Deer Hill Expeditions

Hours: Deer Hill Expeditions has been running meaningful and transformative outdoor programming for youth since 1984. Through a combination of backcountry exploration and cultural exchange work with Native American communities, participants will connect deeply to themselves, to others, and to the land. In addition to their summer open enrollment programming, Deer Hill also hosts a multitude of school groups and youth groups, offering custom group programming. Deer Hill is also a wonderful venue for retreats, workshops, and gatherings. The organization's 120-acre basecamp in Mancos, Colorado, features excellent facilities, communal spaces, natural exploration, and even a small pond. The food prepared on base and for their rafting programs is excellent, though the food for backpacking portions is a little heavy but still quite good. Participants in Deer Hill's programs have had incredible, life-changing experiences. They have overcome fears, developed confidence as leaders, learned valuable outdoor skills, experienced a deep sense of belonging in a group, and made wonderful friends. The organization is a pleasure to work with, and the trip leaders are excellent. Deer Hill Expeditions is a small organization with a lot of heart and passion for getting youth and young adults into the outdoors, and they are striving for further financial resources to attain the next level of excellence.

1. Mancos, Colorado