How Outdoor Adventures Like Rafting Benefit Youth
By Codi Coghlan • November 19, 2024
How Outdoor Adventures Like Rafting Benefit Youth
When kids are outside in the fresh air, the opportunities for growth are endless.
These opportunities go beyond physical exercise. Outdoor adventure fosters social interaction, helps youth develop a deeper understanding of their bodies, encourages imaginative play, and allows them to connect with the natural world in meaningful ways.
For today’s youth, who often juggle academic stress, social pressures, and the pull of digital distractions, the natural world is a space where their brains truly thrive.
The Brain in Nature
The outdoors are naturally designed to stimulate young minds in powerful ways. Human brains evolved in nature, and science increasingly shows how essential nature is for cognitive growth and emotional health.
Memory Map
Deep within the brain lies the hippocampus, a seahorse-shaped region crucial for memory and navigation. Research from PubMed shows that this “memory map” strengthens when youth engage in activities like exploring new trails, paddling winding rivers, or climbing unfamiliar rock formations—the same environments our ancestors relied on for survival.
Nature-based activities not only activate the hippocampus but also enhance its plasticity, helping young brains better store and process experiences. Tasks like reading maps, understanding directions, and recognizing landmarks improve spatial awareness as kids navigate and interact with the world around them.
Happy Neurons
Outdoor activities like hiking, paddling, or simply running through a meadow stimulate the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a vital protein that supports neuron health and promotes their growth, per NIH.
Exercise is a powerful trigger for BDNF, helping protect neurons and improve brain functions like memory and learning. It also influences energy metabolism, including reducing hunger, burning glucose, and improving insulin sensitivity. Studies show that exercise can boost BDNF, even reversing some of the negative effects of a high-fat diet on brain function.
Aerobic and resistance exercise ultimately support brain health, enhancing learning, memory, and energy metabolism.
Stress Relief
Picture this: a person takes a stroll around a lake, the sound of skipping stones replacing the buzz of notifications. Cortisol, the body’s stress hormone, begins to drop. According to Dr. Sharon Sha, even a short walk in nature has been shown to significantly lower cortisol and improve mood—no Wi-Fi needed. Immersing oneself in nature lowers stress hormones and restores cognitive abilities.
Soft Fascination
Urban environments, according to The Marginalian, bombard the brain with human-made patterns, traffic noise, and countless distractions, causing fatigue and reducing memory and focus. Nature, however, engages a different kind of attention—what researchers call “soft fascination.”
Nature activates the brain’s “default mode network,” placing one in a relaxed state where they aren’t focused on any single task. This mental freedom allows the mind to wander and make unexpected connections, like noticing the way light dances on water or the patterns in tree branches. The calming effect of nature lifts one’s mood without overwhelming them, encouraging more creative and open thinking as current thoughts blend with deeper memories and ideas. This effortless engagement restores cognitive abilities, leaving young minds refreshed and inspired.
Where Creativity and Confidence Blossom
For youth, the outdoors is a space to break free from rigid schedules and explore on their own terms. They invent their own worlds, take risks, and through overcoming challenges, gain confidence in their abilities to problem solve and create.
Inventing Their Own Worlds
In the woods, a stick isn’t just a stick—it’s a tool, a walking stick, and fuel for a fire. Nature’s lack of structure allows young people to use their imaginations freely, developing creativity and problem-solving skills.
Additionally, on a river trip—or any group setting—kids naturally fall into roles, and often roles they might not typically take on in everyday life. Some discover they’re caretakers, secret comedians, or even natural leaders.
Outdoors, kids create their own worlds, sparking both imagination and social connections. Each person uniquely contributes to the group dynamic, strengthening not only the collective experience but also learning more about themselves.
Taking Risks, Gaining Confidence
Climbing a tree, wading into a stream, or paddling through rapids teaches youth to assess risks and challenge themselves. Each accomplishment builds confidence, showing them what they’re capable of achieving.
At first, new experiences can feel intimidating, especially when surrounded by towering canyon walls or navigating the relentless flow of river currents.
