Junior Loppet
Junior Loppet is a year-round, after-school program designed to empower middle school students in Minneapolis through a variety of outdoor activities, such as cross-country skiing, mountain biking, trail running, orienteering, paddling, camping, and nature exploration. The program targets schools where the majority of students qualify for free and reduced lunch. Junior Loppet fosters key outcomes of experience, healing, belonging, and empowerment. The program meets 2-3 days per week during the school year and runs throughout the summer, offering a combination of training, events, races, and weekend camping trips.
Through these outdoor adventures, students develop healthy habits, enhance their social and emotional skills, and build meaningful connections that set them on a path to success. Junior Loppet creates a supportive environment where youth can grow, thrive, and build resilience through physical activity, teamwork, and personal achievement.
Junior Loppet Summer programming will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Participants can look forward to paddling, hiking, orienteering, nature connection, team building, archery, gardening, outdoor play, biking, and mountain biking.
JUNIOR LOPPET
Summer Programming
Junior Loppet Summer programming will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Participants can look forward to paddling, hiking, orienteering, nature connection, team building, archery, gardening, outdoor play, biking, and mountain biking.
Winter Programming
After-school programming designed to empower middle school students in Minneapolis through a variety of outdoor winter activities, such as cross-country skiing.
JUNIOR LOPPET
LITTLES
Junior Loppet Littles
Junior Loppet Littles is an exciting extension of the Junior Loppet program, designed to offer the same empowering outdoor experiences to younger children starting at age 5. By introducing youth to outdoor activities at an earlier age, we believe we can have an even greater impact on their development.
This program provides young participants with the opportunity to build healthy habits, develop social skills, and foster a love for outdoor adventure—all while having fun and learning new skills. Junior Loppet Littles is a foundational step in nurturing resilience, confidence, and a lifelong connection to the outdoors.
Junior Loppet Littles Summer programming will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Participants can look forward to paddling, hiking, orienteering, nature connection, team building, archery, gardening, outdoor play, biking, and mountain biking.
Partners
Junior-Loppet School Partners:
Anwatin Middle School
Franklin Middle School
Northeast Middle School
Northside Adventures Program
Olsen Middle School
Junior-Loppet Funding Partners:
Share Winter Foundation
McVay Foundation
REI Co-op
Butler Family Foundation
Minneapolis Kiwanis Foundation
Glen Helgeson Family Foundation
Dorsey & Whitney Foundation
Join the Community
Support The Loppet Foundation
The Loppet depends on our community to support our mission through donations, membership and volunteering.
Support our mission of connecting people to the outdoors through experiences that grow community.
Membership at the Loppet directly supports our mission and gets you added benefits to enjoy!
We depend on volunteers to ensure our programs and events offer the best experience. Lend your time at the Loppet!