Fall 2025 Registration Is Now Live!

For 3 days/2 nights, adults can join us in the Oregon backcountry for a unique and rewarding outdoor adventure experience. Our one-of-a-kind model teaches: backcountry skills, confidence, learning from nature, Leave No Trace, dedication to safety, and fun! With two guides leading a group of up to 10 adults, we offer a 1:5 guide to participant ratio. We provide all food and group gear (e.g., tents, camp stoves, water filters), and each participant brings a backpack, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad as key personal gear you'll need. We have a full gear closet available to you for any items you do not already own.

Get Early Bird Pricing by booking before January 31st! We offer scholarships on a sliding scale from 15% to 100% tuition coverage, and all are encouraged to apply.

In 2025 we are offering two adult backpacking Expeditions:

• LGBTQ+ Trip to Three Fingered Jack
• Women in Wilderness: Pamelia Lake Loop

What’s New for 2025: Shuttle Service, 4-Day Adventures, and Weekday Dropoffs

We’re thrilled to share some big updates for the upcoming 2025 season! Our adventure offerings are expanding, and we’ve made some adjustments based on your valuable feedback to ensure an even better experience for everyone.

New Trip Formats:

We’re sticking with our popular 7-day/6-night expeditions, but for those looking for a shorter adventure, we’re introducing a brand-new 4-day/3-night format! This option is perfect for adventurers with tighter schedules who still want to immerse themselves in Oregon’s backcountry.

Shuttle Service:

We heard your concerns about traffic during pickup and drop-off times, and we’re excited to announce that we’ll now offer a shuttle service from Salem and Portland! This new service aims to reduce stress and make transportation to and from our trips more convenient.

Revised Schedule:

This year, all youth trips will begin on Tuesdays, a change from previous seasons aimed at simplifying logistics and making planning easier. The new schedule, paired with our morning shuttle drop-offs before the workday starts, will make for a more convenient and accessible start to your adventure.

We’re looking forward to another incredible season of adventures and can’t wait to have you join us.

Are you ready for an Opal Creek Expedition?

Our adult backpacking adventures are open to anyone 18 and up who’s ready to connect with nature, challenge themselves, and have fun. If you are wondering if a trip is right for you, please review our Essential Eligibility Criteria and difficulty levels.

Opal Creek provides all food (snacks and meals), tents, water filters, stoves, fuel, first aid, cookware, bug spray/sunscreen, and bear/animal-proofing. You are required to bring personal items and equipment, though we have a gear library for your use with extra sleeping bags, backpacks, sleeping pads, water bottles, and dishes. View the full packing list for more details.

Drop Off & Transportation

Adult Expeditions are launched from the Minto Brown Island Park in Salem. Our new shuttle service will be departing from Portland Oregon!

Cancellation Policy

Your reservation is fully refundable at least 60 days out from the trip start date. Within 60 days, this trip is no longer refundable. If this is a problem for you, we strongly recommend purchasing trip insurance. Visit SquareMouth to get a quote from many different trip insurance providers. If you'd like "cancel for any reason" insurance, there's usually a requirement that you acquire it within a short window after booking your trip.