Outfit Trek 2026
Outfit Expeditions is a two-week introduction to outdoor living, community, and the wilds of New Mexico, designed for 11-13 year olds who are ready for their first extended adventure away from home. Trekkers split their time between Cottonwood Gulch Basecamp's rustic cabins and tent camping in wild areas across western New Mexico, building skills, friendships, and confidence along the way. No experience required. Just curiosity, a willingness to try new things, and an open mind.
Outfit Trek 2026
Age Range: 11–13 years old
Min Group Size: 8 / Max 20
Gender: All genders
Instructors: 3–4
15 days on trek
Cost: $3,695 (scholarships available)
2026 Dates:
Session 1: June 21 – July 5
Session 2: July 19 – August 2
Focus: Foundation of firsts: curiosity, self-discovery, and outdoor living
Outfit Trek 2026 Itinerary
Our itineraries are carefully planned and thoughtfully flexible. Routes may shift depending on weather, permits, or other circumstances — your Gulch leader will keep you informed of any changes along the way.
Day 1: Arrivals & First Impressions - The adventure begins at the airport with new faces, first meals, and move-in day at Cottonwood Gulch Basecamp. Trekkers settle into rustic cabins, learn the rhythms of camp life, and gather around the first campfire of the summer.
Days 2–7: Cottonwood Gulch Basecamp - The heart of the Outfit experience. Trekkers spend nearly a week getting to know Basecamp — its trails, its animals, its specialists, and each other. Every day brings two activity choices, letting trekkers follow their own curiosity: animals, farming, metalsmithing, painting, pottery, hiking, fort-building, survival skills, and more. A day trip to Bluewater Lake introduces camping and navigation basics, setting the stage for the road loop ahead.
Days 8–12: First Road Loop — Western New Mexico - A road loop is a Gulch tradition: trekkers pack up, leave Basecamp behind, and spend several days tent camping and exploring the surrounding region with a van and a Com (commissary/gear truck). For Outfit, it's a first taste of the independence and discovery that defines the longer Gulch treks. This loop winds through western New Mexico, with stops at McGaffey Forest, a rock climbing day, an wolf sanctuary visit and Zuni bread demonstration, and a visit to El Morro, a towering sandstone mesa covered in centuries of inscriptions from the travelers who passed through before us.
Day 13: Mount Taylor Sunrise Hike - The highlight of the summer for many. Trekkers wake before dawn and hike to the summit of Mount Taylor, one of New Mexico's most prominent peaks and a mountain sacred to many, to watch the sun rise over New Mexico. The kind of morning that stays with you.
Days 14–15: Rendezvous, Final Banquet & Departure - Outfit joins all of Cottonwood Gulch's summer programs for Rendezvous, a community-wide gathering and celebration, followed by a final banquet before airport day.
Praise for Cottonwood Gulch Summer Treks
What Makes Outfit Different?
Foundation of Firsts + Curiosity + Community + Adventure. Not one. All. Outfit doesn't separate outdoor skills from self-discovery, or adventure from community living. For two weeks, everything connects: the cabin you sleep in becomes the community you belong to; the trail you hike becomes the landscape you understand; the summit you reach before sunrise becomes the moment you realize what you're capable of. This is where the extended, deep Gulch experience begins.
- A Foundation of Firsts: From sleeping in a tent to cooking on the road, Outfit introduces the core skills of outdoor living in a fully supported environment, building the confidence to go further on future treks.
- Follow Your Curiosity: Every day at Basecamp, trekkers choose from a wide range of activities — farming, metalsmithing, painting, pottery, hiking, fort-building, survival skills, and more — guided by their own interests rather than a fixed curriculum.
- A First Taste of the Road: Outfit's road loop is the first time many trekkers have camped in the wild, navigated new places, and taken responsibility for their own experience.
A Gateway to the Gulch: Outfit is designed as a first step into a longer journey. Many of our MDT, Prairie Trek, and Turquoise Trail trekkers started right here, coming back every summer, going further each time, and carrying the skills and friendships they built at Outfit all the way through. The Gulch has a way of getting into you. For most trekkers, it starts here.
- The Mount Taylor Sunrise Hike: One of the most memorable mornings in any Gulch summer. Trekkers wake before dawn and climb to the summit of one of New Mexico's most sacred mountains to watch the sun rise over the Southwest.
- Cultural Immersion: From a wolf sanctuary to a Zuni bread demonstration to the ancient inscriptions at El Morro, Outfit introduces trekkers to the living cultures and deep history of New Mexico.
- Adventure Skills: Rock climbing, navigation, tent camping in different environments — Outfit gives every trekker a taste of real challenge with expert guidance every step of the way.
For Prairie Trek, Turquoise Trail Trek, and Mountain Desert Trek there is the option of a trekker to apply to be a Cook’s Assistant or Quarter Master (CA and QM). Click here to apply.
