"I had such an amazing time. I don't think my friends will quite believe me or grasp the immensity of my experience." Baldwin, Little Rock, Arkansas

Inspiring journeys for young adults in the American Southwest and Costa Rica. A mature and experienced staff (average age of 27) lead small groups of 12 students on a series of expeditions into the rugged and beautiful landscapes of the canyons, rivers, and mountains of Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and the rain forests, beaches, and rural villages of Costa Rica. Deer Hill's 4:1 student to staff ratio provides personalized attention and instruction during two to four-week long programs which offer a variety of challenge and a progression of skill development. Activities include rafting, canoeing, kayaking, backpacking, rock climbing, mountain biking, Spanish language study and leadership initiatives. Essential to each group's experience is a service learning project (in most cases applicable to high school credit). Students work on cross-cultural projects with Navajo, Hopi and Zuni people in the Southwest U.S., and homestays in Costa Rica; or conservation projects with the U.S. Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management. Students have the opportunity to learn new life skills, live within another culture, and make deeper connections with their group, the Earth and themselves. Deer Hill is for young people wishing to expand their horizons through the physical and mental challenges of living in the wilderness, and making new friends in a non-competitive atmosphere of respect and fun. Deer Hill has been reviewed and is accredited by the Association for Experiential Education.

Join Crow Canyon for a 1-3 week adventure in this exclusive hands-on introduction to archaeology. Help our team of professional archaeologists at a working excavation site and learn to sort and identify artifacts in our laboratory. At our pithouse and pueblo learning centers, you can try your hand at spear-throwing with an atlatl, making fire with a bow & spindle, and playing traditional American Indian games. Top off the week with a special all-day tour of nearby Mesa Verde National Park! Learn about the different periods of occupation of the ancestral Pueblo Indians and gain a new appreciation for culture, anthropology, archaeology, environmental stewardship, human interaction with the environment, research, scientific methodology, and cultural preservation. Come and get your hands dirty on our 170-acre campus located in the Four Corners Region of the American Southwest in Cortez, Colorado.

Middle school students must be at least 12 years of age; high school students must be at least 14 years of age. Some scholarships are available.

Crow Canyon’s experiential education adventures have won the Society for American Archaeology Award for Excellence in Public Education and the Colorado Historical Society Stephen H. Hart Award for Leadership in Educational Programming.

Three camps are available for teens or families each summer:

Middle School Archaeology Camp, One week
High School Archaeology Camp, One week
Family Archaeology Week—Ages 10 and up with parents and grandparents, two one-week programs

Or, apply for our prestigious pre-collegiate experience in an intensive and engaging three-week program; High School Field School. This is not just a summer camp—it is real science! Work alongside professional archaeologists in the lab and at our excavation site! Weekend lineups include river rafting, hiking the Colorado Plateau, visiting ancient ruins, and exploring the canyons and mesas of the Four Corners area.

OWA is a serious program for motivated beginners and experienced participants looking for advanced instruction in a variety of adventure sports. Professional, experienced guides offer top instruction while keeping things fun and interesting. Accredited by the American Mountain Guides Association and The Association for Experiential Education.