Wilderness Canoeing in Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge in Georgia – December 2-10, 2023
Paddle through the swamps and cypress trees of Okefenokee alongside gators. Sleep on raised platforms on the river on this 5-day, 4-night water adventure.
Activity Level: Easy-to-Moderate*
Coastal Sea Kayaking at Everglades National Park in Florida– December 2-10, 2023
Explore the coastal waters of Georgia, sleep on islands and sandy beaches, and learn some new paddling skills. Some paddling experience recommended for this 5-day, 4-night paddling trip.
Activity Level: Moderate-to-Challenging*
Backpacking in the Grand Canyon – December 9-16, 2023
Spend your trip exploring the depths of the Grand Canyon! You’ll hike with your gear to the bottom of the canyon, explore on trail for a few days, and then hike back up to the rim of the canyon. Awesome desert and canyon views guaranteed!
Activity Level: Challenging*
Rock Climbing at Joshua Tree National Park in California – December 9-16, 2023
Days will be filled with top-rope climbing, bouldering, and possible day hikes at this premier climbing location! Group will be car camping at a group site in the park.
Activity Level: Easy-to-Moderate*
Hiking & Exploring at Joshua Tree National Park in California – December 9-16, 2023
Explore the desert, trails, mountains, and boulders of Joshua Tree National Park through day hikes and exploration. Group will be car camping at a group site in the park. You may get an opportunity to boulder and/or top-rope climb for one of the days of the trip.
Activity Level: Easygoing*
*Guide to Activity Levels
Easygoing: Relaxed style of travel. May include day hikes of 2-8 miles on varying terrain carrying a light day pack. You’ll be on your feet for much of the day and will also have opportunities to rest. You’ll be cooking your meals as a group and stay at one campsite for most of the trip. Great for folks who are new to camping or the outdoors!
Easy-to-Moderate: Active trips that are still welcoming to people of all sorts of experience levels (no experience to advanced). You don’t need previous camping, climbing, hiking, or other experience, but should be in generally good shape. Trips may include some moving between campsites during the trip. Trips will include short hikes with some elevation change, paddling in protected waters and/or top-rope rock climbing.
Moderate-to-Challenging: These trips are still welcome to folks without camping and/or outdoor experience! Trips typically include 3-8 hours of physical activity per day, such as paddling, hiking with overnight packs, and/or wilderness camping. For paddling trips, this may include a mix of protected and some open-water paddling. You will be moving camp every 1-2 nights.
Challenging: These trips are for folks seeking full days of activity and a higher level of physical challenge. You will be moving camp every 1-2 nights. Hiking/backpacking may be up to 12 miles in one day and/or with greater elevation changes. Paddling trips will be primarily open-water paddling. These trips require participants to be in fit condition. Participants do not need prior experience backpacking or camping, but it is recommended to participate in some Outdoor Programs events during the term prior to the trip if you’re new to the outdoors to get a feel for our trips and events.
Additional information:
Trip Cost: $50, due by 5pm the business day after notification of being on a trip, by cash, check, or credit.
Once the trip starts, all transportation, camping fees, permits, food, group gear, and personal equipment will be covered by the program.
You will be responsible for transportation to either Las Vegas, NV for the southwest trips or Orlando, FL for the southeast trips (these costs are not included in the trip cost).
Students flying to the meeting locations are required to meet with the Outdoor Programs Directors prior to purchasing tickets in order to purchase flights to the correct airport and during a time and day where drivers can pick you up. Further information and guidelines will be provided for students who are registered for the trips.
The program will provide all group equipment, including activity equipment (climbing shoes/harness/helmets, PFDs/boats/paddles, et cetera), tents, stoves, and cooking equipment. Personal items including a backpack, sleeping pad, sleeping bag and clothing items (such as rain gear, warm layers, and hiking boots) can be checked out from the Gear Room at no additional cost.
Trip itineraries below are subject to change.
Registration Information
Registration will open on Monday, October 9th at 9 pm. It is first come, first serve.
You will receive confirmation from the Outdoor Programs Directors of what trip you are signed up for or your position on a waiting list within a day of submitting the registration form. Please note that due to high interest, you may not end up on your first choice trip and you may end up on a waiting list for a trip.
Because you fill out the registration form does not guarantee you a spot on a trip. You will receive confirmation if you are on a trip or on a waiting list.
If you receive confirmation that you are on a trip, you will have until 5 pm the next day to complete the $70 payment in order to confirm your spot on the trip.
If a spot opens on a trip, it will be offered to people on the waiting list in the order that they have registered.
Trip Itinerary: Coastal Sea Kayaking – Everglades National Park, FL
December 2-10
12/2: Meet at Orlando airport, drive to campsite for the night
12/3: Drive to Everglades City, FL
12/4 – 12/8: Paddle from Everglades City through the Ten Thousand Islands area of the park, Camp on ground sites and beach sites off the coast of Florida
12/9: Potential day at the beach and drive back to campsite near Orlando
12/10: Depart trip from Orlando airport
Trip Itinerary: Canoeing at Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge, GA
December 2-10
12/2: Meet at Orlando airport, drive to campsite for the night
12/3: Drive to Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge, GA, Paddle training at campground
12/4 – 12/8: Exploring the swamps of Okefenokee, paddling past gators, paddling through rivers and cypress, camping on raised platforms at night
12/9: Potential beach day on the coast, Return to campsite near Orlando, FL
12/10: Depart trip from Orlando airport
Trip Itineraries: Rock Climbing/Hike & Explore at Joshua Tree
December 9-16
12/9: Meet at Las Vegas airport, Drive to campsite for the night
12/10: Drive to Joshua Tree National Park, set up camp
12/11 – 12/14: For rock climbing trip days will be a mix of top-rope rock climbing, bouldering, day-hikes, and exploring the surrounding area, For hike & explore trip days will be a mix of day hikes and exploration through the surrounding desert area
12/15: Drive to campsite near Las Vegas
12/16: Depart from Las Vegas airport
Trip Itinerary: Backpacking at Grand Canyon National Park
December 9-16
12/9: Meet at Las Vegas airport
12/10: Travel to Grand Canyon National Park, camp on the rim of the canyon
12/11 – 12/14: Backpack down into the canyon, hike along the Colorado River, and return up out of the canyon