But as kids tackle their first big rapid, set up camp, or master a new skill, they quickly realize just how resilient and resourceful they are.
From paddling through churning whitewater to pulling someone twice their size back into the boat, tying sturdy knots, or scaling a canyon rim, trips like these push kids’ limits in the best way possible. And with each new challenge, they grow more confident and capable.
Social Connection is Natural
Sharing experiences with others adds an important layer of growth. Outdoor adventures naturally foster teamwork, communication, and camaraderie:
Imagine a group of teens navigating rapids on a multi-day rafting trip. To succeed, they must paddle in unison, communicate clearly, and trust one another. These collaborative efforts not only build friendships but also develop real-world skills and leadership.
The connections don’t stop when the paddles are put down. There’s something about sitting around a campfire, roasting marshmallows, and swapping stories that forges connections. These shared moments—free from screens and distractions—create memories and bonds that often last a lifetime.
Whether it’s taking charge of setting up camp, guiding a friend through a tricky section of a hike, or rallying the group for a team activity, the outdoors encourages young people to cooperate and step into leadership roles.
Additionally, spending time in nature fosters a sense of responsibility. From cleaning up a trail to protecting a fragile ecosystem, youth develop an appreciation for the environment and an understanding of their role in preserving it.
Nature has an incredible ability to foster social connections and deepen self-awareness, both within ourselves and in relation to the world around us.
Multi-Day Rafting Trips Perfect for Youth Groups
Rafting trips are an ideal outdoor adventure for youth, combining paddling, hiking, and camping in beautiful landscapes. And with river sections ranging from mild to wild, these trips cater to every kind of adventurer.
If you’re new to overnight rafting in the Southwest and looking to explore options for the youth in your life, this list is your guide to some of the most stunning and lesser-known river adventures in the region.
#1 Castle Valley – Utah
☞ Moab, Colorado River
☞ Mild | Age Requirement: 4+ | ½–3 Days | March–October
Perfect for families and large groups looking for relaxation, this stretch features flatwater paddling with iconic red rock backdrops and plenty of time to soak in the scenery on soft, sandy beaches.
#2 Salt River – Arizona
☞ Central Arizona
☞ Intermediate | Age Requirement: 10+ | ½–4 Days | March–May
Nicknamed the “Little Grand Canyon,” the Salt River offers a rare springtime escape with splashy rapids, rugged canyon scenery, and blooming desert landscapes.
#3 Yampa River – Colorado & Utah
☞ Dinosaur National Monument
☞ Intermediate | Age Requirement: 7+ | 4–5 Days | May–July
The last free-flowing river in the Colorado River Basin, the Yampa River delivers a pristine wilderness experience. Towering cliffs, ancient petroglyphs, and vibrant meadows make it unforgettable.
#4 Gates of Lodore – Colorado & Utah
☞ Dinosaur National Monument
☞ Intermediate | Age Requirement: 7+ | 3–4 Days | May–August
Known for its emerald waters and dramatic geology, Lodore Canyon blends thrilling rapids with a stunning mix of desert and mountain landscapes.
#5 Desolation Canyon – Utah
☞ Green River, Utah
☞ Mild | Age Requirement: 5+ | 4–6 Days | May–September
As one of the most remote river trips in the U.S., Desolation Canyon offers vast wilderness, human history, and pristine desert landscapes carved by the Green River.
#6 San Miguel River – Colorado
☞ South of Telluride
☞ Intermediate | Age Requirement: 8+ | ½–2 Days | June–July
This lively, narrow river offers constant Class II and III rapids, red rocks contrasting with green pines, and plenty of opportunities for learning and exploring.
Lasting Benefits
The impact of outdoor experiences on young minds lasts well into adulthood. Nature doesn’t just teach lessons; it creates memories that anchor those lessons in the brain and body.
For today’s youth, nature is more than just a place to visit—it’s a necessity. It’s where their brains grow sharper, their friendships grow deeper, and their sense of self grows stronger.
