Tucker Community Backpacking Trip
Tucker Community Backpacking Trip
A five day experience for local youth to get outside and explore a backcountry wilderness area in the Monongahela National Forest
Trip Overview
During the Tucker Community Backpacking Trip, we’ll spend the first day preparing for our big adventure by learning how to pack a backpack, set up a tent, and read a trail map. We’ll get to know each other and go on a short hike to warm up our legs. Families will pick their children up at 4 PM on Monday, June 12, and they will have one more night to spend in their beds. On Tuesday, we will explore Blackwater Falls State Park and the surrounding trails, spending the night at Black Water Falls State Park Campground. Wednesday morning we will leave the park and put our skills to the test by heading out on a three-day backpacking trip. We’ll hike on backcountry trails, pass by waterfalls, dip our feet in cool mountain streams, and sleep under the stars. Before we know it we’ll be back home, excited to plan the next outdoor adventure. No experience is necessary to join this trip.
Check out our expedition galleries from 2019, 2021 and 2022 to learn more!
Intended Outcomes
- Have fun! Participants will get outside and experience outdoor adventures they may or may not have experienced previously.
- Create a community of friends who live nearby.
- Learn technical skills like backpacking, navigation, and camping. These skills will prepare participants for future trips with Appalachian Expeditions or on their own.
- Explore the cultural and natural history of this beautiful region. Participants will begin to learn about the areas they call home.
What is the total cost of the trip?
The cost of this trip is $925, but any participant living in and attending school in Tucker, Preston, Randolph, or Garrett County is automatically eligible for a $740 scholarship bringing the cost of the trip to $185. We are able to offer scholarships because of generous donations and fundraising by our Run-For-It team. If you are a recipient of this scholarship, or would like to contribute to these scholarships for local kids, please consider joining our 2023 Run-For-It team or you can make a donation on our website. This annual fundraiser event is put on by Tucker Community Foundation and will take place in September 2023.
For those participants living outside of these counties (Tucker, Randolph, Preston, and/or Garrett), please check out our Mountaineer Backpacking Trip (MBT). Participants eligible for the TCBT can also use these scholarship funds for the MBT.
Trip Details
June 12-16
Application Deadline:
June 1, 2023
Ages: 10-12, serving youth from Tucker, Preston, Randolph, and Garrett Counties
Activity: Backpacking/camping
Location: Davis/Blackwater Falls State Park (prep day) & backcountry wilderness area (backpacking)
Difficulty: 6/10