Outdoor Recreation

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Outdoor Opportunities on Campus

Hamilton College has forested glens, maintained paths and rough trails in different locations across campus. Clubs and classes use the glens for research or enjoyment. Hamilton’s Outdoor Leadership and Wellness Programs  are long-established and provide many benefits to the College community beyond sustainability. However, this plan’s guiding principles create a strategic intersection among these areas in our open/ agricultural lands and forests. All current and future expansions of trails will include plans to monitor and control invasive species, which can be spread by creating openings in existing forests. The following are ongoing projects and future areas of opportunity.

Check out our trail maps here!

Kirkland Glen Trails

Rogers Glen Trails

Nordic Ski Trails

Outdoor Recreation Resources

Hamilton students and employees are welcome to join trips. All trips are advertised over the HOC listserv. Hamilton students and employees can join the HOC listserv by emailing hocon@hamilton.edu. Rental gear is also available for all students. This includes hiking boots, rain jackets, sleeping pads, sleeping bags, tents, and more. Boat rentals are also available. Email ajilling@hamilton.edu to request a boat.

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Outing Club

The Hamilton Outing Club (HOC) is the largest club on campus. We are Hamilton’s home to outdoor fun! We offer equipment rentals, trip leader training, and advanced instructor courses. Our activities include backpacking, canoeing, kayaking (sea and whitewater), climbing, ice-climbing, winter camping, cross-country skiing, and as many other outdoor pursuits as possible! We offer weekend trips to the Adirondacks and longer expeditions during breaks to Nepal, Ecuador, Kenya, Arizona, Maine, Utah, the Everglades, and anywhere else students want to go. Some of our annual events include 46 Peaks Weekend in the Fall and the Banff Mountain Film Festival in the Spring.

We provide logistical and gear support for trips, organize various campus-wide activities, and help to train and educate students and future trip leaders in a manner that is both ecologically sound and safe-ish. The Outing Club preaches the importance of respecting the ecological space students use for recreation. Specifically, the club educates students on the overuse of trails, and practical sustainable use of trails on campus. 

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