Natalie Warren

Natalie Warren was one of the first two women to paddle 2,000 miles from Minneapolis to Hudson Bay, recreating Eric Sevareid's route from Canoeing With the Cree. On that expedition, she was exposed to issues surrounding small-town economies and societies, agriculture, industry, energy, and the environment. Natalie was nominated for Canoe & Kayak’s 2012 Expedition of the Year and since then has paddled the length of the Mississippi River and won first place (in the women's voyageur category) in the 2016 Yukon River Quest, paddling 450 miles in 53 hours.

After paddling to Hudson Bay, Natalie formed a non-profit organization called Wild River Academy to present ‘urban’ rivers as a natural, dynamic classroom for youth and to engage communities in their local water trails. She worked with the River Management Society on a summary of publications about the economic benefits of water trails.

Natalie advises communities on how to increase paddlesports tourism and writes a monthly series for Canoe & Kayak Magazine called "The Next Best Paddling Town." She has worked with the St. Croix River Association to help landowners, local governments, and realtors/developers do their part to protect the St. Croix River’s clean water and Wild and Scenic character, Bancroft Arnesen Explore to start a global conversation about women and water, and Urban Boatbuilders to create comprehensive boatbuilding manuals.

Natalie currently lives in Minneapolis, MN with her husband and dog.