Sponsored by the Department of Student Life, TREK offers new UVM students experiential learning opportunities that promote self-discovery and connection to future classmates— just before the start of the academic year. 

Trips are led by experienced and trained UVM student leaders who support small groups of 6-10 new students during a week of service and outdoor adventures throughout Vermont and just over the lake in upstate New York. In a typical year, approximately 300 TREKkies will join us on an adventure across all of these trips.

No matter what trip you choose, TREK provides students with the opportunity to build lasting friendships, initiate self-discovery, and explore the people and landscapes that are in our corner of New England.

WHAT TO EXPECT ON ALL TREK TRIPS:

Before diving into what makes each trip different, here are the things that are consistent across trips: 

  • One Team, One Dream – While your trip will have two trained student leaders, none of our trips can function without everyone engaging in the tasks at hand. Whether it’s pitching a tent or telling stories, getting from point A to point B, or completing your daily service task, your leaders work to keep all group members engaged.

  • A Mostly Vegetarian Menu – On TREK, we eat a lot of vegetables, cheese, nuts, dried fruit, and carbs. Think Chili Mac and Burritos, PB & J’s and Granola. The only meat is pepperoni and tuna packets that can be added to any individual plate.
    Accommodations: We can easily accommodate most food allergies with non-nut, non-seed, and non-dairy based foods.

  • Bunk-Style Sleeping Arrangements – One of the beautiful things about TREK is sharing our living space with one another, kind of like a slumber party! The only difference really is that we’re living outside, sleeping in rustic cabins, tents, and under tarps. 
    Accommodations: If sleeping in a single gender or single sex environment is important to you for comfort, safety, or religious reasons, we can ensure your trip has enough tents to accommodate this. 

  • No Recreational Substance Use – Bringing and/or using recreational drugs or alcohol are not permitted on any TREK program.
    Accommodations: Those with a chemical dependency on a substance will need to connect with a TREK staff member to discuss the feasibility of accommodating this need, which may vary based on trip.

  • No Cellphones – Cell phones are not permitted for personal comfort or social use.
    Accommodations: A participant may request an accommodation for cell phone use during their trip if needed for diagnosed medical or mental health reasons. Many trips may not be able to accommodate all of these needs, so please refer to the trip guide to identify a trip with the amount of connectivity you know you need.

WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN SELECTING YOUR TRIP:

Spiciness Level: 

We give each trip an overall 'spiciness' rating, taking into account the resources available, the physical challenge, the facilities available, and the transportation of equipment.

Facilities Available: 

During the trip, participants will either be sleeping in tents, under tarps, or in 3 or 4 walled shelter. Some trips will have running water available for showering and going to the bathroom. Most trips will not have running water available and will be required to used latrines and dig cat-holes.

Physical Challenge:

Trips have a different level of physical challenge depending on the elevation reached or challenge of activity, hours spent doing physical activity, and how much weight each participants will carry throughout trip.

Transportation and Storage:

Some trips rely on driving each day and return to the same drive-in campsite each night. This allows them to keep belongings in a car or tent each day. Other trips move camp each day and continue dow the trail (or lake or river)! These trips carry all their equipment and food in their backpacks or boats.

SERVICE TREK TRIPS

Service Trips

Working in small groups of 8 TREKkies and 2 TREK Leaders, Service Trip participants engage in a variety of volunteer experiences throughout Vermont. You will also meet and talk with the people who benefit from your service so that you understand the context in which your service occurs. Group journals, local trips, and evening discussions around the dinner table or under the stars give TREKkies a chance to process their experiences. You will also learn about what it means to become part of the UVM community, while experiencing the value of community involvement, social justice, leadership skills, developing great friendships, and living and working as a team. 

You don't need any prior camping or service experience to participate in Service Trips, just an open mind and a sense of adventure. TREK Leaders and site hosts provide all necessary training and special equipment.

