It also includes a ropes course and a climbing tower. We like to teach young people to be at home in the woods, rain or shine, on the trail or off. Pisgah Forest, the Great Smokies National Park and a number of other wilderness areas are nearby. Backpacking is an activity that teaches a lot - but requires little skill to begin. So, it is an activity that younger, less skilled campers can do well and quickly.
Most trips go out for one to five nights.
You carry everything you need with you, cook as a group, set up your own shelter, help find the trail and the campsite. There are one day trips to nearby climbing sites, as well as week-long advanced expeditions to more remote areas. The Ropes Course offers a different sort of experience. You are, of course, always tied in to a belay system, so you cannot fall. The program bases its activities at the Nature Lab, but spends quite a bit of time out of camp as well, observing, collecting, and learning.