Why unruly women?

Because being unruly, is exactly the opposite of who we’ve been conditioned to be. We deserve to take up space, speak our truth, present ourselves however we desire, and be able to set boundaries and stick to them guilt free.

I believe that when we are empowered in outdoor spaces, the independence and confidence gained will inevitably trickle into all areas of your life, giving you the courage to pursue whatever your heart desires.

So many of us are disconnected from ourselves and nature.

By participating in different adventures you’ll learn a variety of wilderness and sport specific skills in an environment where you can feel safe to discover your most authentic self and embrace all of it. This is more than just an adventure- its a space that allows you to unearth the inner you, the wildest you, the most authentic you that ever you-d.

In addition to skill building, land acknowledgement and practicing ‘Leave No Trace’ ethics (leaving it better than we found it and/or no destruction) an important part of these adventures will be about practicing mindfulness, strengthening your intuition, and learning to unapologetically embrace the truest version of yourself.

There is a you deep inside that is wild, that’s been suppressed, shut down and molded into what’s considered “acceptable.” We are here to come together to unleash that inner wild, to discover what ignites the fire inside of you, to stoke it, embrace it, nurture it and remind yourself what it feels like to be truly alive!

Being together can be a powerful experience, but don’t forget, that this isn’t magic. It’s your responsibility to take the initiative and put in the hard work. It won’t be easy, it might be painful and messy…. but you are SO worth it.  

My dream for Unruly Women is to create an inclusive and accessible community that empowers all female identifying, femme and non-binary persons to reclaim their voice by unearthing their inner wild, outdoors.

 Also, the more time we engage in nature, the more likely we are to respect and protect it.

And one day… I hope to help make the outdoors more accessible by providing scholarships and the gear - so that you won’t have to make a financial investment in order to participate in outdoor recreation - because that shit can get expensive.

Now, are you ready to get unruly?!

Yes! Head to the Adventures tab at the top of the page and click away!

More questions? Head to the FAQs page!

🏳️‍🌈 All Unruly Women events are open to anyone who is female identifying or feels most belonging in femme spaces.  Trans, non-binary and two-spirit people have always existed throughout history and across many cultures.  Here at Unruly Women, we believe that that trans women are women, and that trans and gender-nonconforming people belong everywhere, especially in outdoor spaces. 🏳️‍⚧️
EVERY BODY BELONGS OUTDOORS

Unruly Women in the Media

How Has Unruly Women Given Back?

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  • VOLUNTEERING

    • April : Three Rivers Park Clean-Up

    • July 22-24 : Woods Creek Trail Reroute with the Superior Hiking Trail Association + Unruly Women trail work weekend for our first official “Women’s Weekend” event!

    • First year Unruly Women adopted 2 campsites along the Superior Hiking Trail

  • VOLUNTEERING

    • 2nd year adopting 2 campsites along the Superior Hiking Trail

    • June 10-11 : 2 full days of Trail Work on the Kekekabic Trail with the North Country Trail Association and 5 other women

    • July 14-16 : The 2nd annual women’s weekend with the Superior Hiking Trail Association - with 12 other women to work on the Springdale Creek section of the Superior Hiking Trail where we completed bridge removal, stone-step replacement, and trail tread repair.

    FREE WORKSHOPS

    • 5 free bike workshops on and off trail in collaboration with Trailhead Cycling for community building and self-empowerment through learning about bike maintenance and bike safety

    THE FREE UNRULY GROUP RIDES

    • 15 free mountain bike group rides

    • 4 free urban group rides

    • to help with community building, safety checks, skill building, and promote learning mountain bike trail systems and urban bike routes

    SCHOLARSHIPS

    • 1 full coverage Backpacking scholarships with travel stipends were given this year to help improve accessibility and equity to outdoor recreation and outdoors spaces

    SMALL BUSINESS MENTORSHIP

    • 8 free meet-ups with entrepreneurs + aspiring entrepreneurs

    • Because empowered women, empower women and I believe in cultivating community over competition :)

    (ASL INTERPRETER ) American Sign Language Interpreter was available for select backpacking retreats and a road cycling retreat, at no extra cost to an individual if they were to sign up.

    UNRULY OUTDOOR GEAR EXCHANGE

    • November 2023 at 56 Brewing : a one of a kind gathering for outdoor enthusiasts and naturalists from all walks of life to come together, cultivate a vibrant community, foster environmental consciousness, and make a difference.

