Welcome, First Year Huskies!
Join UWild for an Epic Adventure! Join your fellow first year huskies on the adventure of a lifetime. Our outdoor adventures are here to help you connect with other first year students before your first day of school. Experience the thrill of car camping, kayaking, and backpacking while connecting with 8-12 fellow first-year Huskies. Discover the breathtaking beauty of the Pacific Northwest and make lasting memories in the great outdoors!
Summer 2026 Trips
We have some very exciting trips planned for this Summer 2026. Read on to learn more!
Hoh River Backpacking
Explore the heart of Olympic National Park by hiking along the iconic Hoh River Trail. The Hoh Rainforest is the largest temperate rainforest in the US and is famous for its remarkably quiet atmosphere and mossy trees. This mostly flat route is a perfect introduction for beginner backpackers.
Dates:
- 7/27 – 7/30
- 8/24 – 8/27
Difficulty: Easy – Moderate
Price: $550
Mt.Rainier Backpacking
Embark on a backpacking adventure within legendary Mt. Rainier National Park. Hike alongside the majestic mountain, crossing crystalline streams and passing meadows filled with wildflowers and marmots. This route includes some elevation gain, so prepare for strenuous hiking.
Date: 8/12 – 8/16
Difficulty: Moderate to Hard
Price: $500
Olallie lake Backpacking
On this three-day backpacking trip, on your first day you will hike up to Talapus Lake and enjoy a relaxing night. On day two you will hike up to Olallie Lake a stunning alpine lake where you can swim and take in the stunning view on a crystal-clear lake nestled in the cascade mountains. This trip is perfect for those who want to see if they would like backpacking without having to commit to a longer trip!
Date: 8/17 – 8/19
Difficulty: Moderate to Hard
Price: $350
Olympic National Park Backpacking
Escape to the rugged beauty of the Olympic Peninsula on a long weekend adventure from sea to sky. We’ll start with a night of car camping at Salt Creek Campground on the coast, exploring tide pools and watching the sunset over the ocean before heading into the mountains the next day. We’ll backpack a few miles up to the stunning alpine basin of Lake Angeles, where we’ll spend two nights camping, relaxing by the lake, and hiking up to Klahhane Ridge for sweeping views of the Olympics and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Date: 8/28 – 8/31
Difficulty: Moderate to Hard
Price: $550
Lake Crescent Kayaking
Embark on a kayaking adventure in the iconic Olympic Peninsula, spending the day paddling on Lake Crescent. You’ll explore famous sites via kayak such as nearby Devil’s Punch Bowl and Marymere Falls. If time allows, you may even hike up and Mt. Storm King. At night, you’ll camp alongside the shores of the lake. This trip is perfect for kayaking aficionados and new kayakers alike.
Date: 9/8 – 9/11
Difficulty: Easy
Price: $500
Enchantments Day Hike Series
The Enchantments is an alpine wonderland of pristine lakes set among polished granite, soaring peaks, blazing larches, and ambling mountain goats. Widely regarded as the crown jewel of hiking in Washington, this trail exceeds even the wildest of superlatives. Based out of a single campsite, each day you’ll tackle a different alpine lake via day hikes averaging 8-10 miles and 2,000+ feet of elevation gain.
Date: 8/3 – 8/7
Difficulty: Most Difficult
Price: $550
Summit Series
Experience the Summit Series, an exclusive outdoor adventure series tailored for thrill-seekers who yearn to hike nature’s grandest landscapes, including the iconic peaks of Mt. Si, Mt. Erie, and Mt. Pilchuck. Guided by experts and surrounded by breathtaking vistas, participants embark on unforgettable journeys filled with exploration, challenge, and camaraderie. This trip is quite strenuous and is best fit for those who enjoy strenuous cardio regularly.
Date: 9/1-9/6
Difficulty: Most Difficult
Price: $600
Financial Assistance
We are pleased to partner with the New Student & Transfer Programs Office to provide partial funding for our courses!
