CMNTY FTR: Outdoor Adventures Plus
Outdoor wellness is about movement—but it’s also about presence. It’s remembering we’re not separate from the natural world. We’re part of it.
That’s why RIVR partners with communities that make time outside feel welcoming, meaningful, and real—not intimidating, performative, or exclusive.
We sat down with Jonathon Flores, Founder and Chief Trek Officer of Outdoor Adventures Plus—a BIPOC-centered outdoor community creating safer, more accessible entry points into hiking, camping, backpacking, and deeper connection to the land.
Grounded in respect for Indigenous stewardship and collective care, Outdoor Adventures Plus reminds us that wellness isn’t about speed or summits—it’s about slowing down enough to truly feel where you are.
We asked Jonathon to share the heart behind Outdoor Adventures Plus—and why connection leads the way.
For someone just discovering you, what is Outdoor Adventures Plus and who is it for?
Outdoor Adventures Plus is a BIPOC centered outdoor community focused on access, safety, and reconnection to land. We create welcoming entry points into hiking, camping, backpacking, and outdoor wellness for people who have historically been excluded, overlooked, or made to feel unsafe in outdoor spaces. It’s for beginners, families, and seasoned outdoors folks alike, especially those who don’t often see themselves represented in traditional outdoor culture.
What was the spark behind starting Outdoor Adventures Plus? Was there a moment that made you think, “We need this”?
The spark came from my own experiences as an Indigenous Mexican-American spending time outdoors and often being the only one who looked like me on the trail. I noticed how many people from my community wanted to be outside but didn’t feel invited, informed, or safe enough to start. It became clear that the barrier wasn’t interest, it was access and belonging. Outdoor Adventures Plus was created to meet that need and to remind people that the outdoors has always been part of who we are.
What does “safe plus inclusive outdoors” look like in real life? What are the values you protect most in this community?
In real life, it looks like slowing the pace, sharing knowledge without judgment, and creating space for people to show up as their full selves. Safety isn’t just physical, it’s cultural and emotional. We protect values like respect for land, intentionality, accountability, accessibility, and collective care. We honor Indigenous land stewardship, acknowledge lived experiences, and move in ways that prioritize people over performance.
What’s something you tell someone on their first hike with you?
One of the first things I tell people is: “This isn’t about how far we go or how fast, we move at the pace of connection.” We encourage pauses to breathe, to notice the land, and to be present. Those moments help people shift from seeing the outdoors as something to conquer to something that’s in relationship with us.
What do you wish more people understood about land connection, culture, and the outdoors—especially through BIPOC perspectives?
I wish more people understood that for many BIPOC communities, land connection isn’t recreational, it’s ancestral. Our relationship to land comes from survival, ceremony, stewardship, and story. Being outdoors can hold both healing and harm, and acknowledging that complexity is essential. When those perspectives are centered, the outdoors becomes more honest, inclusive, and meaningful for everyone.
Why RIVR? What makes this partnership feel aligned with Outdoor Adventures Plus?
RIVR feels aligned because it is Native-owned and grounded in relationship to land and plant medicine. As an Indigenous Mexican-American founder, it’s important to me to support and collaborate with Indigenous-led businesses that move with intention and sovereignty. RIVR’s approach to wellness reflects a respect for balance, responsibility, and community care. This partnership feels aligned because it honors Indigenous leadership while creating space for healing, connection, and presence in modern outdoor culture.
Connect with Outdoor Adventures Plus
We’re honored to support the work Jonathon and Outdoor Adventures Plus are doing to create safer, more inclusive outdoor spaces. Learn more about their upcoming adventures at @_outadvplus_