Looking for events on specific dates? Click here to see our public calendar.
Do you miss the summer fun of your childhood? Want to explore the outdoors, learn new skills, and make friends?
MOS Pop-up Day Camp--for adults!
(for campers 18+)
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 $250/day per participant.
Native Maine Plants: Friday, July 11th, 9:30-1:30 at Walden-Parke, Bangor.
Register Here
Maine Animals: Monday, July 14th, 9:30-1:30 at Camden Snowbowl.
Guided Experiences
(for ages 18+)
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. Whether you're a curious local, a thoughtful visitor, or just a nature-lover, Maine Outdoor School will guide you to greater curiosity, knowledge, and respect for the land.
Saturday mornings from 10-11 am. Cost is $75 per program, or $50 each if you sign up for all four. We are also offering an Educator’s Discount of 15% off ($63.75/program or $42.50/program if you sign up for all four).
July 12th: Tiny Natural Wonders @ Babson Creek Preserve
July 26th: Fog Ecology @ Kelley Farm Preserve
August 9th: Intertidal Exploration @ Blue Horizons Preserve
August 23rd: Community/Citizen Science @ Babson Creek Preserve
Register Here
MOS Family Adventures
for all ages
This summer, step into nature as a family on trails that spark wonder, curiosity, and connection. These outings are designed for families to explore nature together in bite-sized programs exploring different themes through games and observations each time—think coastal forests, farms, meadows, and salt marshes.
Form stronger bonds with each other and with the natural world.
$150/family (2-6 people), Thursdays from 3:30-5 pm
July 10th: Birds at the Salt Marsh @ Babson Creek
July 17th: Bugs & Insects @ Kelley Farm
July 24th: Animal Adaptations @ Babson Creek
July 31st: Forests and How They Change @ Kelley Farm
August 7th: Survival Skills @ Babson Creek
August 14th: Nature Art @ Kelley Farm
August 21st: Nature Trivia @ Babson Creek
Register here
Thanks to Maine Coast Heritage Trust for your support of this program series!
Wilderness Survival: Fire and Foraging
with Women for Healthy Rural Living
July 10th, 2 - 5 pm, Tunk Stream Campsite
What would you do if you found yourself unexpectedly having to spend a night outdoors? In this hands-on workshop, we’ll explore essential wilderness survival priorities—with a special focus on the skills of fire-making and foraging.
Together, we’ll learn how to assess basic survival needs, practice building and lighting fires safely with what we can find outside, and develop foraging skills that could help ensure a positive outcome. This workshop will equip beginners with practical knowledge and confidence in the world of outdoor survival and offer a fun and supportive space to connect with nature and each other.
Come ready to get your hands dirty, spark your curiosity, and take your wilderness know-how to the next level!
This program is open to women, as well as their families, though feel free to come on your own! Ages 10+ welcome with a parent.
Summer O.W.L Outings
July 15: Crepuscular Crawl at the Hidden Ponds trail by Tunk Mountain, 6 - 7:30 pm Register Here
July 19: Hiking 101 at Pigeon Hill Shore Trail, 3 - 4:30 pm. Register Here
OWL outings are for women ages 16+. Free to participate
Looking for more outings? See our other upcoming events with WHRL below!
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.
Riverside Family Scientists
with Frenchman Bay Conservancy, Woodlawn Museum, and Ellsworth Public Library
1-2 pm Tuesdays (dates below) at Ellsworth Public Library
Join us this summer for Riverside Family Scientists, a series of interactive nature-based science activities suitable for all ages. Led by a Maine Outdoor School Naturalist Educator, activities will be both fun and educational. Each week will feature a different topic, so please attend them all!
July 8th: Opening A Nature Journal
July 15th: Meeting the Locals - Flowers & Pollinators
July 22nd: Meeting the Locals - Trees & Undergrowth
July 29th: Meeting the Locals - Watersheds & Dwellers
August 5th: Meeting the Locals - Little Critters (bugs, frogs, mammals)
August 12th: Nature Inspires Art & Closing a Journal
Participation is free, registration is required. Registration is per individual event. Please register through EPL’s online summer calendar.
Forest Camp
Friday, August 1st at the Machias River Preserve
Campers (youth ages 10-13) will 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.
If your child loves exploring nature or wants to grow their confidence outdoors, this camp is for you! We’ll learn about the forest creatures, grow stewardship skills, engage in scientific inquiry, and get messy as we step into leadership roles and into nature.