Service groups will enjoy summer-camp style lodging, including access to bathrooms and showers. Some service sites, such as trail restoration sites, will not have access to bathrooms during the day. You can coordinate with your group to ensure that your needs are met.   

A Typical Day on a Service Trip

  • Early breakfast (by 8 a.m.) and departure for the service site.
  • Full work day with a lunch break for relaxation and re-energizing.
  • Depending on the day and site, TREKkies may be joined by other volunteers not affiliated with the TREK program.
  • Evenings include reflecting on the day, exploring Vermont and hanging out around the fire.
  • Evening activities help you get to know one another, learn about the local community, and understand the impact of your service on your host agency.

Trip Offerings:

BETTER BURLINGTON

Better Burlington allows the newest members of the UVM Community to explore and serve their new home - Burlington! Past projects have included preparing meals at the Committee on Temporary Shelter, organizing donations at Feeding Chittenden, and connecting with Burlington neighbors alongside UVM's Office of Student & Community Relations. Evenings were filled with walks along the waterfront and Burlington's best creemees.

Recommended Abilities: TREK Leaders and service site hosts provide all necessary training and special equipment. Although you don’t need any special skills to participate in service trips, participants should be prepared for physical labor, like yard work and gardening, for at least 5 hours per day.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION & TRAIL RESTORATION

TREKkies on the Environmental Conservation & Trail Restoration have the unique opportunity to explore Vermont's land through service. Past projects have included working with the Catamount Trail Association on bridge construction, trail maintenance, and clearing new sections of the Catamount Trail, a 300-mile, cross-country ski trail that spans the state of Vermont.

Students should have at least some experience with hiking. See below for additional information and recommended abilities.

Recommended Abilities: TREK Leaders and service site hosts provide all necessary training and special equipment. Although you don’t need any special skills to participate in service trips, participants should be prepared for physical labor, like clearing fallen branches and overgrown foliage on trails, for at least 5 hours per day. Additionally, Catamount Trail participants will hike between 1 and 2 miles out and back into the woods with equipment and personnel for their service.

 

FARM & FOOD

TREKKies will work with a variety of agencies throughout Central Vermont dedicated to promoting food security. This trip explores many aspects of Vermont's "food safety net;" past projects have included gleaning produce with the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps and the Garden at 485 Elm, assisting with food distribution at Vermont Food Bank, and preparing meals at the Committee on Temporary Shelter.

Recommended Abilities: TREK Leaders and service site hosts provide all necessary training and special equipment. Although you don’t need any special skills to participate in service trips, participants should be prepared for physical labor, like gleaning fields, planting for at least 5 hours a day. Access to indoor bathrooms may be limited throughout the day.
 

BUILDING CHANGE

Vermont continues to seek lasting and meaningful solutions to the state's housing crisis. Participants on the Building Change trip work closely with local partners like Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity to create safe housing options. Past projects have included working on Habitat for Humanity build sites, renovating Habitat homes for new tenants, and organizing donations at ReStore. Training will be provided, and an on-site manager will supervise volunteers at all construction projects. Prior construction experience is not necessary.

Recommended Abilities: TREK Leaders and service site hosts provide all necessary training and special equipment. Although you don’t need any special skills to participate in service trips, Habitat for Humanity participants should be prepared for physical labor, like carrying lumber, nailing walls, and lifting various materials for at least 5 hours a day.
 

 

ADVENTURE TREK TRIPS

Long Trail Backpacking:

This trip starts with a campout on the Davis Center Green, before an early morning bus ride on the 19th takes you to your trail head. You and your TREK group will then hike each day to your next campsite along Vermonts Long Trail, a trail that stretches the entire N-S length of Vermont. While backpacking you and your TREK group will be carrying all of your personal and group belongings in your packs.
Long Trail Backpacking is considered a 4/5 on our spiciness scale. You’ll be sleeping in shelters or under tarps, with no access to running water or flushing toilets. The physical challenge of backpacking is high, and while cell phone reception can be found, it is minimal.

