Outdoor Adventure Training and Retreats For Women

Vermont Outdoor professionals and organizations offer outdoor challenges, skill development and educational programs for women throughout the year, including VOGA's original Doe Camp Retreat. This page includes our Women's Adventure Event Calendar and businesses that offer women specific programming. Choose from a variety of fun and educational opportunities and activities.

Connect with like minded adventurous women by joining our brand new private Doe Camp Nation group page on Facebook.

Due to many requests, we just created a private Facebook group page for adventurous women.
You can connect with like minded women, post day trips and outings and invite members to attend, post gatherings, share tips on different activities/resources, ask for advice, post or find women's outdoor events, share and ask for outdoor health information, get discounts on gear/lodging/services, post photos, videos and more!

Firearms Safety for Women

Retreats and Outdoor Adventures

Women's Outdoor Programs

There are few new programs on our radar at this time but as we recover from COVID and events become available, they will be posted here.

COVID-19 in Vermont. There is new information for people traveling to Vermont.

Adventure Based Programs for Women

Appalachian Trail Adventures
Hiking, Caving, Kayaking
An award winning hiking spa, based in Killington, Vermont. With more than 25 years of experience, Appalachian Trail Adventures (ATA) is a one-stop adventure destination for outdoor enthusiasts, couples, girl getaways, families, friends and single travelers. We provide both personalized, All-Inclusive Hiking Vacations and Guided Day Adventures throughout the Green Mountains of Vermont.

Backpacking For Slowpokes
Stowe and Central Vermont
Guided Hikes, Overnight Camping, Private Hires, Winter Snowshoeing with Your Dog, Summer Overnight Backpacking, Multi-Day Full Moon, Multi-Day LGBTQ+
Body positive overnight backpacking adventures for women who prefer to stop and check out the view. Whether you need to get away from the city and submerge yourself in Vermont's backcountry or simply want a bad ass, super different femme weekend, you’ve landed home.

Horses and Pathfinders
Moretown, VT
Women’s Lead-Herd-Ship Sessions - Designed for women who are ready to declare transformation, our Women’s Lead-Herd-Ship Inner Circle will explore true leadership for yourself, your vision, your work and every relationship in your life. All learning is in-person, grounded, and safe. Each week we take our time and space. This a non-riding program and prior horse experience is not required.

Magical Earth Retreats
Southern Vermont
Summer Day Camps, Women's, Family and Adult Retreats
Readsboro, VT
Magical Earth Retreats provides the space, place and opportunity for women to re- connect with mother nature with the goal of changing the destructive route of the human race one child/person at a time with love, light, peace and creativity.

O.W.L.S. Skills: Outdoorsy Women Learning Survival Skills
Jessie Krebs started this school with the dream of women working together and supporting each other in a safe and challenging way. Women are survivors without training. We simply push on…or we don’t make it. Survival is about a lot more than physical skills, and survival takes many forms depending on the environment. Humans have been passing down wilderness skills for years, but women were often excluded. This is obvious when we look at most survival schools today. At OWLSSkills, women support and nourish each other to express and grow via training. With the physical skills of making a fire, tying up a shelter, or leading an off-trail hike, come the non-tangible skills of empowerment and confidence. We are stronger together. Come join us in being wilder women. Watch Jessie Krebs on MasterClass.

Petra Cliffs Climbing Center and Mountaineering School
Alpine Mountaineering, Ice and Rock Climbing
Burlington VT
Petra Cliffs offers a complete outdoor instruction curriculum, catering to groups of all sizes and to individuals of all ages and abilities. From one-on-one technical skill instruction to group teambuilding, we consistently meet the needs of our diverse clientele.

Quimby Country
Northeast Kingdom
Biking, Birding, Moose & Nature Watching, Canoeing & Kayaking, Hiking, Mountain Biking, Fishing, Hunting,
Averill, VT
Quimby’s 3-night women’s retreat offers flexibility, allowing participants to design their own experience and embrace all the amenities Quimby’s has to offer, while taking advantage of professional instructors and staff. We have designed a perfect getaway retreat for you and your friends, and we look forward to sharing Quimby’s with you!

Vermont Adventure Tours
Southern, Central - Vermont
Hiking, Canoeing, Kayaking, Orienteering, Mountain Biking, Mountaineering, Winter Camping,  Women's Challenges, Youth Programs, Winter Activities
Rutland, VT
Imagine doing an adventure tour through Vermont and New England that is perfectly blended to match your needs for adrenaline and serenity. Mix and match elements to create a special custom tour package suited to your unique tastes. Experience spectacular mountains, crisp fresh air, lush forests, wildlife and an abundance of adventure on an adventure holiday designed to fit your specific time frame, budget and interests.

Who Sponsors Our Women's Programs

Jackson’s Lodge and Log Cabin Village is a destination of going-back-in-time to a Vermont lakeside resort built in the 1920s.

Outdoorsy Women Learning Survival Skills - To educate and empower women and other underrepresented demographics in the skills of surviving emergencies in global wilderness environments.

