Program Overview
Outdoor Leadership
Campus
- V Vermilion
Program Overview
The past 25 years has seen a shift from resource extraction and industrial based economic drivers to leisure, recreation, and service-based economies, particularly in rural areas adjacent to outdoor recreation resources and public lands. This has led to an increase in demand for passionate, well-trained, and skilled leaders in the outdoor recreation space. The Minnesota North College Outdoor Leadership and Recreation Therapy programs train students to meet this demand through hands-on, skills-based training in a variety of outdoor activities rooted in the great Northwoods on Minnesota’s Arrowhead.
Sources: Cost and Aid
Reasons to Attend Minnesota North
A growing field.
The Outdoor Recreation sector of the economy contributes over $1.2 trillion to the GDP (Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, 2023). It’s theu fourth largest industry in the U.S. (Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account, U.S. and States, 2023). In Minnesota, outdoor recreation contributes over $13 billion to the state economy, almost 100K jobs, and over 3% of the state economy. (ORR, 2023). The past 25 years has seen a shift from resource extraction and industrial based economic drivers to leisure, recreation, and service-based economies, particularly in rural areas adjacent to outdoor recreation resources and public lands.
Learn skills to work, live, and experience the outdoors.
Some of the program features include:
- Multi-day Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness canoe expedition
- American Canoe Association sea kayak leader training
- Rock Climbing skill and leadership development
- Winter skills such as dogsledding, skiing, snowshoeing, and winter camping
- Multi-day backpack expedition
- Leave No Trace Trainer certification
- Wilderness First Responder certification
- Backcountry guiding and wilderness leadership
- Environmental education, technical rescue, wilderness survival
Turning passion into purpose.
Graduates from our Outdoor Recreational Therapy program go on to build rewarding careers that blend outdoor leadership, education, and therapeutic practice. Alumni have worked across the country—and the world—in roles such as:
- Adventure Education & Wilderness Programs: Instructors and leaders with organizations like Outward Bound, Wilderness Inquiry, YMCA Wilderness Camps, BSA, Tracker’s PDX, and Avid 4 Adventure.
- Environmental Education: Educators at premier learning centers including Wolf Ridge, Hartley Nature Center, and Deep Portage.
- Outdoor Safety & Patrol: Members of ski and mountain bike pro-patrol teams through the National Ski Patrol.
- Expedition & Outdoor Guides: Professional guides in sea kayaking, canoeing, dogsledding, and other backcountry pursuits.
- Therapeutic Recreation Specialists: Practitioners working with Northland Adaptive Recreation, the National Ability Center, and programs for Veterans and at-risk youth.
- International Outdoor Educators: Leaders and instructors in global programs throughout China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and beyond.
