Teen Programs
Finding peers who are also experiencing a loss can help you on your grief journey. In Wild Grief’s teen programs, you connect with other teens, immerse yourself in the timelessness of nature, and find ways to reflect and heal that make sense for you.
If you’re age 13 to 18 and are grieving the loss of someone important to you, explore these ways to find solace and meaning through experiences in the natural world.
Look below for more information on our teen backpacking trips and our teen day hikes.
Teen Backpacking trip
Join other teens on this guided summer backpacking adventure in the backcountry of Washington state to navigate grief while exploring the wonder of wilderness far from the daily grind. Our programs are free to all participants and we provide all needed guiding, gear and food.
Our Teen Backpack is about engaging with grief, moment-to-moment, with peers who have also experienced a significant loss. The simple acts that take place during a multi-day trek—walking beneath the trees, pitching a tent, feeling the weather change all have a way of grounding us. In the wild, we have permission to grieve however we need to grieve. We encourage you to share as much or as little of your grief experience as you wish. Whether you express your grief out loud or not, you will share the trail with peers who are on a similar journey.
Our trained guides are experienced in working with youth, grief, and living outdoors. We design hikes that are challenging but manageable for teens who move some in their daily lives.
Who: Teens age 13-18 who are dealing with grief from the death of someone important to them and are up for a backpacking adventure organized around discovering ways to support each other and themselves. This trip is for teens who are comfortable walking 4 miles and are open to new insights and experiences in the company of others. Our eligibility criteria explains who can go on this hike in more detail. Please read it before applying. Most hikers live in Washington, but we can take a few from out of state.
Where: Various backcountry trails in Goat Rocks Wilderness in the South Cascades and Olympic National Park all in western Washington State.
Cost: The trip as well as all meals and backpacking gear are provided free of charge to all participants.
When: We are offering three trips in 2025. Dates TBD! Sign up here to be notified when applications open.
Teen Day Hikes
Our day long hikes happen a few times a year and are chance for a small group to load in a van and go a little ways away from civilization to open up to our grief among others who have been through something similar. Our day hikes are moderate in difficulty and designed to be manageable for a wide range of people. Every day hike is led by a Wild Grief guide with training in leading hikes, administering first aid, and facilitating grief support for youth.
Who: Teens age 13-18 who have experienced the death of someone important to them and want to try out a grief-focused hike. No hiking experience necessary.
Where: Drop off and pickup is in Olympia, WA. The Hikes occur on various trails around South and Central Puget Sound, usually within a 1-2 hour drive from Olympia.
How much: Free!
When in 2025: Dates TBD. Sign up here to be notified when registration opens.
Unlike our overnight programs there is no need to apply and wait to hear back if you got in. Simply register and we will send you more detailed information as the date gets closer.
Other programs that include teens
Teens are also welcome to join their families for our Family and All Ages Programs.