Outdoor Recreation

Upcoming Events

Skydiving

Each year in September, fifteen students get the opportunity to skydive. This year we were fortunate enough to host the Skydive Smoky Mountains dive team in Wise. Students were able to see the entire campus from 12,000 feet in the air.

Whitewater Rafting

Students loved the whitewater rafting on the Gauley River in West Virginia so much, it has now become an annual event. More than two dozen students enjoy this trip each fall.

Hikes

Long day hikes are another popular event. Enjoying the natural beauty of our surroundings at local High Knob, the Breaks Interstate Park, and the Cumberland Falls of Kentucky provides some great exercise, too.

Hiking and camping gear are available for students to check out in planning their own outdoor experiences.

Camping

Overnight camping excursions are part of the outdoor recreation experience, too.

Students may also borrow equipment (including tents, sleeping bags, lanterns, fishing poles, etc.) for their own camping trips.

Special events

Special events are held both on-campus and off-campus. One of the most visible and most popular on-campus events is the portable climbing wall. Other on-campus events include a fishing tournament and 'night under the stars' at the UVa-Wise observatory.

Off-campus events include skydiving, camping, whitewater rafting, hiking, canoeing, paintball battles, amusement park adventures, snow skiing, snow tubing, ice skating and the occasional road trip to watch the Cavs Football or Basketball teams play.

The outdoor recreation program strives to offer a variety of outdoor adventures for students to take advantage of the natural wonders of southwest Virginia and its surrounding area.

For more information about the program, contact Chris Davis, Associate Director of the C. Bascom Slemp Student Center or Nick Marshall, Assistant Director of Recreation and Intramurals, at (276) 376-4513.