For years, Deer Hill has specialized in hosting a wide range of school programs including Waldorf 8th grade class trips, high school trips and service programs, alumni reunions, and more. Students gain valuable hands-on field experience, which in turn compliments their classroom learning, strengthens their connection with their classmates and teachers, and often provides a well-rounded capstone experience.
Deer Hill empowers students to connect authentically with each other and themselves by utilizing the powerful and grounding nature of a wilderness experience.
Our program activities vary naturally to keep students engaged, challenged, and working as a team, while they also include time for reflection and solitude at the end of each day.
We work closely with you to design a program that builds off the curriculum that your students are already learning in the classroom, to create a memorable capstone learning experience.
Common School Program Options
River & Service Learning
River & Service Learning experiences are one of the most popular school group programs at Deer Hill and are 9-12 days in lenth. Rafting expeditions are a great way for groups of people with varying degrees of comfort in outdoor activities to explore the wilderness of the Southwest. Groups will splash through Class I – III+ rapids, camp on sandy beaches, make meals together, explore Ancestral Puebloan cultural sites, and practice Leave No Trace techniques. At Service, either with Native American service hosts or with an enriching community farm stay or local project, students engage in cultural exchange, explore a change in perspective, and bond with their classmates through hands-on projects.
Backpacking & Service Learning
Human-powered transportation has the great ability to challenge, connect, and teach many valuable lessons in community. Deer Hill Expeditions leads backpacking trips in the mountains of Colorado and the canyons of southeastern Utah. While trekking, students will learn about navigation and orienteering, backcountry cooking, and will have the opportunity to summit a Colorado peak or descend into the beautiful canyons of Southeast Utah. At Service, either with Native American service hosts or with an enriching community farm stay or local project, students engage in cultural exchange, explore a change in perspective, and often become closer with their classmates through hands-on projects.
River, Backpacking, Service
Combine all 3 elements for a powerful, immersive 18-21 day program more akin to our summer open enrollment expeditions. Over the years we have found the combination of river, service, and mountain to be a powerful and effective platform for transformation in our participants.
Create Your Expedition with Deer Hill
You provide the group, we guide the experience. Certain activities are dependent on the season, but Deer Hill operates year-round. Inquire online to find out if Deer Hill is the right outfitter for your group.
- Review the suggestions above (more options available)
- Contact the Program Sales Manager by submitting an inquiry (see below)
- The Program Sales Manager works with you to design a program for your group