MAINE: PATHWAY TO THE PINES

 
 
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MAINE 7 DAY ADVENTURE AND SERVICE PROGRAM

JULY 20 - JULY 26, 2025
(9TH - 12TH GRADE)

JULY 27 - AUGUST 2, 2025
(6TH - 8TH GRADE)

LENGTH 7 Days

COMPLETING GRADES 6-8 & 9-12

SERVICE HOURS 8 - 12

ARRIVE/DEPART Portland, Maine (PWM)

TUITION $2995

This 7 day adventure and service program is a perfect introductory trip, or great for those with busy summer schedules and limited time. We explore the vast adventurous landscapes of Maine while helping support local environmental projects with the Friends of Acadia. Acadia National Park provides a natural outdoor playground as we climb, kayak, hike, camp and swim to explore one of the best national parks in the country!

 
 

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

 
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CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO LEARN MORE!

TRIP OVERVIEW

 
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Activities

  • Hike: Explore Acadia National Park

  • Sea Kayak: Blue Hill Bay and Somes Sound

  • Rock Climbing: Acadia National Park

  • Explore: Bar Harbor

  • Watch the Sunrise: On top of Cadillac Mountain

  • Wildlife Watching: Keep your eyes peeled for moose, eagles, and other local wildlife

  • Camp out: Eat s’mores and sleep under the stars

SERVICE

A Certificate of Community Service indicating the total number of hours worked and a group Presidential Volunteer Service Award will be issued upon successful completion of the program. Service work could include some of the following projects:

  • Beach clean-ups

  • Tree planting

  • Trail maintenance and coastal erosion projects

  • Cleaning up washed up floats on the shore of the islands

WHAT IS INCLUDED AND EXCLUDED IN TRIP TUITION

The trip tuition listed above includes accommodations, activities, meals, and group gear. The tuition does not include personal gear and clothing, travel insurance, spending money, and travel expenses such as airfare to and from the start and end of the program, unaccompanied minor fees, and baggage fees.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND SHOWERING

Accommodations are tent camping for 6 nights. We aim for it to be 2 participants in a 3-person tent or 3 participants in a 4-person tent with luggage. Tents are divided by gender.

Bathrooms and showers can be rustic so please be prepared. In an effort to save time and conserve water resources in the areas we are traveling, participants will have access to showers every 3-4 days. Bathrooms are a mix between flush toilets and latrines.

FOOD

Participants on this trip will plan, prepare, and eat meals as a group. Split up into smaller cook crews, each crew will have the chance to prepare a meal approximately once per day. This process is supervised by staff who offer advice on nutrition, and menu planning, and ensure safe food storage, preparation, and handling.

Meals are prepared on back-country-style camp stoves. Meals are nutritious and filling, but the back-country nature of the program often necessitates a simpler menu than a restaurant or home cook might allow.

We are able to accommodate all dietary requirements and preferences.

TRAVEL

Families are individually responsible for booking their own airfare or making their own travel arrangements to get their students from home to Portland (PWM) on the first day of the trip, and from Portland (PWM) to home on the last day of the trip. RLT will provide exact windows of time that we require all students to arrive and depart within. It is imperative that no one make any travel arrangements until RLT directs them to do so.

TRAVEL INSURANCE RECOMMENDATIONS

The Road Less Traveled does not provide its own insurance nor do we require travel insurance for domestic trips. However, travel insurance can protect your investment in your participant's trip from the risk of unexpected expenses from last-minute cancellations or early trip departure. If you are interested in more details regarding travel insurance, please visit our FAQ page or you may contact a member of our team at info@theroadlesstraveled.com or 773-342-5200.

TECHNOLOGY

As part of the RLT experience, our trips are electronic-free. While it is encouraged to travel with cell phones, leaders will collect phones and any other personal devices after all participants arrive on the first day. It can feel tough initially to not have access to your phone, but it really helps everyone in the group to connect and have a really great trip experience. This includes phones, iPods, tablets, gaming devices, music devices, smartwatches, etc. All electronics will be held by RLT leaders, kept safe and dry for the duration of the trip, and returned at the end of the program. All cameras, go pros, etc. are acceptable and can be kept with you! If you do not have a camera, please note that leaders will also be taking photos throughout the program, and these photos will be shared through an online gallery.

 
 

“RLT WAS a great opportunity for our daughter to connect with new people, develop leadership skills, try new things, and explore new parts of the world.”

- SUMMER 2024 MAINE ALUM PARENT -

 
 
 
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SAMPLE ITINERARY

 
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*Please note the itinerary listed below is the intended itinerary for this trip. No two trips are exactly the same. All itineraries are subject to change to ensure the best possible program experience. Weather, group dynamics, new opportunities, and the unpredictability of travel all shape the final trip itinerary - and it's all part of the adventure!

Arrival and get to know the group (Day 1)

Participants will fly into the airport in Portland where the leaders will be ready and waiting for them. Once the whole group has arrived, we transfer to our campground and spend the evening playing games and getting to know each other and our new home.

Kayaking the coastline (Day 2)

For our first full day we start to explore the coastline of Acadia National Park. With over 47,000 acres of wilderness, this is the perfect outdoor playground for us to explore. We take a guided kayak tour around the coastline, exploring the beaches, caves, rocky inlets and keep our eyes peeled for the local wildlife! We have a picnic lunch on route, and have time to swim and hang out on the beach to end our day.

Community service work in Acadia National Park (Days 3 & 4)

The next two days we focus on service work to help give back to the natural landscapes we are visiting. We work with the Friends of Acadia Association on various projects including beach cleanups, planting trees, trail maintenance, erosion control, and learning about environmental restoration and other protection initiatives. We hear about the ongoing work happening behind the scenes to protect these landscapes and allow visitors to enjoy them in a sustainable way. After our service work we continue to explore, play games, swim, and hang out as a group.

Rock climbing (Day 5)

Master your rock climbing skills on the granite cliffs rising way above the treeline. Our guide will help us develop our climbing technique, belaying and ropework skills, and how to read the rocks and different routes. This allows us to explore a different part of Acadia and develop new skills.

Cadillac Mountain (Day 6)

An early start but totally worth it! We climb to the top of Cadillac Mountain to watch the sunrise. This is a really special moment of the trip, with golden views reaching as far as the eye can see. We finish the day with our final banquet, RLT style, and reflect on the group’s experiences.

Homeward bound (Day 7)

We say final goodbyes in Portland and board flights back home.


SOCIAL MEDIA

Check out #mainerlt and follow @therlt on Instagram for trip updates this summer!


 
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Climbing

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