Camp is free, but spots are limited and advance registration is required. Registration will be run on a lottery basis. Register here. Registration closes 7/15
MOS Youth Pop-Up Nature Camps
(for campers ages 10-14)
This summer, give your child the gift of wonder, confidence, and muddy knees. MOS Pop-Up Youth Nature Camps are designed for kids who love to explore—or are ready to fall in love with the outdoors. Each day has two sessions, so your child can join for half or the full day! With changing locations across Eastern Maine, each day offers fresh trails, new skills, and the joy of unplugged play in nature’s classroom.
Each camp day is held at a different location around Eastern Maine, selected for its unique ecology, terrain, and natural features— bog boardwalks, forest clearings, rocky beaches, or quiet streams. Morning sessions will run from 9-12, and afternoons will run from 12-3. Participants will need to bring their own lunch if staying for lunch.
August 4th, Naturalist ID @ Walden-Parke Preserve,Bangor
AM: Get to Know Your Nature Neighbors
PM: Nature ID Challenge
August 11th, Survival Skills @ Blue Horizons, Bar Harbor
AM: Fire & Water
PM: Shelter & Navigation
August 18th, Creative Exploration, @ Camden Snow Bowl
AM: Sticks & Stones
PM: Choose Your Creation
Full Day (6 hours): $250/camper
Half Day (3 hours): $150/camper
Can’t quite afford camp? We offer a sliding scale starting at $100 for full days and $75 for half days. Please note what you are able to pay when you fill out our registration form.
Registration Opens Soon
Outdoor Discovery for the Whole Family
with Women for Healthy Rural Living
September 27th, behind Milbridge Elementary School, 1:00 pm
Are you looking to unplug and reconnect with nature and each other? Join a Registered Maine Guide from Maine Outdoor School for an afternoon of outdoor fun and exploration. Through engaging nature games, fascinating facts, and time to connect with other local families, you’ll come away with fresh ideas for spending more time outside together.
This event will be at the woods and field behind Milbridge Elementary School.
All ages are welcome! This event is free, but registration is required. Registration will open in mid-August.
Watershed Camp
with Maine Coast Heritage Trust
August 12-15, 2025 along the Orange River in Whiting
For youth ages 10-13.
Through activities such as canoeing, hiking, hands-on exploration, active nature games, and mindful journaling, campers will be introduced to their local watershed and equipped with the knowledge and skills for a lifetime of scientific learning. They will also receive a first-hand introduction to the field of conservation and stewardship, while growing confidence recreating outdoors and developing a strong connection to the natural world.
This program is FREE, but there are limited spots and advance registration is required. Registration will be a lottery to give all families a fair chance at a spot in the popular camp. Registration for the lottery opens April 1st and participants will be notified after June 15th if they have been selected.
Registration has closed
Homeschool Orienteering Programs
with Independent Downeast Educational Alliance (IDEA)
Tues, September 30th at Schoodic/Black Mountain from 12:30 - 3:30 pm
Put your map and compass skills to the test! From the summit of Pigeon Hill or Schoodic Mountain, brush up on your ability to triangulate and identify distant landmarks using only a map and compass. These programs are designed for people who already know how to take bearings using a compass and are looking to maintain and improve their existing orienteering skills.
This program series is designed for the Independent Downeast Educational Alliance (IDEA) of homeschoolers. For more information and to register, email independentdowneast@gmail.com.
Map and Compass: Practice Your Skills!
with Women for Healthy Rural Living
October 5th, 1-3 pm, Milbridge Commons
Have you used a map and compass before, but are out of practice? Or maybe you’ve forgotten the basics altogether? Your phone or GPS won’t always work, but a map and compass will–if you’re confident in your skills! This program will go over map and compass basics for folks who are new to these tools and will serve as a review for those who are old pros. Orienteering with a map and compass is a skill that must be used or lost, so let’s use it and stay fresh! Registrants will receive a brief handout on the basics before the program to ensure everyone knows what to expect during the program. Register 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
Map & Compass Basics for Women and their Families wth Women for Healthy Rural Living, Spring ‘25
Annual New Year’s Eve Sunset Hike with Crabtree Neck Land Trust, Winter ‘24
OWL Outing Club for Women finding fungi, discovering mosses and mushrooms, and learning tips on winter plant identification with Women for Healthy Rural Living, Fall ‘24
“Take Any Subject Outside” Workshop at Dear Teacher Conference with Island Readers and Writers, Fall ‘24
Community Hike with the Natural Resources Council of Maine and Frenchman Bay Conservancy, Fall ‘24
Family Watershed Program with Beech Hill Pond Lake Association, Summer 24
Riverside Family Scientist Series with Ellsworth Public Library and Frenchman Bay Conservancy, Summer ‘24
Watershed Camp with Maine Coast Heritage Trust, Summer ‘24
Forest Camp with Downeast Coastal Conservancy, Summer ‘24
OWLette Girls Camp with Women for Healthy Rural Living, Summer ‘24