Canoe the Wild

What Canoe the Wild does

Canoe the Wild is a wilderness adventure guiding and outfitting business founded in 1985 by Dave Conley and operated as a sole proprietorship from Weston, Maine. The company provides guided canoe trips, whitewater expeditions, wildlife photography workshops, and guided moose hunts across rivers and lakes in Maine (Allagash, St. Croix, Penobscot, Baskahegan, Machias, St. John, Webster Stream) and Canada (Quebec rivers including Bonaventure, Cascapedia, de Pas, NE Mistissibi plus the Liard River in Yukon). The core "technology" is human expertise — Registered Maine Guides, four decades of accumulated route and wildlife knowledge, and hands-on outfitting of canoes, camping gear, and meals.

The company operates a direct-to-consumer professional services model with no intermediaries. Customers book through the company's WordPress website, an online application and release form, or by calling Dave Conley directly; payments are processed via Square. Pricing is unit-based, with three-day canoe trips at $695 per adult and $625 for participants up to 17, and five-day wildlife photography workshops at $2,500 per person including meals, cabin accommodation, North Maine Woods fees, and solo kayak rental. Moose hunts operate under a Maine lottery/auction permit system in Wildlife Management Districts 1-6, partnered with Marsh River Outfitters. The primary customer segment is families and first-time paddlers, with secondary segments including youth organizations, private/corporate groups, photography enthusiasts, and individual moose hunters.

Beyond core guiding, Canoe the Wild runs a parallel seasonal retail operation, Dave's Trees, selling Balsam Fir Christmas trees and wreaths in Lynchburg, Virginia (entering its 36th season in 2025). Strategic partnerships include Down East Magazine (co-branded photography adventures), Marsh River Outfitters (moose hunting), the Allagash Wilderness Waterway Foundation (Youth on the Allagash program), and the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative. The business has no external funding, no holding company structure, and no technology infrastructure beyond standard e-commerce tooling.

Name

Canoe the Wild

Legal name

Canoe the Wild

Website

https://canoethewild.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Canoe the Wild is a Maine-based sole proprietorship founded by Dave Conley in 1985, offering guided wilderness canoe trips, whitewater expeditions, and moose hunts on Maine and Canadian rivers, serving families, youth groups, photography enthusiasts, and individual hunters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Adventure & Wilderness Guiding Services

NAICS

Fishing, Hunting and Trapping (114), Hunting and Trapping (1142)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900)

akta.pro primary industry

Kayaking, Canoeing & SUP Tours (Guided/Paddling Excursions) (THAJAJAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Whitewater Rafting, Kayaking & River Adventures (THAJABAB), Water & Marine Guiding Services (Kayak, Canoe, Raft, SUP, Sailing) (THAAALAB), Wildlife Safaris & Game Drives (THAJAIAB)

Keywords

• Guided canoe trips
• Wilderness expeditions
• Moose hunting guides
• Outdoor adventure services
• Wilderness outfitting

Headquarters

HQ city

Central Aroostook Cnty

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Guided Canoe Trips: Revenue generated from guided wilderness canoe trips on Maine and Canadian rivers. Services include trip planning, equipment provision, meals, and professional guiding. Pricing varies by trip duration and participant age. The company also offers whitewater canoe trips, wildlife photography workshops, and moose hunting expeditions as distinct service offerings.
2. Christmas Trees and Wreaths (Seasonal): Seasonal retail operation selling Balsam Fir Christmas trees, wreaths, centerpieces, and related holiday products in the Lynchburg, Virginia area. This is a separate business operated during the November-December holiday season.
3. Merchandise and Photography: Sale of branded merchandise through the company store and wilderness photography prints through PhotoShelter platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Canoe the Wild is a Maine-based outdoor guiding service that leads multi-day canoe and wilderness expeditions on rivers in Maine and Canada, and offers guided moose hunting trips in northern Maine. The company provides full outfitting including canoes, equipment, meals, and licensed guides, and arranges custom trips for families, youth groups, scouts, and corporate outings.

