TRIPS & EVENTS
We believe that anyone can have fun and feel confident and safe in nature. We make an effort to offer opportunities for people of all backgrounds, skill levels, identities, experiences, and abilities. All Kindling Collective trips have an activity level and a group type to help you choose activities and adventures that are right for you.
ACTIVITY LEVELS
Activity Level W: Outdoor learning, sitting, and walking on open, mostly even paths and terrain. 0-4 hours/day.
Activity Level X: Activity with mild elevation gain on uneven terrain. 1-4 hours/day.
Activity Level Y: Comfort climbing stairs, swimming, and balancing your body weight are helpful skills to have for this level of activity. Activity may include moderate elevation gain on uneven terrain. 3-6 hours/day.
Activity Level Z: Expect moderate to significant elevation gain on uneven terrain. Participants should be comfortable climbing stairs, carrying weight, and balancing their body weight. 6-8 hours/day.
GROUP TYPES
OPEN: Open events are for everyone! Anyone of any identity is welcome.
QUEER: Queer events are designed as an affinity spaces for queer and trans people. If you think you might be queer or trans, you are queer enough. While we love our allies and advocates, if you’re not queer, please don’t come to these events.
QT BIPOC: QT BIPOC events are for people who identify as both BIPOC and queer and/or trans. If you’re not queer/trans and BIPOC, please do not attend these events.
Current Classes, Events, and Workshops:
Register to reserve your spot with the link in the event title. If an event does not have a link, registration is not live!
Monthly Queer Yoga, 3rd Fridays @ Portland Yoga Collective | register here!
APRIL
Urban Orienteering (Yes, It’s A Scavenger Hunt!) | SAT 4/13/24
1:30pm | Kindling Collective, 15 Casco Street Portland, ME
Activity Level: W -- Group Type: Open
Learn basic map and compass use to navigate your way through Portland on a scavenger hunt.
MAY
Foraging in Relationship | SAT 5/4/24
10:00am | TBA, Southern Maine
Activity Level: W -- Group Type: Open
Join Michelle Fournier of Maine Local Living School and Kindling Collective for a woods walk focused on foraging edible and medicinal gifts from nature.
Backcountry Empowerment Self Defense | SAT 5/11/24
2:00-4:00pm | Two Lights State Park, Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Activity Level: W -- Group Type: Open
Join Kindling and Prevention Action Change for an afternoon of building effective and accessible verbal and physical tools to prevent and respond to microaggressions, harassment, assault, and abuse in the backcountry.
Gay Cast and Hang | WED 5/22/24
5:30-7pm | Ferry Beach, Scarborough, Maine
Activity Level: W -- Group Type: Queer
Come hang with Confluence Collective! Play with some fly rods and learn how to fly cast. Bring yourself and your buds! See you on the beach?
JUNE
Kindling's First Birthday Hang | SUN 6/16/24
2:00 pm | The Portland Zoo, Portland, ME
Activity Level: W -- Group Type: Open
Help us celebrate 1 year of lending gear and 1.5 years of programming! No registration necessary. Come say hi to your trail dads! We love you. Be gay! Go outside!
Queer Intro to Whitewater w Packraft Maine | FRI 6/28-30/24
5:00pm | Moosehead Station Recreation Area, Greenville Junction, ME
Activity Level: Y -- Group Type: Queer
Join KC and Packraft Maine for a weekend of camping and messing around in boats in the Moosehead Region of Maine! Experienced whitewater instructors will introduce you to the basics of safely navigating whitewater in packrafts; this will be followed by a fun evening of camping. No experience or equipment required.
JULY
Diversify White Water: Community River Float | SAT 7/14/24
TBA | TBA, Southern Maine
Activity Level: X -- Group Type: Queer & BIPOC & QT BIPOC
Herbal First Aid | WED 7/17/24
5:30pm | Mt. Joy Community Orchard, 151 Washington Ave, Portland
Activity Level: W -- Group Type: Open
Come spend an evening with local herbalist Madeleine Weatherhead learning about common plants and their traditional uses for first aid!
Queer Intro to Backpacking | SAT 7/20-22/24
10:00am | TBA, Maine
Activity Level: Y -- Group Type: Queer
We’re excited to take a group of queer folks hiking in northern New England for a 2-day, 2-night backpacking trip. This trip is for people who are new to backpacking or want to develop their backpacking skills in a queer-centered environment. Experienced trip leaders will instruct participants in the basics of navigation, setting up camp, and other backcountry skills. We’ll hike, camp, and build community in the woods!
AUGUST
Queer Canoe: Allagash | SAT 8/8-15/24
3:00pm | Allagash River, Maine
Activity Level: Y -- Group Type: Queer
Let's go to the North Maine Woods (Wabanaki Confederacy Territory) to a very special river for a week of canoeing and building queer community. This trip is for people who are new to canoeing or want to develop their canoe tripping skills in a queer-centered environment. Experienced trip leaders will instruct participants in the basics of paddling, navigation, setting up camp, and other backcountry skills. We’ll canoe, swim, explore, camp, and enjoy the Allagash in queer community!
SEPTEMBER
Gay 4-Day Backpacking | FRI 9/13-16/24
TBA | TBA, Maine
Activity Level: Z -- Group Type: Queer
A very special, very fun, very gay 4-day, 3-night backpacking trip in Northern New England. Experienced trip leaders will help participants develop their skills in navigation, camp craft, and other backcountry skills. We’ll hike, camp, hang, and be gay in the woods!
Queer Hike: Katahdin | FRI 9/27-29/24
5:00pm | Baxter State Park, Millinocket, ME
Activity Level: Z -- Group Type: Queer
Come camp with Kindling in Baxter State Park and hike Mt. Katahdin in queer community! Katahdin is a sacred mountain for Wabanaki people. Participants will engage in cultural pre-learning and discussions/activities to learn about the mountain's history and significance and to reflect on action steps they might take to be in right relationship with the land and people of so-called Maine. Proceeds from this event will benefit a Wabanaki-led organization.
Kindling Collective is committed to providing affordable access to the outdoors. If our class, workshop, or trip pricing creates a barrier for you, send us an email at info@kindlingcollective.org. We will never turn away someone for the inability to pay.
We are always growing our list of offerings! If you have an idea for a one-day class, ongoing workshop, or trip reach out to us at info@kindlingcollective.org.