Spring 2027
School of Environmental Education
Starting April 14, 2027
for 5 weeks
Description: Schools from across the Southeast send groups of campers to GRP for 2, 3, or 4-night programs, where campers experience a taste of classic GRP life. Campers go on educational hikes both in the morning and the afternoon. Staff work with a close-knit team of experienced outdoor educators to do all parts of the program, from mealtime procedures and skits to rose bud thorn and evening programs. Mentors also lead hikes.
Openings: Hike Leaders, Support Staff, Kitchen Staff. Climbing experience a plus! For more info, email Programs Director, Walter.
Summer 2027
Staff Training
Full Staff Training
May 30 - June 10
Expeditions Staff Training
May 30 - June 10
Mentor Training
May 23- May 26
Wilderness First Aid?
May 27 - May 28
Lifeguard Certification
May 25 - May 28
Description: All new staff are required to attend our Staff Training before camp. We learn GRP policies and procedures, how to work with children, and we grow together as a community.
In 2027, we are offering a Wilderness First Aid Course (2-year cert) and Lifeguard Certification (2-year cert) the week prior to staff training. Because of the nature of our jobs, we are asking Mentors to obtain this certification before arrival as a minimum requirement. We also hold an epinephrine administration class (4-year cert) for all staff during training.
Rotating Mentors / Counselors: If you are a returning staff member who won't be here the whole summer, we still recommend attending as much of Staff Training as possible. Catherine will reach out prior to the season with the week’s schedule and recommended sessions.
2027 Base Camp SEssion Dates
Session 1- Rookie Camp Sun, June 6 – Thu, June 10
Session 2 Sun, June 13 – Thu, June 24
Session 3 Sun, June 27 – Thu, July 15
Session 4 Sun, July 18 – Fri, July 23
Session 5 Sun, July 25 – Thu, August 5
Sessions 2, 3, & 5 all have a 2-night/3-day campout and Group Learning Project (GLP) days.
All camper sessions begin for staff at 4:00 PM on a Saturday and end by 5:00 PM on a Thursday, except for our 2nd and 4th sessions.
At the end of Session 5, we will have an all-camp cleanup followed by a staff celebration and the completion of some time-honored, end-of-season GRP traditions. All seasonal staff should plan to remain on-site until the morning of the following day, August 6th, unless special accommodations are made in advance.
Base Camp Expeditions
Green River Preserve hosts two one-week Base Camp Expeditions (BCX) taking place at the beginning of the summer, requiring 2-3 leaders to lead these trips. BCX each have 8 participants in grades 6th-10th. These Expeditions focus on diving deep into a particular adventure. While exploring this outdoor activity, Expeditioners and their leaders camp out on the GRP property, living together in a small community and also learning Leave No Trace principals, outdoor cooking, and mindful living skills. Please check out our website for more details.
2026 Base Camp Expedition Dates
Both Climbing & Mountain Biking BCXs will run Sun, June 14 – Fri, June 19, 2026.
High School Expeditions
We offer Expedition Programs for our high school campers throughout the summer. Leaders work in teams of 2-3 with 8-12 participants.
Blue Ridge Expeditions are typically the “next step” for our former Base Camp campers. These trips are shorter ranging from 12-16 days and the leaders will lead 2 to 3 of these trips each summer. Like all GRP experiences, these leaders are role models and vital to the integrity and safety of our trips.
Adventure Plus Expeditions comprises our Smoky Mountain Exploration and Linville Gorge Climbing Experience. With these Expeditions We will be heading off campus to apply skills gained from the BRX experience. What awaits campers is an in-depth engagement with more of the natural wonders that Western North Carolina offers. Under the guidance and supervision of the GRP Expedition staff, campers can expect a more advanced challenge as we seek out parallel connections from the valley we love at GRP as you answer the call to adventure!
The culminating GRP experience is our Leadership in Training Program. We offer two different programs throughout the summer running simultaneously with our base camp sessions. These Expeditioners are campers however they are making the transition to staff and this experience helps facilitate that growth. The 2-3 leaders for these trips will balance providing feedback for their Expeditioners, creating programming to meet their needs (service projects, backpacking trips), and creating a safe place for them to push themselves.