Looking for events on specific dates? Click here to see our public calendar.

Winter Outdoor Women Lead (O.W.L.) Outings

 

OWL is a collaborative project between Maine Outdoor School & Women for Healthy Rural Living. OWL outings are for women ages 16+ and free to participate. Outings are led by a Registered Maine Guide with a minimum of a Wilderness First Aid certification. While all ability levels are welcome, please read the outing description to learn more about the trail and ensure this outing is suited to you. We offer outings of various difficulties throughout the year.

*To determine the difficulty level of outings, we use Maine TrailFinder's difficulty rating system. For more detailed information about these difficulty levels, including visual examples, explore the rating system here.

Spanish language interpreter service is available, as well as a gear library.

Click here for more information on OWL and these outings.

Hospitality Hike

Saturday, April 25th, 11 am - 12 pm

This hike, led by a Registered Maine Guide, will be free to anyone who works in the hospitality industry in Hancock County, and will serve as an experiential introduction to our guiding services.

Our Hospitality Hike will take place at the Jordan Homestead Preserve in Ellsworth on Saturday, April 25th, from 11 am - 12 pm. This is an easy hike less than 1.5 miles long where you'll see what a guided hike with us is like in a beautiful spot. Registration is required as space is limited. Registration opens in March.

Teaching That Moves: Outdoor Learning Made Easy

with the Washington County Education Consortium

Thursday, May 21st from 8:30am-2:30pm at the University of Maine at Machias

In this day-long workshop based inside and outside at UMM, Washington County teachers of any grade or subject will learn about the benefits of outdoor learning, experience several activities they can use with their students, and workshop with each other about how to make an indoor curriculum more outdoorsy. Whether you're new to outdoor education or have attended Maine Outdoor School workshops or programs before, you'll be sure to add something new to your teaching toolbox.

Prepare to have fun, connect with other teachers, feel inspired, and be ready to facilitate meaningful, standards-aligned, outdoor learning with your students tomorrow. This workshop will be led by Maine Outdoor School Owner, Naturalist Educator, and Registered Maine Guide Hazel Stark in collaboration with the Washington County Education Consortium. Register Here

Guided Outings with Maine Outdoor School

Sunday mornings from 10 -11 am. Locations and themes TBD.

  • Sunday, June 14

  • Sunday, June 28

  • Sunday, July 12

  • Sunday, July 26

  • Sunday, August 9

Step off the beaten path and join Haley, Registered Maine Guide, for one-hour hikes on lesser-known local trails—where the crowds thin, the pace slows, and the connection to nature runs deeper. You don’t need a whole day or a backpack full of gear. These one-hour walks are crafted for adults who want meaningful experiences in nature without a major time commitment. Stretch your legs, clear your mind, and learn something new. Registration opens in May

Day Camp--for adults

Dates TBA, June 2026

Are you an adult who misses summer camp? Here's your opportunity to make some new summer camp memories as an adult!

Summer camp opportunities to learn, have fun, and grow shouldn't just be for kids!

These pop-up mini summer camps will dive deep into Maine’s natural world through games, exploration, and art with MOS CEO and Registered Maine Guide Hazel Stark. Camp is for participants 18+ and priced per participant. Registration opens in April.

Summit for a Cause

with Women for Healthy Rural Living

Ten women will join Registered Maine Guide Hazel Stark on July 31 – August 2, to experience the splendor and adventure of Katahdin.

Summit for a Cause is a unique opportunity to hike Katahdin, an elevation of 5269′, within a supportive community of women. It’s a way to connect with nature and one another while working to achieve a goal that offers a deep sense of accomplishment.

This is a peer-to-peer fundraising event for Women for Healthy Rural Living’s Elaine Hill Memorial Nursing Scholarship, which provides financial assistance to Washington and Hancock Counties residents pursuing a post-secondary nursing education.

Apply here

Custom Outdoor Experiences

Interested in a guided hike or other outdoor learning experience? Visit our Guiding page to schedule your own personalized event!

Virtual Programs

Check out the Outdoor Women Lead (OWL) series, which aims to teach outdoor and naturalist skills through videos, blog posts, and suggested backyard activities. Also visit our Virtual Programming site, which includes a variety of videos that aim to get you engaged in outdoor learning in your own backyard or at a local park or hiking trail.

Past Events

  • 5th Annual New Year’s Eve Sunset Hike with Crabtree Neck Land Trust, Winter ‘25

  • OWL Outing Club for Women foraging, learning about unique organisms, and winter survival with Women for Healthy Rural Living, Winter ‘25

  • Community Hike with the Out in the Open and Frenchman Bay Conservancy, Fall ‘25

  • Little Cranberry Naturalist Camp with Islesford Boatworks, Summer ‘25

  • Riverside Family Scientist Series with Ellsworth Public Library, Frenchman Bay Conservancy, and Woodlawn Museum, Summer ‘25

  • Forest Camp Day, thanks to community support, Summer ‘25

  • Watershed Camp with Maine Coast Heritage Trust, Summer ‘25

  • OWLette Girls Camp with Women for Healthy Rural Living, Summer ‘25

  • Map & Compass Basics for Women and their Families wth Women for Healthy Rural Living, Spring ‘25

  • “Take Any Subject Outside” Workshop at Dear Teacher Conference with Island Readers and Writers, Fall ‘24