Looking to embark on a summer adventure, but not sure where to go? As a leader in the outdoor industry with over 50 years of experience, Outward Bound is an expert on finding wild and rugged wilderness areas that push the limits. Here are 9 of our favorite places to travel that embody true wilderness and help our students uncover their strengths.
1. The Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are world-renowned for backpacking, mountaineering, skiing and snowboarding- with good reason. The ranges that make up these mountains are some of the highest in North America and are home to an abundance of wildlife and dramatic peaks and valleys that lead to stunning views.
The San Juan Mountain Range. Photo taken on course with Outward Bound by Angela Henderson
Outward Bound offers backpacking and mountaineering trips throughout the Colorado Rockies, including in the Sawatch Range, Elk Mountains and San Juan Range.
The Sawatch Range forms a portion of the Continental Divide and contains 15 different peaks with elevations higher than 14,000 feet. This includes Mount Elbert, which is the highest peak in the Rocky Mountains at 14,440 feet.
Located within White River National Forest and Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, the Elk Mountains are a high, rugged range that rises up to 14,265 feet. These mountains are known for their red coloring, spectacular wildflowers and expansive aspen groves.
The San Juan Mountain Range is the largest range in Colorado by area. Known for some of the best and most varied scenery, these remote and rugged mountains are home to alpine meadows, lakes, waterfalls and streams.
Pro tip: Before you travel to the Colorado Rockies, make sure your body is prepared for the high altitude. Create a plan to get active at least four times a week. Focus on activities that will get your heart rate up and make you sweat!
Explore the Colorado Rockies with Outward Bound.
2. Canyon Country, Utah
One of TripAdvisor’s 12 Best Adventure Destinations, Canyon Country in Utah is composed of a spell-binding labyrinth of alcoves, fins, pinnacles, buttes, towering walls, ledges and arches, formed by millennia of wind and water erosion. The Canyonlands of Southern Utah are still as stunning, mysterious and wild as they were for the Ancestral Puebloan and Fremont Indians who roamed these lands over 800 years ago, and whose ruins and rock art are still found in the canyons.
Students explore the unique rock formations while in Cataract Canyon. Photo by Dylan Marks
Pro tip: Located in Canyon Country, The San Juan River is world renowned for archaeological sites of ancient Indians featuring both petroglyphs and spacious cliff dwellings accessible on side hikes from the river.
Explore Canyon Country with Outward Bound.
3. The Appalachian Trail
One of Men’s Fitness Top 16 Adventure Destinations in the US, the Appalachian Trail attracts hikers from all around the world. The spruce, fir and hardwood forests that make up the northern end of the trail are home to hundreds of species of birds; as well as moose, deer and black bear. Rushing waterfalls, clear twisting streams and spectacular views from rocky summits reward backpackers ready for adventure.
Success at the top of the Appalachians.
Pro tip: Buy a rugged pair of hiking boots to conquer the rocky, difficult sections of the trail in the White Mountains and Mahoosuc Range.
Explore the Appalachian Trail with Outward Bound.
4. The Blue Ridge Mountains
Named as one of Travel & Leisure’s 50 Greatest American Adventures and a regular on Outside Magazine’s must go travel destinations, the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina are some of the oldest mountains in the world. While the mountains themselves formed over 250 million years ago, some of the rocks that underlie the region are over a billion years old.
A stunning view of the Blue Ridge Mountains captured on course with Outward Bound
These mountains are home to beautiful rushing rivers, hundreds of waterfalls and some of the highest peaks in the Eastern United States—including Mt. Mitchell (elevation 6,684 feet), which is the highest point east of the Mississippi River. With over 700 different kinds of trees, more than 50 types of mammals, 150 different types of birds and over 50 species of amphibians, the Blue Ridge Mountains offer a wealth of unique and remarkable wildlife.
Pro tip: Visit the Blue Ridge Mountains in June to see fields of bright pink rhododendrons in bloom.
Rhododendrons in bloom. Photo taken on course with Outward Bound.