  • VOLUNTEERING

    • February 2024 Volunteer checkpoint for the Stupor Bowl Alley Cat Bike Race

    • 3rd Annual Women’s Trail Work weekend(s) with the Superior Hiking Trail Association (now called ‘Shared Identity’ weekends):

      • July 26-28 : 3 full days to reroute the Mission Creek section

      • September 8-10 : 3 more full days to help reroute the Mission Creek section

    • April 2024 : Urban group ride and trail clean up for Earth Day

    • May 2024 : Hungry Bear Gravel Race Volunteer

    FREE BIKE MAINTENANCE and MINDFULNESS WORKSHOPS

    • April 23 : Tune Up, Tune In, Tune Out workshop with SRAM and Unruly Women hosted by Freewheel Bike Shop

    • June 12 : Tune Up, Tune In, Tune Out workshop with SRAM and Unruly Women hosted by Now Bikes and Fitness

    UNRULY GEAR EXCHANGE : a one of a kind event to gather outdoor enthusiasts and naturalists from all walks of life to come together, cultivate a vibrant community, foster environmental consciousness, and make a difference. (give gear, get gear, repurpose)

    • March 2024 at 56 Brewing

    • November 2024 at 56 Brewing

    WOW MTB RACE CO-HOST with the LOPPET FOUNDATION

    • July 2024

    • June 2024 : Bike Race Q + A with the Loppet Foundation, pre-race, with incredible guest speakers

    FREE CREATIVE WRITING and MINDFULNESS, UNEARTHING + (RE)WILDING WORKSHOPS

    • February 2024 at Sister’s Sludge Coffee and Cafe

    • April 2024 at Fairstate Brewing Company

    FREE GROUP RIDES

    • 12 virtual group rides on Zwift

    • 5 mountain bike group rides

    SCHOLARSHIPS

    • Partial scholarships were given this year to assist in decreasing retreat prices, the amount left over will roll over to provide scholarships in 2025.

    FREE MINDFULNESS HIKES with the MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES and UNRULY WOMEN

    • September 2024

    SMALL BUSINESS MENTORSHIP

    • 4 free meet-ups with entrepreneurs + aspiring entrepreneurs

  • VOLUNTEER

    • June and August : 4th Annual Shared Identity trail work weekends with the Superior Hiking Trail Association and Unruly Women!

    • National Center for Youth Development film festival fundraiser committee February 2025

    • Hungry Bear Gravel Race Volunteer May 2025

    FREE MINDFULNESS HIKES with the MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES and UNRULY WOMEN

    • January 2025 Snowshoeing event in Grand Rapids, MN

    • May 2024 hike at Iona’s Beach

Outdoor recreation, outdoor spaces, and careers in these spaces have been predominately people who are cisgendered heterosexual male, white, thin and without disabilities.  Historically these spaces have been exclusive, and unwelcoming to those who don’t fit the typical demographic.  This is perpetuated throughout the industry in various ways and can look like: not being able to find your size in outdoor gear and clothing; not seeing people who look like you represented in marketing or as business owners or employees at outdoor gear stores or bike shops; showing up to the local trail and not seeing someone who looks like you biking/hiking/backpacking/etc; or maybe not being able to access the trail because it’s not accommodating to a physical disability or adaptive equipment. These are just a few examples of barriers that people face to enjoy outdoor spaces- - as if the activity itself isn’t intimidating enough.

Unruly Women’s mission, is to help do our part in cultivating an accessible, diverse, and inclusive community in outdoor spaces where you have the opportunity to reconnect with your most authentic self and others, in nature, and through outdoor recreation, to build confidence in your ability and trust in yourself.

I want to see more of us racing, hiking, biking, exploring, adventuring - - every BODY belongs outdoors and deserves to feel safe + belonging.

COMMUNITY // CONNECTION // EMPOWERMENT

A few ways that Unruly Women is trying to assist in dismantling barriers to outdoor recreation and outdoor spaces are:
  • by offering many free and sliding scale priced events, retreats and workshops to all female identifying, femme, and gender non-conforming folks who feel most belonging in femme spaces
  • the Unruly Scholarship Fund (read more by clicking here)
  • the Unruly Gear Closet (free to borrow tents + backpacks - -  is still growing - - read more about it here)
  • by offering disability services (no additional cost to the individual) such as ASL interpreting (for some events and retreats). My goal is to try to expand disability services each year, to ensure that everyone feels a sense of belonging - - by creating a bridge over this often overlooked barrier.
  • 20% discount off of retreats, events, and 1:1 Mountain Bike coaching for individuals who identify as BBIPOC and/or LGBTQIA+ regardless of income level.

When I was a kid, I grew up watching boys and men do the things that I wanted to do but didn’t think I could.  Even in my early adulthood, I never felt confident to go out and try the thing I wanted to do - - unless I knew someone that did the thing and had the gear.  I know I’m not alone in feeling this way, even as someone with privilege and less barriers.   
It is nearly impossible to imagine yourself [mountain biking, racing, backpacking, etc], if you don’t see someone that looks like you or identifies as you do, in those spaces or doing those activities.  This is exactly why Unruly Women is trying to facilitate inclusive and accessible outdoor recreation education and events to help folks learn the skills, become part of the community, participate and feel not only welcomed but that you belong - - because representation matters and you never know whose life you may have an impact on just by showing up, including your own :)