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The Outdoor Adventures program at Texas A&M opens a straightforward gateway to the outdoors for students and the wider B/CS community. Our calendar mixes multi-day trips, short excursions, skills clinics, and social events so that everyone—from total beginners to experienced leaders—can find something that fits. The program supports connections, safety, and learning: you can rent proven gear, attend a Belay Orientation, or sign up for a peer-led trip through Venture Camp (registration is currently open).
We operate three on-campus climbing spaces and a full-service Rental Center & Bike Hub so participants have easy access to equipment and instruction. Our clinics and courses span essential techniques like lead climbing and kayak rolls, while longer trips offer regional exploration. Read on for semester highlights, clinic schedules, facility details, and how to get started—plus exact dates and registration deadlines where applicable.
Semester trips: multi-day adventures
Each semester the trip roster includes a mix of regional and extended outings designed for different experience levels. Featured trips this season include an excursion to Enchanted Rock State Park (Friday, Feb 20 – Sunday, Feb. 22; registration due Tuesday, Feb 17) where participants will hike, camp, and study central Texas geology. For a desert river expedition, the Spring Break Rio trip runs Friday, Mar 6 – Sunday, Mar. 15 (registration due Friday, Feb 27) through Boquillas Canyon—expect remote paddling and canyon travel. Another Spring Break option is an Ozarks trip in Arkansas (Friday, Mar 6 – Sunday, Mar. 15; registration due Friday, Feb 27) that emphasizes sport climbing and riverside trails. To close the spring semester we offer an Overnight Canoe and Camp at Caddo Lake State Park (Friday, Apr 17 – Sunday, Apr. 19; registration due Monday, Apr 13). Prices vary by trip and student status; check the trip listing for the exact fee schedule.
Short trips and community events
For single-day or evening outings we run paddles, hikes, and climbing day trips that are ideal for busy schedules. Evening options include the Sunset Paddle (Thursday, Jan 22; registration due Tuesday, Jan 20) and the Snow Moon Paddle on the quiet lake under moonlight (Monday, Feb 2; registration due Thursday, Jan 29) at Lake Bryan. Day trips include Bastrop State Park (Saturday, Mar 28; registration due Tuesday, Mar 24), San Marcos River paddling (Sunday, Mar 29; registration due Wednesday, Mar 25), and a rock climbing day at Reimers Ranch (Friday, Apr 3; registration due Tuesday, Mar 31). Community-building events such as Pumpfest (Saturday, Feb 7) bring climbers together for competition; note registration pricing changes around Jan. 31. Seasonal social events include a Valentine’s Day lake picnic (Saturday, Feb 14, 12pm – 3pm) and multiple Coffee Climb mornings (examples: Wednesday, Feb 18 8:30am – 10am; Thursday, Mar 19 8:30am – 10am; Tuesday, Apr 7 8am – 10:30am) where you can warm up and meet setters.
Volunteer and challenge opportunities
If you want to give back, join the River Cleanup volunteering on Wednesday, Apr 22 (9am – 1pm) to help clear College Station waterways. Climbers looking for a month-long test can enter the El Cap Club starting Wednesday, Apr 1 and aim to accumulate 7,569 feet of climbing at our indoor facilities to earn exclusive memorabilia. These programs combine fitness, stewardship, and community engagement and are great ways to expand skills in a supported environment.
Clinics, courses, and indoor climbing
Skill-building is a core focus. The clinic schedule includes recurring sessions such as the Lead Climbing Clinic (examples: Sunday, Jan 25; Sunday, Feb 15; Saturday, Feb. 28; Sunday, Mar 22; Sunday, Apr 5) and Kayak Roll Clinics (Tuesday, Jan 27 / Thursday, Jan 29; Tuesday, Feb 24 / Thursday, Feb 26; Tuesday, Mar 24 / Thursday, Mar 26; Monday, Apr 27 / Thursday, Apr 30). We also provide adaptive climbing clinics (Saturday, Jan 31; Saturday, Mar 21; Saturday, Apr 11; Saturday, Apr 25), a Wilderness First Aid course (Monday, Mar. 23; Saturday, Mar. 28 – Sunday, Mar. 29) priced at $340* / $375** with a waiting list option, and targeted workshops like Gym to Crag: Sport Anchors and backcountry cooking. Many clinics are free or discounted for students.
Indoor facilities and orientation
Our indoor program includes approximately 5,500 sq ft of climbing terrain across two bouldering walls and a roped facility. A new Indoor Climbing Tower reaches a maximum climbing height of 44 feet, 8 inches and features 25 total roped lanes (3 slab lanes, 5 vertical lanes, 13 slight overhang lanes, and 4 steep lanes for lead climbing only), plus three sport climbing anchor labs for technical training. To climb regularly you can take a two-hour Climbing Orientation Clinic and pass a top rope skills check to receive a six-month clearance. Rec Members and Texas A&M students receive one free one-time climb each semester.
Rental center, pricing, and contacts
The Outdoor Adventures Rental Center stocks canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, tents, sleeping bags, camp kitchens, and more. Example rental rates include climbing shoes (Rec member 1 day $4.50 / non-member 1 day $5.50), tandem canoe (Rec member 1 day $20.00 / non-member 1 day $24.50), stand up paddleboard (Rec member 1 day $22.00 / non-member 1 day $26.00), and a 4 person tent (Rec member 1 day $15.00 / non-member 1 day $18.00). Many other gear items and yard games are available; prices vary by duration and membership status.
Visit the Rental Center & Bike Hub at 797 Olsen Blvd, College Station, TX 77840 for equipment pickup. For group reservations of the Indoor Climbing Tower contact Michael Gonzalez at [email protected]. For Rental Center questions reach out to Jake Rendulic, Graduate Assistant, Outdoor Adventures at [email protected] or (979) 845-9655. Whether you want a single evening paddle, a multi-day expedition, or technical training, Outdoor Adventures offers structured ways to learn, explore, and belong.