Outdoor Adventures First-Year Trips are peer-led, adventure-based experiences that prepare students for life at UM. Trips offer participants diverse opportunities to meet other first-year students, learn about themselves and connect with UM. First-Year Trips are four (4) day wilderness adventures in groups of 10 participants led by upper-class student trip leaders from Outdoor Adventures.
Pre-Orientation Trips are designed for beginners, no experience is necessary.
Spend four (4) days exploring the most visited National Park in the US, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Get to know other first-year students and learn from older students how to make the most out of your first year at UM. Enjoy amazing mountain views and spectacular valleys as your trek through the wilderness with your peers.Dates:
All First-Year Trips will start and conclude at Knoxville McGhee Tyson Airport. Home - McGhee Tyson Airport (flyknoxville.com). Staff will be on site the day prior to assist with early arrivals. Staff will also be on site through the day after to assist participants with delays. We will also distribute the phone number for the professional staff on-call supporting these trips with other pre-trip details this summer. The trip will start at 2 p.m. and all participants will need to book flights to arrive in Knoxville prior to this time. The trip will conclude at 1 p.m. at Knoxville McGhee Tyson Airport. All flights will need to depart an adequate time after 1:00 pm on the final day of the trip allowing for getting through TSA and to appropriate gates. We recommend having flights scheduled no earlier than 2 p.m. There are numerous hotels for overnight stay for those arriving on the day prior to the trip start date or need to stay an additional night after the conclusion of the trip. The four listed here are the closest to the airport. The Outdoor Adventures staff will be staying at the La Quinta Inn & Suites Knoxville Airport. Day 1 Day 2 & 3 Day 4Trip Start & Arrivals
Trip Conclusion & Departures
Hotels
Example Itinerary
The below list is subject to change in the weeks prior to the trips as specifics are finalized based on weather, group size, and trail conditions. Personal gear is allowed subject to approval from the Outdoor Adventures team. Please communicate with us prior to the arrival of the trip if you plan on bringing your own gear. Outdoor Adventures tents must be used.
10 participants and two (2) student leaders.
First-year students will learn and grow in the following areas throughout and after their trips: