<picture class="lw_image"> <source media="(max-width: 500px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/258/width/500/106748_14043858636_46d38a6335_o.rev.1736359689.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/258/width/500/106748_14043858636_46d38a6335_o.rev.1736359689.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/> <source media="(max-width: 500px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/258/width/500/106748_14043858636_46d38a6335_o.rev.1736359689.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/258/width/500/106748_14043858636_46d38a6335_o.rev.1736359689.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/> <source media="(max-width: 800px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/258/width/800/106748_14043858636_46d38a6335_o.rev.1736359689.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/> <source media="(max-width: 800px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/258/width/800/106748_14043858636_46d38a6335_o.rev.1736359689.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/> <source media="(min-width: 801px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/258/width/850/106748_14043858636_46d38a6335_o.rev.1736359689.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/> <source media="(min-width: 801px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/258/width/850/106748_14043858636_46d38a6335_o.rev.1736359689.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/258/width/850/106748_14043858636_46d38a6335_o.rev.1736359689.jpg" width="850" height="850" alt="A student in a purple jacket and yellow PFD canoes on a lake with trees in the distance" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/258/width/850/106748_14043858636_46d38a6335_o.rev.1736359689.jpg 2x" data-max-w="2131" data-max-h="2132" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture>
canoeing
The central Oregon Coast is a spectacular landscape of beaches, sand dunes, transition forest, and lakes. On this trip you’ll alternate between days of hiking coastal trails, with days canoeing in the calm coastal lakes. You’ll stay at a camp-type facility, with bunk beds, bathrooms, and a dining hall. You’ll spend time bonding with your small group, and also meet other new students whose trip is based at this location. Come see why the Oregon Coast is a premiere destination for outdoor enthusiasts!
(actual itinerary will be adjusted to the weather and group)
Arrival Day: Arrive to campus in the morning, meet your group and collect any outdoor gear you are borrowing from College Outdoors. Eat lunch on campus, then drive about 3.5 hours to the yurts.
Day 2: Paddle Day One: Safety Talk, 3 hours on the water
Day 3: Hiking Day
Day 4: Paddle Day Two: Some paddling, plus playing paddle games and having fun!
Day 5: Hiking Day. Also LC night! Learn about Lewis & Clark from current students.
Day 6: Paddle Day Three: Final paddle of the trip!
Final Day: Return to campus, clean up gear, move into residence halls
The Oregon Coast has some of the most spectacular scenery in North America. Temperate rainforests house millions of species of flora and fauna, and ancient, towering dunes line the coast of the Pacific Ocean. The salt spray hangs in the air and you can actually smell the marine environment here. Groves of ancient forests, surviving the loggers who arrived from Europe, still command a cathedral-like presence and offer every possible shade of green. The Oregon coast is known for its numerous offshore rocks and islands that are designated as wildlife refuges as well as its seemingly endless expanses of sand dunes. The rich coastal forests and waterways are the traditional lands of the Chinook, Willapa, Lower Chinook, Clatsup, Kathlamet, and Nahalem tribes. Keep an eye out for colorful starfish, tufted puffin, dinosaur-like cormorants, elusive seals, enormous sea-lions, curious otter, and Roosevelt elk.
Each day we’ll alternate between canoeing on a lake or calm estuary and hiking along the Pacific coast in ancient forests, on beaches, and across the dunes. The trails we’ll be hiking are rated moderate, with more strenuous trails and longer mileage as options for people who’d like the challenge. The group expects to hike about 4 to 8 miles a day wearing daypacks.
If you have never canoed before, you’ll find that the calm inland water is the perfect place to learn, and we’ll teach you everything you need to know.
No canoeing or camping experience necessary! We’ll teach you everything you need to know.
Break in your hiking boots: If you are getting new-to-you boots for this trip, you’ll want to wear them around in the weeks leading up to the trip. New boots + long treks = painful blisters. It is very important to break in your boots by wearing them with a pack for extended periods prior to your trip.
Get moving: It’s a great idea to walk or run this summer to get yourself into shape. This trip is rated as moderate physical rigor.
Cost: $995. Financial aid is applied for high-need students who qualify. Vegan and non-medical specialty diets have an additional $35 charge. Vegetarian diets and food allergies do not have an additional fee.
These forms can be completed only after you have received a trip placement email, and are due by Wednesday, June 18, 2025. You will need to log into your L&C Portal to complete these forms.
