Graduate Outdoor Adventures
Join Graduate Student Life and Mason Recreation Outdoor Adventures for our Graduate Outdoor Adventure series. No experience is necessary for our FREE trips, which are funded by the George Mason University University Life Programming Grant. Below you will find information about types of trips we have held. To view upcoming Graduate Outdoor Adventures, head to our Graduate Student Life events page.
Registration Information for All Trips
Due to limited capacity and expected demand, we hold a participation lotteries, in an effort to make this opportunity equitable for all who are interested. Any Mason graduate student interested in and available to attend should complete the registration form. The first 50 people to complete the form will be entered into a lottery for the 9-19, depending on the trip, spaces on a trip; those students will be offered spaces and must submit required paperwork within three days of notification. Students will also be selected for additional waitlist spots in case spaces on the trip become available..
Each student can only reserve ONE TICKET; trips are not open to guests and tickets should be reserved by each student wishing to attend. Tickets are non-transferable. Students’ ID will be verified and Graduate Student Life will be checking to see that each student is currently enrolled in a graduate program and taking classes this term at Mason.
Cancellation and Waitlist Policy: To accommodate as many interested Mason graduate students as possible, a waitlist will begin once a trip fills. If a registered student cancels their registration by 5:00pm on the Wednesday before the event, their space will be offered to the next student(s) on the waitlist.
Any students canceling their registration with less than 72 hours notice will not be eligible to participate in future Graduate Outdoor Adventure trips during the academic year.
Great Falls Climbing Trip
We will meet at the Fairfax campus in the morning to ready equipment for the day, heading out to the crag shortly after. We will eat lunch at the cliff and return to campus in the early afternoon. Please wear clothes that you can comfortably climb in and that are appropriate for the weather. Be sure to bring your mask, ID, nonperishable lunch, snacks, and water – you will be climbing with all these belongings, so the fewer things you bring, the better! There are limited spaces on this trip.
Billy Goat Trail Hike
There are three sections to the Billy Goat Trail (A,B,and C) which will give us access to the C&O Canal tow path and beautiful views of the Potomac. There are many variations to this hike so distance can change based on weather conditions and group mood, but plan on an approximately 9 mile hike. The trail has very few hills, but can be quite rugged along Section A along the riverside cliffs.
Bull Run Occoquan Hike
Join Graduate Student Life and Outdoor Adventures on for a beautiful and casual hike along the Occoquan River in Prince William County. Located minutes from the SciTech Campus, we will go for a moderate half-day hike through this protected forest and keep our eyes open for the frequent bald eagles along the river. This casual trip will last about 4 hours, but participants should be aware that the trip may last longer and should plan not to have obligations immediately afterwards. Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from the designated meeting spot in Bull Run (meeting location will be shared with confirmed, registered participants). Please wear clothes that you can comfortably hike in and that are appropriate for the weather. Be sure to bring your mask, ID, nonperishable lunch, snacks, and water – you will be hiking with all these belongings, so the fewer things you bring, the better!
DC Bike Tour
Join Graduate Student Life and Outdoor Adventures for our DC Bike Tour! This trip combines riding bikes with a tour of the monuments. This is a beginner-friendly trip, so as long as you can ride a bike, you have the skill to join us! This casual trip will last about 2-3 hours. Bikes and helmets will be provided by Outdoor Adventures. Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from the designated meeting spot in DC (the location will be shared with confirmed, registered participants; it is close to a Metro stop). Please wear clothes that you can comfortably cycle in and that are appropriate for the weather. Be sure to bring your mask, ID, snacks, and water – we will be traveling by bike, so the fewer things you bring, the better!
Bike & Paddle
Join Graduate Student Life and Outdoor Adventures for Bike & Paddle! For this event, we will meet on the Fairfax campus and bike approximately 3 miles to Royal Lake Park, where we will then pack-raft. Bikes, helmets, and pack-raft boats will be provided by Outdoor Adventures. Lunch will not be provided – please pack your own (nonperishable) lunch. Please wear clothes that you can comfortably cycle in and that are appropriate for the weather. Be sure to bring your mask, ID, lunch, and water – we will be traveling by bike and on the water so the less things you bring, the better!
Canoeing
Come see the world from a different perspective out on the water. Join us for a day of canoeing on a local river. We frequently see Bald Eagles and lots of other wildlife. This is a great introduction to some of the beautiful paddling in our region. Depending on water levels and weather we will paddle either on the Shenandoah River or the Occoquan River.
Old Rag Hike
One of the most popular hikes in Virginia, Old Rag is a moderately difficult 9-mile, 5-6 hour hike that offers spectacular views of the Shenandoah Mountains both at the summit and along the way. It’s a must do for any Virginia hiker and covers everything from shaded forest trails to summit rock scrambling.