Key Takeaways:
- Colleges across the U.S. offer plenty of opportunities for students who love outdoor activities like skiing, hiking, and paddle boarding.
- These colleges also offer academic degrees in environmental and earth sciences, allowing outdoor enthusiasts to combine their love of nature with their education and potential career paths.
- We highlight 25 notable colleges for students who love the outdoors.
If you enjoy skiing, hiking, climbing, paddling, or just being outside, you might want to choose a college that supports your interests. Some schools offer great ways to explore nature while also learning about the environment. Whether you’re hoping to turn your love for the outdoors into a career or just want to keep up your favorite hobbies, there are many colleges that make it easy to do both.
We’ve put together a list of schools for outdoor lovers based on how close they are to the outdoor activities they love and their environmental/outdoor degree programs. No matter what you’re into, there’s a college out there for you.
Best Colleges for Outdoor Enthusiasts
If you want to study the environment or just play in the great outdoors, put these colleges on the top of your list.
1. UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
- Location: Eugene, OR
- Total students: 19,963
- Acceptance rate: 85.1%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Environmental Studies, Environmental Sciences, Geology/Earth Sciences.
The University of Oregon offers an outdoor program that provides facilitated local trips and far-reaching expeditions. As well as a wide range of gear rentals, resources, and clinics. They also offer a bike program that has a DIY bike repair space, bike rentals, events, and maintenance classes. Smith Rock State Park is two hours away from University of Oregon.
2. APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY
- Location: Boone, NC
- Total students: 21,253
- Acceptance rate: 89%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, Environmental Studies, Environmental Engineering Technology, Environmental Technology, Geology/Earth Science, and Environmental Science.
App State offers a variety of outdoor activities and programs such as rock climbing, caving, canoeing, hiking, bouldering, or any other adventure sport, they offer it all. They specialize in small group sizes so they can provide personal instruction and travel lightly. Additionally, their university recreation offers an array of equipment rentals, such as tents, backpacks, canoes, headlamps, sleeping bags, trekking poles, and more! The Appalachian State University Nature Preserve consists of 67 acres of protected woodlands located by the heart of campus.
3. COLORADO MOUNTAIN COLLEGE
- Location: Steamboat Springs, CO – 10 secondary locations throughout Western Colorado
- Total students: 5,673
- Acceptance rate: 100% acceptance
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Ecosystem Science and Stewardship, and Integrated Sustainability, Geology/Earth Science
Outdoor education at CMC Spring Valley goes beyond the classroom, offering hands-on, field-based learning just minutes from top hiking, fishing, climbing, and skiing spots on the Western Slope. Located in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, CMC challenges students with high peaks, rivers, canyons, and steep terrain. Experienced instructors help students develop the skills to become confident outdoor leaders. At the Steamboat Springs campus, students can join ski clubs like the Alpine Ski Team and receive discounts on ski passes, including the Ikon and Epic passes.
4. VERMONT STATE UNIVERSITY
- Location: Lyndon, VT
- Total students: 5,136
- Acceptance rate: 83%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Outdoor education, Leadership, and Tourism (BS), Meteorology, Environmental Studies.
Vermont State University offers a variety of nearby outdoor activities for each campus location. Lyndon campus has access to the Kingdom Trails, Burke Mountain, and the Great Vermont Corn Maze. While the Castleton campus has Lake Bomoseen for swimming, fishing, and paddling, as well as Taconic Mountains Ramble State Park and nearby ski resorts. And the Johnson campus offers hiking, canoeing, and access to the Babcock Nature Preserve. Both the Lyndon Ski and Ride Club and the Outing Club give students access to the outdoors with all the necessary structure and support!
5. UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO
University of Nevada, Reno
- Location: Reno, NV
- Total students: 21,778
- Acceptance rate: 85%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Environmental science, wildlife, fish and wildlands science management, agricultural general, geological/geophysical engineering, forest management/forest resources management, environmental health engineering, atmospheric sciences and meteorology.
The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) is ideally located for enjoying a wide range of outdoor activities, with Lake Tahoe and the High Sierras nearby. Activities such as hiking, biking, water sports at Lake Tahoe, and exploring the Truckee River are also available. Additionally, Galena Creek Regional Park, Rancho San Rafael Park, and the Truckee River Walk offer closer-to-campus options. The winter club located at UNR is open to all and provides outdoor sports such as alpine skiing, snowboarding, or Nordic skiing. They organize trips to nearby Tahoe ski resorts for all students, whether they join recreationally or competitively.
