Youth Wilderness Expeditions
Overview
Connection. Growth. Service. These are at the heart of the youth wilderness expeditions. Wilderness is the furnace through which the next generation of public land leaders and stewards are forged. Wilderness teaches us how make something out of nothing, and fosters confidence, resilience, leadership skills, and the values of hard work and public service.
Youth wilderness expeditions provide teens the opportunity to immerse themselves in their backyard wilderness areas. Expeditions challenge youth, teach them how to travel, live, and work safely in the backcountry, and expose them to careers in stewardship and conservation. Our program removes the barriers for participation by providing the gear, food, expertise, and leadership necessary to experience the backcountry at no cost to participants.
What is a Youth Wilderness Expedition?
Crews of six youth participants and two SBFC leaders will embark on six-day backpacking trips that incorporate experiential learning and hands-on stewardship projects. Using primitive hand tools, such as Pulaskis, loppers, and hand saws, we will work together to improve trail conditions and accessibility.
Why join a Youth Wilderness Expedition?
Get outside and explore the vast and beautiful wilderness! Deepen your connection to the land!
Learn wilderness skills, such as how to backpack, set up a backcountry camp, tie knots, read a map, build a campfire, identify local flora and fauna, and avoid and respond to wildlife encounters.
Give back to your community through volunteer stewardship projects that improve backcountry trail access. You will learn to use traditional hand tools, like hand-saws, Pulaskis, shovels, loppers, and crosscut saws. All participants will receive certifications for completing 36 hours of community service.
Learn about the Wilderness Act and the Leave No Trace principles.
Challenge yourself, both physically and mentally, by stepping out of your comfort zone. An expedition is a life-changing opportunity of personal growth and confidence-building.
Introduce yourself to possible careers in conservation and natural resource management.
Meet new people and make lifelong friends!
Disconnect from screens and connect to nature!
Expeditions are completely free! We provide the food, local transportation, and tools, and can even help with gear.
Eligibility & Physical Requirements
Anyone between the ages of 12 and 18, and lives in Idaho or Montana can apply.
No experience is necessary!
Expeditions are physically difficult. Backpacking and trail work are inherently strenuous activities. Participants must be able to hike up to 8 miles carrying a pack weighing 50+ pounds, and be able to work and hike for up to eight hours per day. If you are concerned about your fitness level, contact the youth program director, Ian Harris, before applying.
New in 2026!
No cellphone policy: wilderness expeditions offer the increasingly rare and valuable opportunity to disconnect from screens and connect to nature. Expedition members will no longer be permitted to bring cellphones, but digital cameras will be provided for picture taking. For safety, leaders will still have cellphones.
Weighted lottery for selecting expedition members: due to the high number of applications, we will be using a weighted lottery system to select participants in 2026. All applicants will have a fair shot, but those with high quality applications, and returners who have proven to work well with others, will have slightly higher chances of selection.
All expeditions will be six days in length.
2026 Youth Wilderness Expeditions
Check back later for 2026 expedition locations and dates!
The application will open on Monday, March 2!
Helpful resources:
Questions? Contact Youth Program Director, Ian Harris, at iharris@selwaybitterroot.org.