Planning your High Adventure trip each summer can be challenging. While Scouts and Leaders alike will remember the time spent on High Adventure activities for a lifetime, the work that goes into planning those trips can sometimes be overwhelming. We have a few thoughts to help out with planning those trips! (While this post is directed at scouting groups, the same can be applied for church youth groups and young adult groups)
Organizing your own High Adventure Program can be very rewarding, as well as give you flexibility to accomplish goals that are specific to your youth’s needs and interests. Here in Jackson Hole, we are fortunate to have a plethora of activities to choose from. We have put together a 3-4 day sample itinerary of what you could do if you decide to bring your group here for High Adventure:
Night 1: Travel and Camp at one of the Bridger Teton National Forest Group Sites. They are Affordable and well maintained. Most of these campgrounds offer restrooms and water spigots, as well as fire rings and picnic tables. Group sites have ample space for tents. Our favorite sites are Wolf Creek and Cottonwoods.
Day 1: Scenic Rafting in Grand Teton National Park, Lunch at Dornan’s followed by Hiking around Jenny Lake.
Day 2: Whitewater Rafting in the Famous Grand Canyon of the Snake River! This will be the highlight of the trip, and many groups enjoy doubling up on this activity by taking trips back to back. For extra excitement, sign up for the Small Boat Slam!
Day 3: Mountain Biking at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort or Grand Targhee Mountain Resort. Choose full day cross country mountain biking or for the more adventurous, half day downhill.
There are plenty of other activities to add, with blue-ribbon fly-fishing, site seeing in Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Mountain Coasters and Alpine Slides, etc. Jackson Hole is an amazing place to bring your group white water rafting to experience the playland we call home.
If you are not into planning your own High Adventure trips, you may be interested in High Adventure Programs offered by local Scout Councils. Those are great programs, and if you have the chance to attend, you should take it. Here are links to some of them:
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Teton High Adventure Base in Jackson, Wyoming offers Whitewater and Scenic Rafting, River Canoeing, Project C.O.P.E., Mountain Biking, and so many other activities
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Ridgeline Base Camp in the beautiful Unita Mountains offers some great Trekking Packages for youth and leaders.
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Camp Newfork offers a canoe trek on the Green River reminiscent of those who explored this land hundreds of years ago.
