Outdoor Odyssey
A 2 minute video introduction
Introduction to Outdoor Odyssey
Outdoor Odyssey is a year-long program for youth to deeply experience and engage in place-based nature connection to receive the plethora of gifts all of our seasons have to offer, while being away from the city and immersed in a magical landscape. Each month the group will retreat (capped at 16) to the Saint Croix River Valley at Wilderness Awakening’s rural campus, Samsara Ridge, just north of St. Croix Falls, WI. For eight of the twelve months, we will camp out together. During the coldest months of December - March, we will have a day-long retreat to experience the heart of winter in the woods at the Minnesota Wildlife Refuge Center.
Each month will feature a different focus, always relating back to naturalist studies, the healing arts, and team building. Naturalist topics include: prairie restoration, forest bathing, animal tracking and shelter building (see below)… This program uniquely provides a chance to know a place throughout the course of a full cycle around the sun. This timeline is proposed to ensure a holistic perspective, and newfound intimate knowing, of a magical nature-scape.
Outdoor Odyssey fosters connection to the natural world, and thus a newfound sense of belonging and self discovery. These twelve retreats provide a gateway for your child to explore their strengths outside the home and classroom environment, to empower resiliency, critical thinking, community belonging, and care for the environment.
Outdoor Odyssey is committed to creating equitable outdoor education environments, ensuring equal access for all, and fostering a culture of inclusivity. This program uplifts and creates space for Queer, Non-Binary, and Trans folk. As a young organization, we are here to learn how to best support youth in their bodies and natural spaces.
Introducing Outdoor Odyssey for Teens!
Outdoor Odyssey began in 2023 for children ages 9-12. When children aged out of the program- their hearts were broken, as were ours!
Teenagers go through so many challenges, and support systems such as Outdoor Odyssey work as an amazing anchor and container to process changes in a healthy way, in our ever forgiving and compassionate setting of Nature. Thus how we came to the Teen Program, which continues to develop wilderness living skills and ecological literacy, self awareness and expression, while providing general nourishment!
The Teens will have the opportunity to share their skills with the Pre-teen cohort, to gain mentorship and leadership skills. Both programs will take place on the 44 acre property of Samsara Ridge over the same weekends.. Certain workshops will overlap among both groups. They will have separate sleeping quarters and separate workshop spaces. The teen program has a stronger emphasis on rite-of-passage work.
Similarities between Pre-Teen O.O. & Teen O.O.
Both programs include:
Hard Skills: Shelter building, Fire Craft, Carving/wood working skills, &
Soft Skills: mapping and nature journaling, self care.
St. Croix River Canoe Trip in the Spring.
Wildlife tracking,
Archery
Mindful-harvesting and crafting
Bird language
Sensory awareness activities
Differences between Pre-Teen O.O. & Teen O.O.
Glamping in the belle tents (separate for girls/boys)
Meals prepared in an outdoor kitchen
Handicrafts - sewing leather and silversmithing
Herbalism ~ salves, tinctures, teas
Day trip down the St. Croix River
Pre-Teen Program (ages 9-12)
Camping in canvas wall tents (separate sleeping for girls/boys/trans & non-binary in colder months
Meals prepared collectively over a fire
Carving skills including making a knife!
Leadership skills (rite of passage work)
Mentoring the pre-teens
Overnight Canoe trip down the St. Croix River
Introduction to Sacred Hunting (for those interested)
Teen Program (ages 13-17)
2025-26 Retreat Dates
September 26-28, 2025
October 24-26, 2025
November 7-9, 2025
December 6, 2025
January 31, 2026
February 28, 2026
March 14, 2026
April 24-26, 2026
May 15-17, 2026
June 26-28, 2026
July 10-12, 2026
August 7-9, 2026
Past Retreat Insights
The Lotus Belle Tent at night lit up…
Schedule
Weekend Retreat Schedule :
Friday evening arrival ~ 5-6 pm
Sunday ~ Closing circle + Pickup ~ 1 pm
*At this time if you’d like to explore the land as a family,
you are welcome.
Day-long Retreat Schedule :
@ National Wildlife Refuge in Bloomington
Arrival ~ 10 am
Pick up ~ 3 pm
*Carpooling to/from Samsara Ridge will be an available option from the Twin Cities for participants’ families.
Price: $3,600 with a payment plan
Payment Plan Options:
A. $3,400 if paid in full at registration
B. $3,600 in three payments:
$800 to register, $1,400 July 1, $1,400 August 1
Price includes meals, lodging, instruction and material fees for all weekend retreats. It does not include transportation, although we will be arranging carpooling from Twin Cities. For day-classes at the Wildlife Refuge, students will bring a sack lunch.
Please inquire about a payment plan that works for your family. We want to co-create something that enables your child to participate!
Refund Policy:
This offering is a year-long series of Outdoor Odyssey retreats. It is sold as a commitment to attend most, if not all, sessions. The intention is to have a consistent group of youth to process collectively. Through this practice, a deepened trust is created and experiences to awaken new levels of magic and friendship. Refunds after the first Outdoor Odyssey session will not be refunded, due to the interruption of the group of bringing in new members. Refunds for missed sessions for whatever reason are also not refunded.