Adirondack Backpacking:

This trip starts with a campout on the Davis Center Green, before an early morning bus ride on the 19th takes you to your trail head. You and your TREK group will then hike each day to your next campsite in the Adirondack High Peaks Wilderness. While backpacking you and your TREK group will be carrying all of your personal and group belongings in your packs.
Adirondack Backpacking is considered a 5/5 on our spiciness scale. You’ll be sleeping in shelters or under tarps, with no access to running water or flushing toilets. The physical challenge of backpacking is high, and there is no cell phone reception. External communication is exclusively with our emergency satellite devices.

Adirondack Canoeing:

This trip starts with a campout on the Davis Center Green, before an early morning bus ride on the 19th takes you to your boat launch. You and your TREK group will then Paddle each day to your next campsite in the Adirondack’s lakes and rivers. While canoeing you and your TREK group will be carrying all of your personal and group belongings in your boats.
Adirondack Canoeing is considered a 4/5 on our spiciness scale. You’ll be sleeping in shelters or under tarps, with no access to running water or flushing toilets. The physical challenge of canoeing is moderate, and there is no cell phone reception. External communication is exclusively with our emergency satellite devices.

Lake Champlain Sea Kayak:

This trip starts with a campout on the Davis Center Green, before an early morning bus ride takes you to your boat launch. You and your TREK group will then Paddle in Sea Kayaks each day to your next campsite in the Lake Champlain Islands. While Kayaking you and your TREK group will be carrying all of your personal and group belongings in your boats.
Lake Champlain Sea Kayak is considered a 3/5 on our spiciness scale. You’ll be sleeping in shelters or under tarps, with no access to running water or flushing toilets. The physical challenge of sea kayaking is moderate, and while cell phone reception can be found, it is minimal.

Adirondack Rock & Hike:

This trip starts on the 18th with a drive out to the Adirondack’s High Peaks Region. Each day you’ll either be out rock climbing or hiking New York’s highest peaks. You’ll camp each night at the same state park campground. Campsites are car accessible and all of your personal and group gear will remain at your campsite or in the group van.
Adirondack Rock and Hike is considered 2/5 on our spiciness scale. You’ll be sleeping in tents, with access to running water, coin operated showers and flushing toilets. The physical challenge of rock climbing and day hiking in the High Peaks Region is moderate. At least once a day there is access to cell phone signal for essential communications.

Vermont Multi-Sport:

This trip starts on the 18th with a drive out to Vermont’s Little River State Park. Each day you’ll either be out rock climbing, hiking Vermont’s highest peaks or Canoeing on the Waterbury Reservoir. You’ll camp each night at the same state park campground. Campsites are car accessible and all of your personal and group gear will remain at your campsite or in the group van.
Vermont Multi-sport is considered 1/5 on our spiciness scale. You’ll be sleeping in tents, with access to running water, coin operated showers and flushing toilets. The physical challenge of rock climbing, day hiking and canoeing in Vermont is low (in comparison to our other trips). At least once a day there is access to cell phone signal for essential communications.

Adventure TREK strives to ensure the structure of our programs and leaders of our trips are affirming to anyone regardless of identity. And, we know that some folks may prefer an Adventure TREK experience in a group of peers and leaders that all share a common identity. We have additional offerings you can consider. The goal of these trips is to create a safe and comfortable space where one can enjoy their Adventure TREK experience – they are not intended to focus on exploring identities – they are intended to ensure the TREK program offers joyful experiences for any incoming Catamount!

Long Trail Pride Backpacking:

One of our Long Trail Backpacking trips is led by two students leaders who identify as LGBTQIA+. This is great for students who self-identify as wanting to participate in an all LGBTQIA+ environment.

Adirondack Transfer Backpacking:

One of our Adirondack Backpacking Trips is led by two student leaders who transferred to UVM. And, the deadline for Transfer Students to commit to UVM is almost a month later than for First Time First Year. To ensure there are spaces available to Transfer Students we offer one Long Trail Backpacking trip.