Top Cities to Raise A...

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Birder

Ithaca, NY

Sapsucker Woods is home to dozens of avian species and Cornell’s world-famous Lab of Ornithology.

Ice Climber

Conway, NH

Two climbing schools, four-season cliffs at Cathedral Ledge, and a loooong ice season

Kayaker

Sylva, NC

A virtual nest of rivers with every class of rapids a kid (or parent) could want, Sylva is home to American Whitewater association.

Naturalist

Missoula, MT

Local outreach by the University of Montana’s College of Forestry and Conservation gets kids into the woods.

Paddler

Pittsburgh, PA

City summer camps teach skills required to canoe, kayak, and raft PA’s river network.

Park Ranger

Flagstaff, AZ

Start with the Grand Canyon’s Junior Ranger program; graduate to N. Arizona University’s 13-week ranger training program.

Rock Climber

New Paltz, NY

Gateway to the ‘Gunks and the famous crag’s thousand-plus climbing routes

Skier/Snowboarder

Salt Lake City, UT

Forty feet of annual powder covers backcountry slopes and bowls–plus a half-dozen resorts–just minutes from downtown.

Thru-Hiker

Rutland, VT

In the heart of New England’s mountain kingdom and at the nexus of the Appalachian and Long Trails