First-Year Trips, a signature program within the Outdoor Programs Office, is an orientation program that helps incoming students begin their transition to Dartmouth in a supportive, welcoming environment. Students are placed into small groups, each of which is led by two upper-level Dartmouth students. As a group, students and their Trip Leaders spend multiple days participating in one of a variety of activities that cater to a wide range of interests and comfort with the outdoors, including hiking, paddling, exploring museums, rock climbing, relaxing at a cabin, and more. Trips include a range of experiences from sleeping underneath a tarp, filtering fresh water from natural streams, and using primitive bathroom facilities, to staying in an accessible location with access to indoor sleeping spaces and modern plumbing! Feel free to email us if you have any questions or concerns about accessibility and sleeping in shared spaces during Trips.

First-Year Trips is a decades-old tradition that helps unify each class of incoming students, and we encourage everyone to participate in First-Year Trips. Absolutely no outdoors experience is required or expected to participate in and enjoy Trips. The wide range of activities available on Trips allows all students to find an environment and experience that is meaningful for them, and we will work with students to address any concerns and provide any necessary adjustments or accommodations.

First Year Trips happens during and as a part of New Student Orientation before the start of the Fall Term.

In 2026, students participating in First Year Trips (and not already on campus for Pre-Orientation programs or fall pre-season athletics) will move in to their dorms on September 2nd, 2026. Check the Orientation Website for further information about move in dates.

Nope! First-Year Trips depart in four back-to-back sections: A, B, C, and D.

Sections leave starting the day after the designated move-in date scheduled for all students planning to participate in First-Year Trips in early September (with the exception of students already on campus for pre-orientation programs and pre-season athletics). Each day for four days, about 380 first-year students are leaving for their Trip. Your departure date for your Trip will depend on which section you are assigned. You will receive your Trip section assignment in late summer after registration closes.

Your Trip section will determine the schedule of your required New Student Orientation events - all students will still participate in all the same NSO programming, just on different days and times depending on Trip section assignment.

Before you arrive at Dartmouth, you will be assigned a trip type that takes into account your preferences as expressed in the registration form. Your trip group will consist of two upper-level Trip Leaders and roughly seven other incoming students. Together, you will spend three days and nights participating in activities related to your trip type, which will include time outdoors. On your third day, you will come together with other trips at either the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge (“the Lodj”) or the Dartmouth Skiway Lodge (“the Sklodj”) for a closing Trips experience.

All incoming first-year and transfer students can participate in Trips, regardless of outdoors experience, ability, participation in other pre-orientation program!

If you have any questions or concerns about your ability to participate, please email us at First-Year.Trips@dartmouth.edu.

All necessities for your assigned Trip type will be provided for you – food, shelter, transportation, and group equipment.

Provided Group Gear:

Each Trip group is provided all necessary gear for their assigned activity (Trips on the water are provided boats, drybags to store belongings, and personal flotation devices to wear, mountain bike trips are provided bikes, etc.)! Different Trips need different gear – you’ll get a packing list when you receive your trip assignment.  If you have questions about what is provided for your Trip, feel free to email us once we release your assignment in late July.

Individual Gear:

Some trip types require individual gear such as hiking backpacks, sleeping bags, hiking boots, etc. If you have all you need already, great! If not, try to borrow from friends or neighbors or acquire second-hand. If you can’t find what you need, Trips has gear that can be borrowed. Visit our Gear Glossary for more information about what you might need for individual gear.

Borrowing Individual Gear:

Again, if you don't have your own gear items, cannot borrow any, and cannot afford to outfit yourself, Trips has things like backpacks, sleeping bags, hiking boots, rain jackets, warm layers, headlamps, etc. available for borrowing. All borrowed gear is free of charge, at no cost to you. You will have an opportunity to request individual gear items after you have received your trip type assignment. Priority for borrowing gear will be given to students on financial aid.

There are many, different types of trips spanning a wide spectrum of themes, setting, physical activity, and time in the outdoors. We are confident that everyone can have a Trips experience that they are excited for, feel comfortable with, and can thrive in. If you are unsure about a trip type, have questions, are feeling nervous, or have any other concerns, please reach out to us at First-Year.Trips@dartmouth.edu or by phone at 603-646-3996.

