Walkabout - An Educational Adventure

What if you could plan a full year of outdoor discovery, with no limits on challenges or destinations?

You might start with backpacking in North Carolina, add some bouldering in south India and test your boundaries further with kayaking, and trekking in obscure corners of the world. You wouldn't want to go it alone, so you'd assemble the solid team of adventure leaders: a rock climbing guide, a nationally recognized photographer, a marathon runner, a swiftwater rescue technician, a Wilderness First Responder, and a veteran kayaking guide. And of course, you'd bring an adventurous group of old and new friends. Sound like an outdoor dream? More like a dream come true.

Our Walkabout program connects students to the environment virtually every day of the year. While not mandatory(except for the Freshman Trip), Walkabout can be one of the most demanding activities on campus, and that's exactly why it's so popular. A typical afternoon might be spent paddle boarding on the Tennessee River or trail running in Prentice Cooper State Forest. Trips abroad are an annual tradition. And the leadership of our Walkabout faculty (who teach in Baylor classrooms as well) is matched only by the passion of our student instructors. Walkabout student instructors are chosen for their desire and ability to teach and share their outdoor passions with their classmates and often their teachers. They are chosen for their desire to lead.

For a detailed look at Walkabout including pictures, movies and schedules click here.

The Tradition of the Senior Trip
Each year, Baylor seniors can choose to be exempt from exams and head to the mountains of South Carolina for seven days of rafting, hiking, camping, and unplugged adventure. Although they had no way of knowing it at the time, the innovators who were involved from the beginning were creating one of the preeminent experiential programs in the country for high school seniors. In May of 2020, Baylor will celebrate the 45th anniversary of the senior trip; to watch a commemorative video click here.