Outdoor Adventure Classes

Archery: Draw, aim, fire!  Students will discover the joy behind this long established shooting sport.  Understanding its rich history, following the safety rules, and learning the skill is just the beginning.  Through hands-on target practice and friendly competition, students will improve shooting skills and learn about self- discipline.  Both indoor and outdoor ranges are available. Offered all year.Click here to view the class outline...

Beginning Orienteering: Feeling lost?  Combining earth science with practical outdoor skills, participants will navigate Eagle Bluff’s remote orienteering course.  Emphasis will be placed on recognizing how the compass has impacted human history, understanding the earth’s magnetic field, and learning the parts and proper use of a compass.  Working cooperatively and applying this knowledge will be required as students navigate a 14 point orienteering course.  Offered all year. Click here to view the class outline...

Competitive Orienteering: Prior compass use required.  Could you find your way through the woods using only a map and a compass?  Reading a topographic map, understanding contour lines, and utilizing compass skills will be essential in this fast paced sport.  Participants will be challenged to work as a team navigating through the woods locating 10 control points as quickly as possible.  Previous knowledge of compass skills required.  Offered all year. Click here to view the class outline...

Cross Country Skiing:  Traversing on two skis is not only great exercise, but also an excellent way to observe the beauty of the winter landscape! Participants will learn the origin of cross-country skiing, the correct fitting and usage of the equipment, and a few skill techniques before gliding across the glistening snow. Skis, poles, and boots provided. Offered Jan through mid-March (weather permitting). Click here to view the class outline...

GPS Pathfinders: On your mark, get set, DASH FOR THE CACHE!  Students will catch a glimpse of just how advanced navigational technology has become over the years.  Learning the basic concepts behind GPS technology is just the beginning.  Each pair of students will be given a Garmin Rino 120 to practice entering and finding waypoints.  Once the basics are mastered indoors, students will practice on a small outdoor course before tackling Eagle Bluff’s ‘Dash for the Cache’.  In this activity, students will use their GPS to navigate through the wooded hillside in search of ten hidden caches. Offered all year. Click here to view the class outline...

Backcountry Camping (formerly Minimum Impact Camping): Camping is a great way to experience the outdoors, yet if done improperly, it can affect the serenity and beauty of the area. Students will learn the basics of backpack camping following the 7 principles of Leave No Trace: a nationally recognized program to reduce our impact when outdoors.  Teamwork and decision making will be essential as students pack a backpack, navigate the trail, set up a tent, cook using a camp stove and dispose of waste properly. Offered mid-March through October. Click here to view the class outline...

River Canoeing: (Only 6th grade and up)
Paddle 3.5 scenic miles down the meandering Root River! Trained instructors will prepare paddlers for this unforgettable experience.  Understanding the equipment, reading the river and its potential hazards, executing river paddling strokes, and following safety precautions will be critical as students navigate through both slow and fast moving water. All groups will be asked to select an alternate class in case of high water or dangerous weather conditions.  Requires 1 adult with previous river canoeing experience.Offered during appropriate weather and water conditions. Click here to view the class outline...

Root River Hike: Experience the outdoors in a unique and personal way!  Students will become “naturally” immersed hiking the Root River landscape recording their findings in a personal journal.  By utilizing their senses and sharpening their observation skills, students will unveil what lies beyond the hiking trail. Interactive games and a variety of drawing and writing exercises are incorporated within the class to promote creative and reflective expression using nature as the inspiration. Offered mid-March through December.Click here to view the class outline...

Snowshoeing:  Enjoy a frosty hike exploring the trails of Eagle Bluff in a pair of snowshoes!  Students will learn the important role snowshoes played in the past and how they are used today.  Understanding how to dress for winter activity, fitting snowshoes correctly and learning a few basic skills is all that is needed for this snowy sport.  Each hike includes a naturalist choice theme determined by snow conditions, grade level, and class interest.  Offered December through mid-March (conditions permitting). Click here to view the class outline...

Winter Survival: In this class students are placed in an imaginary survival situation to develop wilderness skills which rely on teamwork and shared problem solving. Students will test their survival competence by prioritizing a list of supplies, constructing a shelter, building a fire, and guarding against the elements. Are you a survivor?  Offered November through March. Click here to view the class outline...