Women's Outdoor Event Calendar

May - June 2022, Women's Intro to Handguns
Barre VT  - Multiple Dates, Duration: 2 hours. Bring your questions, your curiosity and the knowledge you have, no previous experience with firearms required. The goal is to learn how to safely handle firearms, correct grip, stance, and fundamentals of marksmanship.Classroom and live fire instruction with the goal of confidence and comfort in handling a handgun or revolver. This class is the foundation and teaches the beginning shooter the skills necessary to own and operate a handgun safely. Beginners Class for all new Handgun Shooters, and those who may be somewhat familiar with handguns, but have not received formal training. Classes are taught by Female NRA Certified Pistol Instructor. https://vtammowarehouse.com/Store/for-women-by-women/512-women-s-handgun-classes.html

June 4, 2022, Fundamentals In Marksmanship 22 only
Hubbarton, VT - 9 AM – 2 PM - Event by Vermont Women's Shooting Association. Beginners concentrating on the Fundamentals w/o Recoil. .22 only. Everything provided. 3 to 5 hours depending on the range location. $125 Everything provided. 5 hours: Rain or shine. You will need a registration sheet and a liability form. You will find them here: http://vsrpa.org/html/women_training_women.html

June 11 and 12 - 1 Day Classes, Women's Survival 101
Survival 101: This “crash course” in basic outdoor survival principles is excellent for those who are short on time, yet want to feel more confident in the outdoors. Your instructor: MasterClass Wilderness Survival Instructor, Jessie Krebs is a former U.S. Air Force SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape), a training instructor from the old-school days when instructors were simply called "Survival Instructors". More details. Sign up HERE

June 17 - 19, 2 Days and 2 Nights Camping Out, Survival 102
Survival 102: This is a stand alone full-weekend class in basic survival principles for women. What basic needs can we keep in mind if we end up in trouble in the backcountry, and how do they change in priority based on different situations? Included is information on the five basic needs of a survivor. Your instructor: MasterClass Wilderness Survival Instructor, Jessie Krebs is a former U.S. Air Force SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape), a training instructor from the old-school days when instructors were simply called "Survival Instructors". More Details. Sign up HERE

June 18, 2022 - Level 1 Introduction to Firearms
Benson Fish and Game, Event by Vermont Women's Shooting Association, AT 9 AM – 2 PM, Beginners Introduction to Firearms. Learning safety, shooting fundamentals, & shooting a variety of calibers using both revolvers & semiautomatic pistols and rifles. $125 Everything provided. 5 hours: Rain or shine. You will need a registration sheet and a liability form. You will find them here: http://vsrpa.org/html/women_training_women.html

July 8-10, 2022 is the Women’s Takeover on the Deerfield River.
Charlemont, MA - Whitewater Kayak Clinics for Women & A Gathering of Women Paddlers! Come join us for a weekend of women on whitewater. It is a great opportunity to gather, learn, celebrate, and connect. If you’re new to kayaking and curious to see what it is all about, you can chose the Zoar Outdoor Novice or Class II clinic options. Our amazing women instructors will not only teach the skills of whitewater, but they will create a positive atmosphere to foster learning and connections! We are excited to work with the women paddlers of the Deerfield River to organize a whole weekend of activities including a community paddle each day as well as camping, food, and social events on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The community paddle is a social and celebratory paddle for intermediate to experience whitewater paddlers and is organized by volunteers. This is a women-focused event. All who identify as women are invited to participate.

September 9-11, 2022, Becoming an Outdoors-Woman
Silver Bay YMCA, Adirondacks, NY. - Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) and Beyond BOW are programs designed to teach women outdoor skills. These programs provide women with information, encouragement, and hands-on instruction in outdoor skills such as fishing, shooting, archery, hunting, trapping, outdoor photography, map and compass, survival, camping, canoeing, and outdoor cooking. BOW workshops are designed primarily for women who have little or no experience with outdoor activities. These are three-day workshops that offer many different classes over the course of a weekend. https://www.dec.ny.gov/education/68.html

September 16-18, 2022, Quimby Country Women’s Weekend
Quimby’s 2-night Women’s Weekend offers flexibility, allowing participants to design their own experience and embrace all the amenities Quimby’s has to offer, while taking advantage of professional instructors and staff. We have designed a perfect getaway weekend for you and your friends, and we look forward to sharing Quimby’s with you! Situated on over 1,000 acres, Quimby’s allows for ample exploration and quiet moments allowing you to fully feel connected to the natural environment and one ’s needs.  Our Women’s Weekend will replenish and inspire you to try new things and make new connections. https://quimbycountry.com/

Archery Classes

Please Support Our Sponsors

The Well Armed Woman Shooting Chapters in Vermont. Search by state.

Women Training Women - Providing education and training of women who are interested in learning about firearms, firearm safety and the fun of shooting.

Say good-bye to harmful petrochemical ingredients in your soap, and hello to natural materials.

Outdoor pants designed so everyone can answer nature’s call.

R & L Archery, Barre VT. Gear for Fishing, Hunting, Camping, Kayaking, Geocaching, Paintballing

Find everything you need for the outdoors, including fishing gear, archery equipment, firearms, and outdoor clothing at Vermont Field Sports

VASA is the statewide association of ATV clubs dedicated to developing, promoting and conserving responsible, family friendly ATV recreation throughout the state.

We’re dedicated to creating the world’s best socks, and prove it by standing behind them unconditionally.