6. University of Hawaii, Manoa
- Location: Honolulu, HI
- Total students: 19,256
- Acceptance rate: 70%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Tourism and travel services management, marine biology and biology oceanography, natural resources management and policy, environmental design/agriculture, animal sciences, botany/plant biology, environmental science, agroecology and sustainable agriculture
EDVENTURE or Outdoor Education is the University of Hawaii Manoa’s commitment to providing students, faculty, staff and their guests a safe, enjoyable way to get involved and experience what Hawai’i has to offer. They offer beginner classes such as sailing, surfing, scuba, hiking, or even kayaking excursions. They also offer a red cross lifeguard verification class. Equipment is made available for those wanting to further their experiences in the water, mountains, and sunshine. All classes and activities include instruction, equipment, and transportation and are taught using instructors trained in 1st Aid, CPR, and Water Safety.
7. Bowdoin College
Flickr user Paul VanDerWerf
- Location: Brunswick, ME
- Total students: 1,850
- Acceptance rate: 8%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Geology/Earth Sciences, Environmental Studies, and Environmental Chemistry
The Outing Club offers students the opportunity to explore and connect with the nature that surrounds the campus. They provide a wide range of trips across Maine, including day hiking, backpacking, sailing, surfing, canoeing, whitewater rafting and kayaking, mountain biking, stand up paddle boarding, and more.
8. College of the Atlantic
- Location: Bar Harbor, ME
- Total students: 367
- Acceptance rate: 65%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: A human ecology degree which includes many environmental topics such as, climate change and energy, environmental law and politics, field ecology and natural history, and marine science
The Outing Club offers multiple weekly community excursions that vary from season to season. They often explore locations on the island and in beautiful Acadia National Park. Additionally, a few times a term they offer weekend-long camping trips which give students the opportunity to get off the island and explore new parts of Maine, such as Baxter State Park, The Bold Coast, and The Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument.
9. University of California, Santa Cruz
Wikimedia Commons user: Amerique
- Location: Santa Cruz, CA
- Total students: 19,764 total students
- Acceptance rate: 63%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Environmental studies, biology/biological sciences, marine biology and biological oceanography, ecology, geology/earth science, environmental science, plant sciences
The University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) campus and the surrounding Santa Cruz area offer a wide array of outdoor activities. USCS’s Backpacking Club teaches students wilderness skills and organizes trips with varying degrees difficulty for students of all skills and fitness levels.
10. UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
- Location: Salt Lake City, UT
- Total students: 35,260
- Acceptance rate: 87%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Sustainability studies, parks, recreation and leisure studies, environmental studies, geographic information science and cartography, geology/earth science, mining and mineral engineering, atmospheric sciences and meteorology
The University of Utah’s Outdoor Adventures program provide a variety of outdoor trips such as day trips/clinics and weekend/week adventures. Activities such as rock climbing, canyoneering, mountain biking, backpacking, hiking, cross-country skiing, backcountry touring, ice climbing, whitewater rafting/kayaking, are offered! The trip leaders are in constant training to provide a safe and positive learning environment in which participants can develop their outdoor skills.
11. University of Wisconsin, Madison
- Location: Madison, WI
- Total students: 49,605
- Acceptance rate: 43%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Sustainability studies, environmental science, conservation biology, environmental studies, wildlife, fish and wildlands science and management, atmospheric sciences and meteorology
Flickr user Richard Hurd
UW–Madison offers a range of outdoor activities. With over two miles of shoreline on Lake Mendota, Outdoor UW provides kayaking, sailing, and paddle board yoga. The campus also features extensive bike paths for day trips and a 1,200-acre Arboretum showcasing restored prairies, forests, and wetlands, with over 17 miles of trails. The Arboretum supports wildlife habitat and ecosystem preservation. Picnic Point, a mile-long peninsula on Lake Mendota, is one of the most popular campus destinations due to its sweeping views of sky and water!
12. Warren Wilson College
- Location: Swannanoa, NC
- Total students: 797
- Acceptance rate: 78%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Environmental studies, conservation biology, biology/biological sciences, outdoor education
Warren Wilson provides an abundance of outdoor adventures right at the heart of their campus which features 1,100 acres, 25 miles of hiking trails, one river, one climbing wall, a 600-acre forest, two dozen kayaks, one Alpine Tower, and one of the country’s only Outdoor Leadership degree programs. And don’t forget about their Adventure Programs, which give access to exploring the outdoors on their campus and beyond!
