Looking for events on specific dates? Click here to see our public calendar.
Spring OWL Outings
May 18: Flowers at the Pike Lands in Lubec, 1 - 4 pm. Register Here
June 15: Spring Plants and Birds at Taft Point, 1 - 4 pm. Registration to come
OWL outings are for women ages 16+.
Click here for more information on OWL and these outings. OWL is a collaborative project between Maine Outdoor School and Women for Healthy Rural Living.
OWL - Orienteering Basics
with Women for Healthy Rural Living
Knowing how to use a map and compass can be the difference between a fun outdoor adventure and a scary one. Your phone or GPS won’t always work, but a compass and your brain will—if you know how to use them! Learn how to use a compass, take bearings, and triangulate your location through this two-part course with Registered Maine Guide Hazel Stark.
Day one (Saturday, April 27th) will be based at Milbridge Commons Wellness Park to learn the basics and get some hands-on practice. Day two (Sunday, April 28th) will be in the woods, where you’ll apply your new skills. Compasses will be available to borrow, but bring your own if you have one!
OWLette 2024
with Women for Healthy Rural Living
June 24 – 27 at Milbridge Commons Wellness Park
OWLette is a summer day camp for girls, ages 11 – 14. Campers learn outdoor, naturalist and gardening skills in an inclusive, non-competitive environment. Camp begins at 9am and ends at 3pm. Registration will be run on a lottery basis. Registration for the lottery is open through May and campers will be finalized the first week of June. Register Here
Forest Camp
with Downeast Coastal Conservancy
July 15-18th at Machias River Preserve
Forest Camp is for youth ages 10-13. Campers will be able to explore and learn about the forest ecosystem through hands-on activities and games.
Activities will range from active scavenger hunts to mindful journaling, providing campers the opportunity to connect with each other and the natural world. Camp will become a place for discovery as we trek down the trail, building our hiking skills and engaging in thoughtful dialogue and hands-on lessons that will spark imaginations while encouraging critical thinking. Registration will be run on a lottery basis to give all families a fair chance at a spot in our popular camp. Registration for the lottery is open April 1st – June 3rd. Register Here
OWL Skill Series: "Mother's Day Mapping"
with Women for Healthy Rural Living
Saturday, May 11, 1-4 pm at Milbridge Commons Wellness Park
Join us for an OWL skill-building workshop: Mother's Day Mapping!
Celebrate Mother’s Day weekend with a family-friendly orienteering event held at Milbridge Commons. Practice using a map and compass to take bearings all while moving your way through a fun scavenger hunt! Come learn and explore with your family on this special weekend. This program will be led by Registered Maine Guide Hazel Stark. Register Here
Summit for a Cause
with Women for Healthy Rural Living
Ten women will join Registered Maine Guide Hazel Stark on August 2 – 4, 2024, to experience the splendor and adventure of Mount Katahdin. This is a peer-to-peer fundraising event where participants raise $1,500 to participate. The money raised during this fundraiser will go towards Women for Healthy Rural Living’s Incredible Edible Milbridge program, which provides free, pick-your-own vegetable gardens and education initiatives designed to make our community stronger, healthier, and more food-independent.
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
Summer Naturalists Series on MDI with The Naturalist’s Notebook, Summer and Fall ‘23
Orienteering Course with Women for Healthy Rural Living, Fall ‘22 and Spring ‘23
Spring Observations family-friendly hike with Blue Hill Public Library and Downeast Audubon, Spring ‘23
OWL Outing Club for Women tree identification, animal signs, and nature journaling with Women for Healthy Rural Living, Spring ‘23
Annual New Year’s Eve Sunset Hike with Crabtree Neck Land Trust, Winter ‘22
Forest Camp at Machias River Preserve with Downeast Coastal Conservancy, Summer ‘22.
OWLette Girls Camp with Women for Healthy Rural Living, Summer ‘22.