Looking for events on specific dates? Click here to see our public calendar.
Summer O.W.L Outings
June 22: Canoeing on Orange River, 10 am - 2 pm. Join our Waitlist Here
July 15: Crepuscular Crawl at Tunk Mountain, 6 - 7:30 pm
July 19: Hiking 101 at Pigeon Hill Shore Trail, 3 - 4:30 pm.
OWL outings are for women ages 16+. Free to participate
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. Please register through EPL’s online calendar: Registration to come
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.
OWLette Camp
with Women for Healthy Rural Living
June 23-26th, Milbridge Commons Wellness Park
OWLette is a summer day camp for girls and non-binary youth, ages 11 – 14.
Campers learn outdoor, naturalist and gardening skills in an inclusive, non-competitive environment. Camp begins at 9am and ends at 3pm; however, campers can arrive as early as 8 am and leave as late as 4 pm.
Registration has closed
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