Program Length: One or two-week summer wilderness expedition(s)

Location: North Carolina, California, New Mexico, Arizona

Admissions Req: Female or gender non-conforming students in grades 9-12 (or rising juniors for the CA program) are eligible for this summer wilderness expedition. Applications due March/April (depending on which program you choose)!

Highlight:  Looking for an exciting adventure this summer? GALS offers a FREE summer wilderness expedition for high school students. Learn about ecology and earth science whilst backpacking through a local national park (Pisgah National Forest, NC;  Sequoia National Park, CA; Gila National Forest, NM; or Coronado National Forest, AZ). No prior experience in science or backpacking required! This summer wilderness expedition is a great opportunity to explore the field…literally! All you need is some curiosity for the environment and a sense of adventure; the GALS team is there to help you develop all the rest of the skills you’ll need for this wilderness expedition and likely cultivate leadership and critical thinking skills that will serve you well into your future! Spend up to two memorable weeks during this summer wilderness expedition building a lasting network of peers, all while gaining new outdoor skills and doing scientific research. Check out some past summer wilderness expedition projects here! Each summer wilderness expedition ends at the affiliated university, where students present an independent project to parents, peers, and faculty. And if at the end of this crazy summer wilderness expedition you think that environmental science is probably, or definitely:) for you, make sure to check out the various college-and career-planning options and support provided by  GALS; they go way beyond summer!

Financial: FREE! You just need to get there and back. Gas reimbursements also offered!