Nature Lore Tentative Itinerary

Week 1 (7/12-19): Welcome to Camp! These first few days will be familiar, and full of nerves and excitement. You will arrive on Opening Day along with the rest of Camp, meet and enjoy your cabin, belong to a table family, join your Kindred, and sign up for two other classes with your double period of Nature Lore. During your Nature Lore classes, you will learn more about the trip ahead and begin your preparations as a group, such as learning key camping and crafting skills, understanding one another and working together as a team, and packing and organizing your gear, your food, and your crafts.

Week 2 (7/20-25): The journey begins! The group will travel, trek, and base camp throughout Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests. While some parts of the day will be spent navigating creeky, wet, and leafy terrain through the mountains, other parts of the day will be spent learning within your community about local ecology, plant identification, foraging, and crafting; much of it stemming from your time spent at Camp during the first week. Evenings will be spent camping under the stars, preparing delicious food, discussing the day’s adventures, and enjoying time together. There will also be opportunities to visit the Highlands Biological Research Station, which boasts real examples and information on native species and resources, and the Museum of the Cherokee People in Cherokee NC, who are the original keepers of the land you will be traveling on. This intentional time spent learning within these communities aim to develop an understanding about the importance of the areas’s history, ecology, and practices, as well as an appreciation for where you are and for those who came before you.

Week 3 (7/26-31): You’re back in time for the Saturday activity, Cookout, and Square Dance! Then, after a day of reintegration with your cabin, table family, and Kindred, you’ll spend this week finalizing learnings, reflections, and stories from your time together as a group. You’ll also catch up on your other two activities, attend Twilights, and enjoy evening activities! Along with debriefing the trip as a whole, there will be plenty of opportunities to share your experiences and hopes for the future with the rest of Camp, as well as attend Final Banquet!