Our story began in 2015…

with three local outdoor industry business owners sitting around a whiteboard discussing how to elevate the outdoor culture in St. Louis. The resources – the rivers, trails, caves, camps and parks – already existed. So did the retailers, outfitters, races and affinity groups.

The question they asked themselves: What could we do to help coalesce the community, share our passion for the region’s unique outdoor opportunities and invite everyone to access the paths to wellness through time spent in nature?

Eight years later the River City Foundation was born when Big Muddy Adventures, Terrain Magazine and River City Outdoors formally joined together.

The foundation was created out of the recognition that St. Louis needed robust programming and resources dedicated to supporting, promoting and advocating for outdoor recreation. We believe everyone should have access to outdoor experiences and are committed to building an outdoor community that is inclusive and diverse.

Our goal is to help all St. Louisans experience the natural world in a way that is meaningful to them so that we can realize personal, social, civic and economic health in our city.

Read more from the feature article in Terrain Magazine.