1,075 per session

    Financial Assistance: We do have a Scholarship Fund for campers this summer thanks to generous donors! Please fill out this APPLICATION FORM to be considered for financial assistance. Scholarship applications are DUE JANUARY 19th for full consideration. In the interest of equity, we will assign funds starting with one week per child and then assess additional weeks only if we have remaining funds. All applications submitted after Jan 19th will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

  • No Prerequisites

    All group gear and supplies will be included, other than basic camping and clothing needs. We will send a what-to-bring list and details upon your registration. For the James trips, prior river experience is recommended, but not required.

  • Free T-shirt included