Local Outdoor-Ed Programs
Interested in getting your Wilderness First Aid certification, exploring the natural sciences firsthand, or fostering your child’s outdoor leadership skills? Fortunately, Bozeman is rich with outdoor-education programs for adults and kids.
Headwaters Academy is a private middle school whose curriculum includes a strong outdoor-education component. Students spend eight days a year on outdoor excursions—including two three-day wilderness trips—to study the natural sciences, environmental issues, and outdoor leadership skills. headwatersacademy.org.
The Montana Outdoor Science School (MOSS) teaches hands-on science in the outdoors. Their classes include after-school programs, residential programs, and summer camps. Additionally, MOSS works with other schools to incorporate wilderness excursions into their science curricula. MOSS offers adult programs as well. outdoorscience.org.
The Yellowstone Institute is a nonprofit field school that provides comprehensive learning experiences for visitors to Yellowstone Park. Using the Park as a classroom, they offer field seminars with expert guides, which cover subjects such as animal biology, photography, and geology. In addition, they offer backpacking courses and private guided tours. yellowstoneassociation.org/institute.
Crossing Latitudes hosts Wilderness Medicine Institute courses for various scout organizations, outdoor schools, and outfitters. In addition to leading trips worldwide, they facilitate Wilderness First Aid and Wilderness First Responder Courses in Bozeman throughout the spring. crossinglatitudes.com.
Outdoor Wilderness Leadership School (OWLS) offers adult certification programs in professional outdoor leadership skills. The school provides Wilderness First Responder, Wilderness Leadership, and Swiftwater Rescue instruction. Programs are available for college credit. owlsadventures.com.
Aerie Backcountry Medicine provides many certification classes in wilderness medicine, including Wilderness First Responder and Wilderness First Aid. Though it’s based in Missoula, Aerie offers courses nationwide and offer several courses in Bozeman this spring. aeriemedicine.com.