13. Michigan Technological University
- Location: Houghton, MI
- Total students: 7,313
- Acceptance rate: 88%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Environmental/environmental health engineering, environmental science, wildlife, fish and wildlands science and management, forestry general, sustainability studies, geological/geophysical engineering, geology/earth science
With an outdoor adventure program that consists of gear rentals to guided trips, Michigan Tech students can explore the beauty of Keweenaw – safely and affordably! The university itself has its own ski and snowboard hill, Mont Ripley, and the Portage Lake Golf Course, both minutes from campus. Additionally, the Tech Trails offer opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, Nordic skiing, snow biking, and snowshoeing. The Keweenaw Waterway and Lake Superior are also nearby, providing options for kayaking, canoeing, and other water sports.
14. University of Alaska, Fairbanks
- Location: Fairbanks, AK
- Total students: 6,640
- Acceptance rate: 65%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Wildlife, fish, and wildlands science and management, mining and mineral engineering, natural resources/conversation, geology/earth science
Flickr user MeRyan
The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) campus and the surrounding Fairbanks area offer a wide array of outdoor activities. UAF has extensive trails for hiking and skiing, while nearby parks and public lands provide opportunities for birdwatching, hiking, camping, fishing, and more. Popular destinations include the Chena River State Recreation Area, Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge, and Denali National Park.
15. PRESCOTT COLLEGE
- Location: Prescott, AZ
- Total students: 909
- Acceptance rate: 99%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Environmental studies, outdoor education, Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture, Sustainability Studies
Prescott College offers a wide array of outdoor activities and educational opportunities, particularly within its Adventure Education program. Students can participate in activities like rock climbing, backcountry skiing, river guiding, and wilderness therapy, with options for field instruction and careers in public land management. Additionally, Prescott National Forest offers trails for hiking, trail running, mountain biking, and horseback riding, while Prescott recreation has areas for fishing, boating, kayaking and standup paddle boarding.
16. University of Colorado, Boulder
- Location: Boulder, CO
- Total students: 41,432
- Acceptance rate: 83.3%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, General / Ecology and Evolutionary Biology / Environmental Studies / Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering / Geography and Environmental Studies / Geology/Earth Science, General
Flickr user James Pfaff
UC Boulder’s Outdoor Pursuits program offers plenty of outdoor programming throughout all seasons. They run hiking and backpacking trips, outdoor rock climbing, fly-fishing, and so much more. You can explore the Flatirons with the Hiking Club or relax at the Boulder Reservoir. Join the Boulder Freeride club for ski and snowboard trips to Eldora Mountain and Rocky Mountain National Park. There are plenty of mountain biking paths including Walker Ranch Loop, Boulder Canyon Trail, and Heil Valley Ranch, just to name a few.
17. University of Wyoming
- Location: Laramie, WY
- Total students: 10,913
- Acceptance rate: 97%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Wildlife Biology / Environmental Science / Natural Resource Recreation and Tourism / Environmental Studies / Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture
UW has an extensive Campus Recreation program, which offers guided outings for all areas of interest. Vedauwoo Recreation Area and Medicine Bow National Forest are close to campus, both offering hiking, mountain biking, and rock climbing. If you’re into skiing, Snowy Range Ski Area is just west of campus and great for beginners. Enjoy fly-fishing in the Laramie River or take the UW horsemanship course if you’re looking to learn about equestrianism.
18. Connecticut College
- Location: New London, CT
- Total students: 1,995
- Acceptance rate: 38%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Environmental Engineering, Environmental Studies, Ecology / Botany/Plant Biology
Connecticut College’s campus is a 750-acre arboretum, which is a living laboratory for scientists to study trees and is open to the public. The college offers free tours of Native Plant Collection and Caroline Black Garden on campus. Arbor Day is taken very seriously at Connecticut College, with special events and activities to celebrate the day. Enjoy the many on-campus trails, or head to nearby Stenger Farm Park or Pachaug State Forest for an incredible change of scenery. Campus is located right on Long Island Sound, a great place to sail and row.
19. The Evergreen State College
- Location: Olympia, WA
- Total students: 2,320
- Acceptance rate: 97%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Environmental studies, Biological and Physical Sciences
The Evergreen State College’s “The Outdoor Program” (TOP) offers many different recreation outings. Hiking, camping, kayaking, and rock-climbing trips are favorites amongst students. You can also rent gear to use at your leisure from the Constantino Recreation Center. Anything from disc golf to kayaks is available for rent. Evergreen’s campus is located across about 1,000 acres of forest with 3,000 feet of untouched shoreline across Puget Sound’s Eld Inlet. There are plenty of walking and biking trails to explore, beaches to relax on, and shoreline to launch a kayak or paddleboard.