Product overview

Canoe the Wild is a wilderness canoe trip outfitter and guide service offering guided adventures primarily in Maine and Canada. The core offering consists of canoe trips on wilderness rivers ranging from 1-10 days, with main products including Maine Canoe Trips (Allagash, St. Croix, Penobscot rivers), Canada Canoe Trips (Quebec and Yukon rivers), Custom Private Group Trips, Whitewater Canoe Trips, and Guided Moose Hunts. Additional services include Cabin Rental, Fishing excursions, Moose Watching, Birding experiences, a merchandise store, and Photo Sales through PhotoShelter. The company also operates a seasonal Christmas tree and wreath business called Dave's Trees in Virginia. All canoe trips include equipment provision, meals, and professional registered Maine guide services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Guided Canoe Trips
• Guided Moose Hunting Expeditions
• Custom Group Trips
• Christmas Trees
• Merchandise and Trip Photos

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 60 moose sightings reported during June 2026 wildlife photography outing
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Down East MagazinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Down East Magazine for unique wildlife photography adventures in Maine's North Maine Woods. Utilizes two remote lakeside cabins on a lake renowned for exceptional moose viewing. This co-branded offering attracts photography enthusiasts and generates editorial coverage.
• Marsh River Outfitters (Andrew Gibbs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with Marsh River Outfitters for guided Maine moose hunting expeditions. Canoe the Wild provides guiding services while Marsh River Outfitters supplies additional hunting guides and expertise. Together they operate remote wall tent moose camps in northern Maine's Wildlife Management Districts.
• Allagash Wilderness Waterway Foundation (AWWF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with AWWF for the Youth on the Allagash (YOTA) Program, providing canoe trip opportunities for high school students. Generous grant funding enables teens to connect with nature on the Allagash and St. Croix Rivers. Canoe the Wild provides outfitting and guiding services for these youth-focused educational trips.
• Maine Outdoor Learning InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrant funding source that enables student participation in outdoor education canoe trips, expanding access to wilderness experiences for Maine youth.
• North Maine WoodscoreOthersLeases location for moose hunting camp operation. Holds commercial use permit to conduct guided activities within the North Maine Woods region, covering Wildlife Management Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mahoosuc Guide Service: Maine wilderness adventure outfitter offering guided canoe, kayaking, and backcountry trips. Comparable in scale, Maine geography, family-friendly trip design, and Registered Maine Guide-based delivery model.
• O.A.R.S. (Outdoor Adventure River Specialists): Established US rafting and canoe adventure outfitter offering guided wilderness river trips across North America. Comparable guided wilderness river-canoe product offering for families and intermediate paddlers, though at significantly larger scale.
• Marsh River Outfitters: Maine-based guided moose hunting outfitter operating in northern Wildlife Management Districts. Direct peer in the guided moose hunting segment with whom Canoe the Wild already partners on wall-tent camps.
• Allagash Guide Service: Maine guide service specializing in Allagash Wilderness Waterway canoe and fishing trips. Direct competitor for Allagash canoe outfitting, sharing the same customer segments (families, first-timers, fishermen) and geography.
• Northern Outdoors: Maine adventure resort offering whitewater rafting, canoeing, and wilderness trips plus on-site lodging. Comparable in Maine outdoor adventure guiding and multi-product offering (trips + lodging + packages).
• North Country Rivers: Maine-based outfitter offering guided canoe, rafting, and family adventure trips on the Penobscot and nearby rivers. Directly comparable in geography, customer base (families and first-timers), and Maine wilderness canoe/raft guiding model.
• Penobscot River Whitewater Rafting: Maine-based rafting and adventure outfitter running trips on the Penobscot River. Comparable in Maine whitewater/adventure delivery and family-friendly outdoor programming.

Broad incumbents

• L.L. Bean Outdoor Discovery Schools: Iconic Maine-based outdoor education program offering canoeing, kayaking, and wilderness classes through L.L. Bean. Comparable beginner-friendly canoe instruction and outdoor skills training, but operates at much larger scale under a national brand.
• Appalachian Mountain Club: Northeast outdoor education and guided adventure organization offering canoeing, hiking, and backcountry trips. Overlaps in guided wilderness experiences in the Northeast but serves a broader geography and member base.
• REI Adventures: National adventure travel brand offering guided multi-sport and canoeing trips worldwide. Comparable as a guided adventure travel option but operates at vastly greater scale, with broader product breadth and marketing reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/canoethewild

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Canoe the Wild