Funding is available on a “first come, first served” basis for any incoming first year students that have a demonstrated financial need and/or come from traditionally undeserved populations within higher education broadly and outdoor recreation in particular. Unfortunately, we cannot offer funds to all applicants, but we will try our best to ensure the funds are divided equitably and justly!
To apply for financial assistance, simply click “I would like to apply for the Adventure Fund” at the bottom of your application and complete the prompted questions!
Payment
A member of UWild’s staff will contact you via email and/or text if you have been accepted on a trip. We may have supplemental questions at that time to ensure the program is a good fit and to answer any questions you may have regarding the course prior to your registration!
After you have been contacted and accepted into the course we will follow up with a separate payment portal to complete course fees. Course fees can be paid with either credit card or billed through tuition.
Frequently Asked Questions
You will be tent camping on all trips! The campgrounds vary in what kind of amenities they have, each campsite will have a toilet but there is no guarantee that they will have showers. On our backpacking trips you will be sleeping in backcountry sites so there will be no amenities.
Fellow UW students trained in wilderness education lead UWild’s FYA trips. These instructors will guide you through the development of outdoor skills and provide insights into their experience as a UW student and introduce campus resources.
Your trip starts and ends at the best spot on campus, the Waterfront Activities Center, the home of UWild Adventures. Located on the shore of Lake Washington and a short walk from the University of Washington Light Rail Station. Post-trip pick-up is easy as there is plenty of parking, and the light rail to the airport.
We suggest you find trips that fit an honest reflection of your physical abilities, not just the date that fits a busy summer schedule. Once we leave the trailhead the group is committed to completing the trip together, there are not typically easy exits mid-course so please pick a trip that suits your abilities.
Transportation from the WAC to the trip trailhead/put-in and back to the WAC, meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), and all group gear (backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, and cookware, etc.) will be provided. After registration, you’ll receive a packet with detailed information about meeting times and places, preparation suggestions, a packing list, and other important information. You will have to provide your own snacks.
This policy is specific to FYA trips, school year and day trips have a different policy.
- Cancellations made 30 days before the trip start date will receive a full refund.
- Cancellations after 30 days result in a 100% loss of the registration fee.
- Failure to attend a trip results in a 100% loss of the registration fee.
- If you decide to leave the trip early, that will result in a 100% loss of the registration fee.
- Cancellations by UWild Adventures, will result in a full refund
- There are no exceptions to the policy, including illness, injury, family emergencies, etc
If you registered in person, you must initiate an in-person refund by visiting the IMA Member Services desk (3924 Montlake Blvd NE, Seattle, WA 98195) during operating hours.
If you registered online, you must initiate an online refund by e-mailing ahryan@uw.edu.
UW offers several parking lots near the WAC. At this time, UWILD is unable to provide free parking. However, the lots surrounding the WAC offer hourly or daily paid parking.
Our closest parking lots are E19 (directly in front of the building), E21, and E20. Just a short walk from the WAC is E18, which is the most affordable daily option at $8 per day.
UW uses PayByPhone, a mobile app for parking payments, so please make sure to download and set it up before arriving on campus.
You can find more parking information here:
https://transportation.uw.edu/park/visitor
Important: If your trip overlaps with a football game, do not park near the WAC. A special permit is required on game days, and vehicles without the proper permit will be ticketed and towed to E1.
The UW football schedule can be found here:
https://gohuskies.com/sports/football/schedule
The Seattle area has two airports: Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and Paine Field in Everett. Paine Field is quite small, so we generally recommend flying into SEA for the most flight options.
From SEA, you can take the Link Light Rail ($3- flat fee). Inside the airport, simply follow the signs to Public Transportation. Once at the light rail station, look for the 1 Line, which runs approximately every 15 minutes. Take the train northbound to the University of Washington Station, located right outside Husky Stadium and about a 5-minute walk to the WAC.
SEA also has taxis available 24/7, as well as convenient Uber and Lyft pickup areas. We recommend pre-booking your Uber or Lyft when possible to help secure the lowest price and ensure a quick pickup.
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