Tanglewood’s Adventure Trips, ages 10-15

Maine’s coastal waters and inland hills provide perfect settings to learn skills in cooperation, ecology, communication, and living lightly on the land. Adventure Trips are for those looking for a physically and mentally challenging experience or training in outdoor skills.

All trips practice “Leave No Trace” camping procedures where campers leave behind most of the usual comforts of home. Backpacking is defined as carrying your food, clothing, and shelter in a backpack while hiking from site to site. Adventure Trips are generally limited to 5-8 campers, under the guidance of two skilled and caring trip leaders. Trips are designed to build self-reliance, foster a sense of stewardship, and create friendships that will last a lifetime! When youth get up close and personal with nature, they discover themselves!

Trip options vary each summer. Keep posted each year for different opportunities.

Goats walking in a forest
Goats foraging at the farm
4 Campers on a peak along the AT
Campers stand at a vista along the Appalachian Trail

Downeast Farm Exploration, ages 10-12

Downeast Farm Exploration takes campers to the Painted Pepper Farm in Steuben, Maine for a week of living and learning on a licensed dairy and Nigerian Dwarf dairy goat farm. 

Spend 5 days in Downeast Maine, camping at the farm where you’ll spend your days learning about goat care, milking dairy goats, collecting seaweed from the nearby tidal flat, and leading the herd on goat walks. We will also visit the nearby Schoodic Peninsula, local lakes, other farms, and whatever delights we discover along the way. Every night will be spent around the campfire with skits and stories before bedtime. 

With ocean access via a tidal inlet, there is ample opportunity for everyone to explore the diverse array of delights Downeast Maine has to offer. The week is packed with all the fun of living on a farm with the bonus of sampling the dairy delights from the farmstand. Campers will stay at Tanglewood their first night and return Friday before lunch. Due to health and safety considerations and farm biosecurity, every camper must have a pair of coveralls and pull-on muck boots that have not been at any other farm. 

Painted Pepper Farm has a long history as a Hancock County 4-H Program. We are thrilled to introduce our camper families to this 4-H experience. If you are familiar with the goats that spend their summers at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove, you know the herd of Painted Pepper! 

This trip is limited to a maximum of 8 participants.

  • Trip level
    • Easy. Comfortable and moving around on uneven surfaces 
  • Experience required
    • None
  • Departs from Lincolnville

Ages: 10-12                  Cost: TBD       Packing List

Program Dates:

Week 2: June 29-July 4, 2025

Intro to Backpacking: The Great Circle Loop Trail, 13-15 yrs

Climbing to high altitudes and descending into deep valleys, this trip is the perfect expedition for those who really love hiking and the outdoors!

Spend 4 days along the Great Circle Loop Trail learning all about Leave No Trace and lightweight backpacking.  This trip has followed several different routes over years including:

  • Starting at the south end of Nahmakanta Lake and continuing south to the Gulf Hagas area, covering over 40 miles of the “wildest” section of the Appalachian Trail,
  • starting at the Gulf Hagas area and following the trail southbound to Borestone Mountain,
  • or, following routes that fit the passions of our leaders.

The week is packed with personal and group challenges, great views, and lots of fun. Participants experience what it means to carry all you need on your back and have the opportunity to meet through-hikers on their way to Katahdin or Georgia!  This is a journey you will never forget!

This trip is limited to a maximum of 8 participants.

  • Trip level
    • Advanced. Good physical condition is a requirement.
  • Experience required
    • Previous hiking experience
  • Departs from Lincolnville

Ages: 13-15                   Cost: TBD       Packing List

Program Dates: 

Week 6: July 27-August 1, 2025