Hi-Desert Youth Leadership Expedition (12+)

This is a single-day field outing in Joshua Tree National Park that features a range of activities, including orientation, hiking, leave no trace, and community building.

This is a moderate activity - less than 2 miles with little or no elevation gain, shade and seating may be available. 

Sarah is a grassroots educator, artist, and chef who values an exploratory, hands-on approach to perceiving and interacting with the world around us. Sarah moved to the high desert in 2016, and her natural curiosity about the environment sparked several projects that brought people together to explore our relationship to the land through botany, food, and hiking.

This youth leadership program is designed specifically for youth aged 12 and up. Students will be guided through fun and challenging outdoor activities and introduced to responsible recreation principles, wilderness safety and survival skills, and desert ecology. Participants will build a basic survival kit to bring with them on our afternoon hike, and we will learn how to build an improvised shelter with minimal materials. Participants will learn to use a map and compass and then practice navigation skills while scrambling through Hidden Valley. This entry-level adventure course is designed to provide students with a hands-on, experiential understanding of safe and responsible outdoor recreation. The activities will require students to flex critical thinking skills, exercise good judgment in a secure environment, and aim to build confidence and trust in oneself. Lunch will be provided. 

All required items participants need to bring for the course: Students should wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts for our daytime activities and should come with adequate sun protection (sunscreen, sunglasses, brimmed hats). All participants will need to bring a sweater, a daypack or school backpack, and a water bottle. Any other pertinent information: This program is designed for youth aged 12-18. If the participant falls outside this age range, please get in touch with Desert Institute before enrolling. Please notify us of any allergies (including food allergies) or medical conditions.

Photo credit: Benazir Erdahl, Desert Institute Manager