Deer Hill Expeditions is a family-owned and operated expedition summer camp located in Southwest Colorado. Since 1984, Deer Hill has been facilitating transformational summer programs for teens and young adults, with a mission to connect folks authentically to themselves and to the community through both wilderness and service experiences.
Although their operations are based out of their beautiful 160-acre basecamp in Mancos, CO, groups traverse a broad landscape as they participate in Deer Hill’s multi-element programming. It’s not uncommon to find yourself in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona all over the course of a single program.
Overnight Summer Camps for Teens
Deer Hill delivers on its mission to connect folks to themselves and others through a combination of wilderness adventure and cultural exchange with Native American indigenous communities. To begin their program, groups will typically backpack in the San Juan Mountains and embark on a multi-day whitewater rafting adventure in southeast Utah. By participating in
wilderness immersion, facing challenges together, and learning new skills, participants foster a greater sense of self and community.
During participation in a Deer Hill program, students will learn a variety of ‘hard’ backcountry skills. This can include things like navigation and orienteering, backcountry cooking, self-care, and rope skills. While having these tools is important when recreating in the backcountry, they are not necessarily the main focus of the program.
Deer Hill’s curriculum model tends to focus more on ‘soft’ skills; like effective communication, group development, leadership styles, and sense of place. Students also participate in a nightly practice called circle, where they are encouraged to speak from their hearts and listen with respect to their fellow group members in a space based on mutual trust.
Wilderness Adventure is only one part of Deer Hill’s approach to outdoor education. What really sets Deer Hill apart from other outfitters in the industry is its longstanding relationships with communities on the Navajo Nation as well as the Hopi and Zuni Pueblos. Community service and cultural exchange have been a core part of Deer Hill’s philosophy since the 1980s.
All programs at Deer Hill participate in a service learning and cultural exchange element where the group stays with a host family on the reservation. During their stay, the group participates in various cultural and service activities based upon whatever is going on in that family’s lives or their communities during their visit.
Deer Hill Expeditions is committed to facilitating transformational experiences for youth from all over the country – and is committed to making its programming accessible for folks from all walks of life. Deer Hill’s non-profit arm, The Deer Hill Foundation, provides dozens of needs-based scholarships to students each year. Each program in turn is a rich and diverse learning environment consisting of students from different places, backgrounds, and histories.
Participating on a Deer Hill program can be the experience of a lifetime. If you are looking for an unforgettable wilderness adventure, imbued with intention, cultural exchange, and self-discovery, then Deer Hill is the place for you.
Details
Address: 7850 Rd 41, Mancos, CO 81328
Phone: 970-533-7492
Season: Summer
Website: deerhillexpeditions.com