20. University of Denver
- Location: Denver, CO
- Total students: 12,387
- Acceptance rate: 71%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Environmental Science / Ecology / Environmental Studies / Geographic Information Science and Cartography
DU Outdoors facilitates all kinds of outdoor programming at its 730-acre wilderness facility in Roosevelt National Forest. The via ferrata, a protected climbing route in the Rocky Mountains, is well-known to students! Master your skills and take a certification course, join a backpacking trip, or learn how to make a campfire with your peers.
The Outdoor Leadership Program also offers outdoor skills training to historically underrepresented students, speaking to the university’s commitment to social justice. The largest club at DU is the Alpine Club, which runs alpine and Nordic skiing trips, ice climbing, dog sledding, and more. Observatory Park is close to campus and has public telescopes to view the beautiful mountain sky at night.
21. Montana State University
- Location: Bozeman, MT
- Total students: 16,960
- Acceptance rate: 87%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Geology/Earth Science / Environmental Science / Sustainability Studies / Plant Sciences / Wildlife, Fish and Wildlands Science and Management / Farm/Farm and Ranch Management
Flickr user: Tim Evanson
Outdoor activities: MSU’s Outdoor Recreation Program is open to all students and offers outdoor recreation trips and courses. Some courses include their Bear Safety Clinic, Intro to Bouldering Clinic, and Avalanche Rescue Clinic, at little or no cost to students. Students are welcome to rent almost any type of gear at a discounted rate. Anything from kayaks to skis and snowboards are available at the nearby Rental Shop.
Bozeman is a playground for outdoor enthusiasts, with Hyalite Canyon and Reservoir, Gallantin National Forest, and Big Sky. Fly fishing and whitewater rafting are easily accessible for students at nearby rivers like the Yellowstone and Madison. No outdoor activity is off-limits for MSU students!
22. Western Washington University
- Location: Bellingham, WA
- Total students: 14,651
- Acceptance rate: 91%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Environmental Science / Environmental Studies / Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies / Geology/Earth Science / Sustainability Studies / Archeology / Marine Sciences / Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography / Energy and Environmental Policy / Geophysics and Seismology / Earth Science Teacher Education / Nature, Leisure & Community Wellness
WWU offers outdoor recreation trips, gear rental, and clinics. Anything from whitewater rafting trips to overnight backpacking trips are offered through the Outdoor Recreation Center. Learn how to slackline, start a fire, or take an outdoor photography workshop. The Outdoor Wellness Program meshes nature-based experiences and mental well-being to create a unique and effective program. Local nature areas include the Sehome Hill Arboretum, and the Shannon Point Marine Center.
23. REED COLLEGE
- Location: Portland, OR
- Total students: 1,458
- Acceptance rate: 27%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Environmental Studies, Biochemistry
ROPE, or Reed Outdoor Programs and Education, is the heart of Reed’s outdoor programming. Students can participate in trips, leadership training, and community outings and have access to gear rentals. Become a certified Wilderness First Responder through ROPE or enter for a chance to join the Mt. Hood expedition climb, which takes place every May. The Reed Canyon Nature Preserve is at the center of campus, which has walking trails and plenty of space to relax with friends.
24. Middlebury College
- Location: Middlebury, VT
- Total students: 2,857
- Acceptance rate: 10%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Environmental Studies / Earth Systems Science
“Midd wiki 2“. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikipedia.
Middlebury Outdoor Programs (MOP) has extensive facilities to help you explore Vermont. Rent outdoor equipment from the Gear Room, participate in a retreat at the Burgin Lodge, or learn how to telemark ski with the Free Heelers club. The Ski and Ride Club is super popular with students, and there are plenty of local trails to walk, hike, and mountain bike. Snake Mountain, the Green Mountain National Forest, and Lake Champlain are close to campus, giving students endless outdoor space. The Middlebury Winter Carnival is student-run and includes ski races, ice shows, and more!
25. San Diego State University
- Location: San Diego, CA
- Total students: 39,241
- Acceptance rate: 34%
- Outdoor/environmental degrees: Environmental Studies / Geography / Environmental Science / Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies / Geology/Earth Science
SDSU’s Aztec Recreation runs outings, workshops, and semester-long trips for any outdoor adventure. Groups of students often head to national parks to hike and rock climb or head to Big Bear or Mammoth Mountain in the winter for downhill skiing and snowboarding. With the Pacific Ocean just in reach of campus, students can spend time relaxing on the beach or learning to surf in their free time.
No matter your outdoor passion, there’s a school that fits your lifestyle. All of these colleges offer the perfect opportunities to explore the great outdoors, study the environment, and meet like-minded students through adventures!
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