Explore the Blue Ridge Mountains with Outward Bound.
5. The Maine Coast
The coast of Maine, with its intricate and indented shoreline, is a unique segment of the North Atlantic seaboard. It is known among sailors for its picturesque beauty, iconic lighthouses, abundant bays and harbors, rocky islands and quiet coves. Cold, nutrient-rich waters flow from the Canadian Maritimes and make the Gulf of Maine home to a wide range of sea birds, seals, porpoises and whales.
Students set sail off the coast of Maine on course with Outward Bound.
Pro tip: Visit the small islands that dot the coast. On a Maine Sailing expedition with Outward Bound, students explore different islands including Pond Island, Marshall Island, Crotch Island, Greens Island, Burnt Island and Witch Island.
Explore the Maine Coast with Outward Bound.
6. The Sierra Nevada Range
As the largest continuous mountain range in the United States, the Sierra Nevada is made up of three national parks, two national monuments and 20 wilderness areas. From the Suess-like trees of Yosemite to the giant, 269 foot high sequoias, the Sierra Nevada range is comprised of wilderness unlike anywhere else in the world. With its majestic granite domes and peaks, The Sierra Nevada Range is also home to some of the most famous alpine climbing and backpacking routes in the United States.
Students explore alpine lakes in the Sierra Nevada Range
Pro tip: Take a dip in one of the High Sierra’s stream-fed mountain lakes. A few of our favorites include the Devil’s Punchbowl in John Muir Wilderness, the Slab Lakes in Ansel Adams Wilderness, and Hamilton Lake in Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park.
Explore the Sierra Nevada Range with Outward Bound.
7. The Florida Everglades
Named as one of Travel & Leisure’s 50 Greatest American Adventures and one of National Geographics’s 100 Best Adventures, the Florida Everglades is the largest sub-tropical wilderness in the United States and third-largest national park in the lower 48 states. The aquatic preserve includes more than 350 species of birds, 300 species of fresh and saltwater fish, and 40 species of mammals within its confines. Everglades National Park is one of only three locations in the world to be recognized as an International Biosphere Reserve, a Wetland of an International Importance and a World Heritage Site.
Photo taken in the Florida Everglades on course with Outward Bound.
Pro tip: Take your trip to the Everglades between the months of November and March to have the best chance of spotting a manatee.
Explore the Everglades with Outward Bound.
8. The Boundary Waters
One of Gear Junkie’s 20 Rare Earth Destinations, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is a labyrinth of lakes that has been specifically protected as a true American wilderness area. With no roads, power lines or motorized craft allowed within the borders, the Boundary Waters has changed little since its unveiling when the glaciers melted 10,000 years ago.
Soaking up the sunsets on the Boundary Waters.
With over 1,200 miles of canoe routes, more than 1,000 lakes and streams interspersed with untamed islands, and hundreds of miles of forest, the Boundary Waters offer opportunities for solitude, remoteness, teamwork, adventure and challenge.
Pro tip: plan a longer canoe trip that ventures into the depths of the Boundary Waters to experience the complete solitude and true wilderness that the area has to offer.
Explore the Boundary Waters with Outward Bound.
9. The North Cascades
From grassy ridge tops and rocky summits, to lush fir forests and wildflower meadows, the North Cascades contain some of the most pristine and least traveled wilderness in the United States. Nicknamed the “American Alps” for its lush and rugged beauty, the North Cascades host the greatest concentration of glaciers in the “Lower 48” and are home to some of the most famous alpine climbing and backpacking routes in the United States.
The beauty of the North Cascades. Photo by Jackie Long
Pro tip: Pay special attention to the flowers and plants in the area, as you might not see them anywhere else in the world. The North Cascades National Park surpasses all other US National Parks in the number of plant species recorded.
Explore the North Cascades with Outward Bound.
Ready to plan your visit to one of these amazing wilderness destinations? Join Outward Bound this summer and get ready for an adventure of a lifetime! Visit: www.outwardbound.org/
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