Teens to Trails

06/03/2026

Now accepting YAC applications for 2026–2027!

Are you a Maine high school student passionate about the outdoors, or do you know one? We're looking for students to join our Youth Advisory Council: connecting with peers across the state, sharing ideas, and helping shape Teens to Trails programming.

To be eligible, you must be a rising 9th–12th grader at a school with an outdoor club registered with Teens to Trails.

Monthly virtual meetups, special events like overnights and our Adventure Bound camping weekend, a stipend, travel reimbursement, s'more judging responsibilities, and a whole lot more await. First meeting is in September!

Applications close July 15, 2026, and all applicants will be notified by August 1st.

Learn more and apply: teenstotrails.org/youth-advisory-council

06/01/2026

Teens to Trails brought the first group of the summer to Flagstaff Lake Hut! We were thrilled to host four middle school Outdoor Clubs from across Maine for canoeing, fishing, swimming, and some truly stunning sunrises and sunsets. A huge thank you to the volunteers, the club advisors who made the trip possible, and most of all to these amazing kids for bringing so much energy and enthusiasm to the hut. We can't wait to see you back here!

05/28/2026

05/28/2026

We're launching something new this summer - and we'd love your help spreading the word!

Introducing the Choose Outside Summer Challenge, a free summer-long program for Maine students of all ages! From June 15 through August 14, participants explore the outdoors, track their adventures, and enter to win outdoor gear - plus in-person gatherings, a photo contest, and a certificate of completion for everyone who finishes. Registration is free, resources are provided, and sign-ups are open all summer.

Know a kid (or a few!) who should be outside this summer? Send them this link to learn more and register! teenstotrails.org/chooseoutside

05/27/2026

The Teens to Trails (T3) Chickadee made it to Castle Hill with Ashland Outdoor Club! 🐦

25 students made it up Haystack Mountain earlier this month - and yes, there was an incredible summit song involved. The Chickadee is still going strong in Teens to Trails' 20th anniversary year, turning up on trails across Maine with school outdoor clubs and our Youth Advisory Council. Stay tuned for the next sighting.

Video credit: Amanda Barker

05/26/2026

What a weekend at Flagstaff Lake Hut! Four middle school Outdoor Clubs from across Maine hiked in for three days of canoeing, fishing, swimming, and some truly stunning sunrises and sunsets. We loved every minute with this group. Thank you to our volunteers, Maine Huts & Trails for hosting us, and to every club advisor who made the trip happen!

📷 Photos 1, 2, & 3: Julianne Baroody

05/21/2026

Congratulations to our 2026 Life Happens Outside® Challenge winners! This year, we were able to award six winners in three different school size categories:

Small School
- 1st Place: The Ecology Learning Center Bridge Program
- 2nd Place: Sipayik Elementary
Medium School
- 1st Place: Bucksport Middle School
- 2nd Place: Molly Ockett Middle School
Large School
- 1st Place: Oxford Hills Middle School
- 2nd Place: Skowhegan Area Middle School

From outdoor classes and hiking trips to trash clean-ups and afternoons in rivers, Maine students showed up in a big way this spring. As one student put it, "time outside is time well spent." Nearly 3 million minutes logged in just one week.

We'll be hitting the road soon to visit winning schools with their checks and banners. Can't wait to celebrate in person!

Thank you to everyone who shared their photos and stories from the week. While the challenge is ending, our connection to the outdoors doesn't have to falter. Let's keep finding ways to be intentional about getting outside and make the most of where .

Thank you to our incredible sponsors Unum, First National Bank, and Northeast Bank for championing outdoor time for Maine kids.

05/16/2026

Today is officially the last day of the 2026 Life Happens Outside® Challenge, and we couldn't be more proud of everyone who stepped outside this week!

Time outdoors isn't just good for us, it's essential to our well-being. Middle schools across Maine stepped outside this week and tested this hypothesis firsthand, discovering just how powerful time in nature, movement, and a little adventure can be for the mind and body.

Seeing students get outside and embrace everything nature has to offer has been truly inspiring. The six winning schools will be announced next week, so stay tuned for results and plenty of photos from this week's adventures!

A big thank you to our sponsors Unum, First National Bank, and Northeast Bank for making this possible. We'll see you outside!

05/12/2026

Mid-challenge check-in! This week, middle schools across Maine are getting outside during class sessions, recess, and after school as part of the Life Happens Outside® Challenge.

Today, Teens to Trails staff and board member Leanna joined our lead sponsor Unum at their Portland campus for our annual Challenge Week tradition, walking the Stroudwater River Trail just behind the property and enjoying some time outside together.

Last year, 193 Unum employees from locations across the country logged more than 97,000 minutes outside during Challenge Week by taking meetings outdoors, stepping away from their desks, and making time to get outside throughout the day.

Thank you, Unum, for continuing to lead the way, not just as our lead sponsor, but as a community that really shows up and gets outside with us. 🙌