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Outdoor Adventures 4-H Project Area

Welcome to the great outdoors where you can experience fun and excitement as you develop caring relationships and a lifelong appreciation for the outdoors. You will progress from day hikes to overnight camping trips and finally to extended backpacking expeditions as you hike through the three activity guides. Featured are experiences related to food, shelter, Leave No Trace ethics,
safety, navigation, equipment and camp management. Each booklet contains activities for three years.

Four Outdoor Adventures 4-H Project Manuals from Shop4H
  • Hiking Trails (Outdoor Adventures 1) provides the opportunity to explore the natural world around you by going on day hikes. You will learn how to pack a backpack for a safe and enjoyable day trip.
  • Whether you are a serious camper or just getting started, in Camping Adventures (Outdoor Adventures 2), you’ll experience many new things. You’ll be eating, sleeping and living in the outdoors on your camping trip. You will consider various types of shelters and tents, planning and packing meals, reading topographic maps, orienteering skills and keeping your campsite beautiful for future campers.
  • Backpacking Expeditions (Outdoor Adventures 3) will help prepare you for being out on the trail for an extended period. It covers clothing, tent setup, backcountry stoves, nutrition, menu planning for multiday hikes, personal hygiene and basic first aid.

      If a member completes the 9 years of project manuals, they can work with their county Extension professionals to determine their learning opportunities for their remaining 4-H years.

      Scoresheets

      Each year, youth are to complete six (6) required and/or “Reach the Peak”activities. If you do additional activities, please check the six (6) activities you want to be graded. Record in your notebook the what, when, where,and how you accomplished each selected “Reach the Peak” activity. Include your notebook with your project book for grading. Additional requirements that are unique to each book are listed at the top of the scoresheet.

      Download a copy of the scoresheet to determine what is expected for project completion.

      Exhibit Ideas

      • Poster, Story, and/or Model on one of the following topics:

        • Level 1 - Hiking Trails - essentials for a hiking trip, camping trip diary,first aid kit, CPR/First Aid steps, foods list fora hiking trip, treasure hunt using a compass, weather safety program, how to purify water, or winter survival plan.
        • Level 2 - Camping Adventures - Dutch oven cooking, types of knots, hiking trail clean-up, pitching a tent, campfire designs, lighting a safe fire, filtering water, micro-organisms in non-purified water, or protecting natural resources.
        • Level 3 - Backpacking Expeditions - topographic maps, backpacking trip plan, hiking conditioning, camping adventures video, tent repair kit, purchasing a tent and supplies, backpacking food recipes,or camp layout.
      • Examples of Blue Ribbon Exhibits

      How Do I Sign Up?

      Screenshot of 4-H ZSuite enrollment page to select project

      The first step is to create an enrollment in our ZSuite website.

      Enroll in 4-H ZSuite

      When you get to the CLUBS tab of the enrollment, you will want to ADD PROJECT.


      For Outdoor Adventures, you should search for:

      • OUTDOOR ADVENTURES / YEAR 1 (HIKING TRAILS)
      • OUTDOOR ADVENTURES / YEAR 4 (CAMPING ADVENTURES)
      • OUTDOOR ADVENTURES / YEAR 7 (BACKPACKING EXPEDITIONS)

      Project Videos

      Coming soon!

      Related Events & Camps

      No events available at this time.


      College & Career Pathways

      man in raft paddling in whitewater

      Recreation, Parks & Tourism Resources

      WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design

      We’re passionate about the power of outdoor experiences to transform peoples’ lives — and communities — for the better. If you love the outdoors and working with people, RPTR is a great choice.

      Careers

      • Park, forest, or natural resource rangers and managers; 
      • Recreation tour operators, outfitters, and guides; 
      • Challenge/ropes course, or canopy tour guides and facilitators; 
      • Recreation programmers at resorts; 
      • State and local tourism agencies

      Recreation, Parks & Tourism Resources major information
      Two people holding birds outdoors

      Wildlife & Fisheries Resources

      WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design

      If you’re passionate about the outdoors and the conservation of natural resources and animal habitats, this major is for you.

      Careers

      • Wildlife Biologist
      • Aquaculture Specialist
      • Fisheries Technician
      • Wildlife Manager
      • Wildlife Damage Technician
      • Environmental Consultant
      • Environmental Education Specialist
      • Natural Resources Police Officer

      Wildlife & Fisheries Resources major information
      Woman moving across an open bridge on high ropes course

      Adventure Recreation Management

      WVU Institute of Technology

      WVU Tech's Adventure Recreation Management program prepares students for managing programs and enterprises that offer outdoor adventure activities.  

      The curriculum provides hands-on experience, and our classroom is often the outdoors. Students will explore the ins and outs of the adventure industry and discover the management skills and techniques required in the field.

      Careers

      • county or city adventure programmer
      • challenge course manager
      • scouting council program manager
      • therapeutic adventure counselor
      • rafting river manager
      • ski school director
      • climbing guide service manager
      • outdoor retail store manager
      Adventure Recreation Management major information