Prairie Trek 2026
As the longest running trek at the Gulch, Prairie Trek has an extensive history of bringing young male-identifying 14-16 year olds into challenging and beautiful spaces. PT focuses on further developing identities as members of a greater community, with an emphasis on accountability and mindfulness. This trek links young people with intersecting identities and challenges them to recognize their roles and responsibilities to each other and themselves.
Prairie Trek 2026 Details
Age Range: 14-16 year olds
Min Group size: 8 - Max group size: 18
Gender: Male Identifying
Instructors 2-3
32 days on trek
Cost: Pick Your Price
$500-$8,000 (depending on your family's financial situation)
2026 Dates: 6/27 - 7/29
FOCUS: Identity, Cultural Competency
Prairie Trek 2026 Itinerary
Days 1-6: Northern New Mexico Loop - Short backpack, rock climbing, supervolcanoes. Camp, hike, and explore in the beautiful forests and deserts around Santa Fe & Taos. Learn outdoor living skills through tent camping in ponderosa forests, rock climbing, and discovering the unique geology and volcanology of this region.
Days 7-10: Settle Into Cottonwood Gulch Basecamp - Meet up with other trek groups, get comfortable at your home base, and prepare for the big adventure ahead.
Days 11-24: The Big Adventure Loop - 14 days exploring Utah's diverse ecosystems through a 4-6 day backpack to Mt. Tukuhnikivatz, 2-3 days living with Gulch community members on the Navajo Nation, archaeological exploration, and environmental restoration projects
Days 25-30: Basecamp Projects & Final Rendezvous - Reunite with all trek groups and work with specialists to develop your personal project in science, art, archaeology, adventure, or carpentry.
Days 31-32: Celebration & Departure - Final banquet, closing circle, and head home with your crew.
Praise for Cottonwood Gulch Summer Treks
What Makes Prairie Trek 2026 Different?
Wilderness + Science + Culture + Conservation + Community. Not one. All. The Prairie Trek doesn't separate wilderness skills from field science, or outdoor adventure from cultural learning. For a full month, everything connects: the geology you study becomes the canyon you climb; the Navajo families you partner with teach lessons no textbook could; the forests you restore become the ecosystems you understand. This is learning the way it should be—whole, connected, and real.
- Diverse Ecosystems Deep Dive: From high desert mesas to alpine forests, red rock canyons to mountain peaks—experience the full ecological spectrum of the Southwest
- Extended Wilderness Immersion: Multi-day backpacking trips (4-6 nights) that take you beyond day-hiking distance
- Environmental Restoration: Learn regenerative practices and leave landscapes healthier than you found them—conservation isn't just what we do, it's who we are
Alumni & Legacy: Our 100 years of alumni include Pulitzer Prize finalist Douglas Preston, US Senators Martin Heinrich and Mark Udall, cherished author Kurt Vonnegut, and leaders across science, law, nonprofits, and public service. Friendships that are formed on a Prairie Trek continue to grow long after the last campfire embers have gone out and connect generations.
- Cultural Immersion: Since 1929, Navajo families have joined Cottonwood Gulch Treks and shared their homeland and perspectives with Prairie Trekkers through multi-day visits and collaborative projects—a relationship with place that's as deep and rich as any outdoor program in the country.
- Full-Day Adventures: Rock climbing, caving, rappelling, and more—push your limits with expert instruction
- Single-Gender Environment: At this developmental stage, young men thrive in an all-male setting that fosters authentic vulnerability, leadership growth, and lasting brotherhood
The Prairie Trek doesn't just create memories and new skills.
It creates bonds that last a lifetime.
Prairie Trek 2026 Pricing Structure
- Your chosen price (formerly known as tuition cost) does not influence acceptance into our programs. Trekkers are accepted into all programs based solely on their application and ability to participate fully in the Trek.
- Pricing range is $500-$8,000 (depending on your family's financial situation)
- No discount or scholarship applicable.
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.