We also recognize that some students may need additional adjustments or accommodations related to religious practices, ability, dietary concerns, allergies, and/or other needs. First-Year Trips is excited to create accessible and inclusive Trip experiences for all participants, and it partners with departments such as Dartmouth’s Student Health Service, Dartmouth Dining Services, Student Accessibility Services, and the Tucker Center for Religious and Spiritual Life in the process. We are committed to doing everything possible to help all students participate in the Trips program to the extent they feel comfortable.

If you have concerns about accommodation on campus beyond First-Year Trips, particularly related to a disability or other diagnosed condition, please reach out to Student Accessibility Services. If you have a dietary condition such as a life-threatening food allergy or celiac or Crohn’s disease, or just want to learn more about heathy eating on campus, please email Dartmouth Dining Services or call 603-646-1740 for more information or to schedule a meeting.

Backcountry Dining 

For the first few days of Trips, most Trippees will be out in the field and cooking their own meals alongside their Trip Leaders. Trips are sent with the necessary ingredients for all three meals, plus additional snacks, to ensure everyone is full and energized during their First Year Trip. Traditionally, breakfast is oatmeal with various toppings; lunch is tortilla wraps with hummus/veggies/summer sausage/cheese or sunbutter/jelly; dinner is mac ‘n cheese or a delectable taco bowl!

There are tons of snacks available to each Trip, from cranberries to sesame sticks to jellybeans, and everything in between! Trippees are not expected to purchase any additional food for the duration of Trips, and are not permitted to bring personal food items unless given explicit permission from the First-Year Trips Sustenance Coordinators. 

All ingredients and snacks are packaged beforehand by Trips Volunteers, and are distributed to each Trip when the program begins. Food and cookware is divided up between individual packs during Trips, such that the additional weight ends up being minimal and shared amongst all participants! 

(Sk)lodj Meals!  

On the final night of First-Year Trips, all Trips will wind up at one of two lodges affiliated with Dartmouth’s campus! Regardless of which lodge their Trip visits, all Trippees will be served a hot, multi-course dinner, as well as breakfast the next morning. The Sustenance team works closely with the support crews at the lodges to ensure that every Trippee has an energizing and delicious meal waiting for them at their lodge, accommodating all allergies and dietary restrictions. 

Nut Allergy? 

Trips is entirely nut-free! 

Other Allergies and Dietary Restrictions

The Sustenance Coordinators on the First-Year Trips Directorate work intentionally to ensure each Trippee’s dietary needs are accommodated. Once all incoming students register for First-Year Trips, the Sustenance Coordinators will reach out to the Trippees who have indicated an allergy or dietary restriction on these forms. The Sustenance Coordinators will let each Trippee know what they can expect from their menu, and, if necessary, work with them to create a personalized menu that allows them to fully participate in First-Year Trips. If you have any additional questions regarding allergy management or menus on Trips, feel free to reach out to First-Year.Trips@dartmouth.edu. 

Our Directors, Risk Management Coordinator, and several support crews work behind the scenes to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all participants and volunteers.

• Our outdoor-standard safety protocols help proactively minimize risk on all types of Trips from cabins to trails and waterways.
• Our Vox Safety Crew is composed of student volunteers who operate a 24/7 safety phone and incident response service for medical and non-medical incidents while students are out on Trips.
• Students on Vox Safety Crew hold advanced medical training (EMT, OEC, WEMT, WFR) and have extensive experience responding to these incidents.

Our trip leaders and support volunteers receive extensive training over the Spring and Summer to prepare for any potential challenges that may arise. This includes the following training sessions:

• Outdoor Practical Training
• Incident Prevention and Response Training
• Group Dynamics, Mental Health, and Risk Management Seminars
• First-Year Trips Specific Medical Training
• Basic First Aid/CPR Certification

All participants and volunteers are required to complete our Water Comfort Assessment.

Trip types such as mountain biking and climbing are additionally facilitated by student volunteers experienced in that activity. 

The cost of Trips 2026 is $420. This charge will be billed to your college account, and payment is not required when registering.

If you receive financial aid from Dartmouth, the cost of Trips will AUTOMATICALLY be reduced according to the amount of financial aid you receive from the College (up to and including 100% coverage of the cost of First-Year Trips). Keep an eye out for an email from the Financial Aid office sent in conjunction with the Trips Registration email.

We are committed to making sure that finances are not a barrier to participating in First-Year Trips, both in the cost of the program and any gear you may need. If you have questions about financial aid or the cost of Trips, please reach out to us!