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Joshua Tree – Veterans – Backpack
Backpack with fellow veterans on a 6-day journey through the rugged Mojave, sharing stories, leading, and camping under Joshua Tree’s unforgettable starry skies.
California
About This Course
Activity
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Backpacking
Setting & Location
- Desert
Session Details
0 session are available for this course
What You’ll Learn
Outward Bound Veterans courses have helped thousands of service members and veterans draw on the healing benefits of teamwork and challenge. Through adventurous wilderness expeditions, you’ll find the camaraderie, confidence, and clarity to thrive in civilian life.
What You'll Do
Few places compare to the beauty of desert backpacking. You'll carry all essentials and explore remote areas. Trails, when present, are usually well maintained and sandy. Off-trail routes can be tough, taking you through boulder-filled canyons and vast desert plains.
Where You'll Be
Joshua Tree’s rugged canyons, unique plants, and surreal rock formations create a one-of-a-kind desert landscape. As an International Dark Sky Park, enjoy incredible stargazing while exploring remote backcountry areas rarely visited by others.
Why It Matters
Leaving the military can feel disorienting. Our Veterans courses offer a supportive crew and purposeful challenge through adventurous wilderness expeditions—so you can reset, refocus, and return home with renewed confidence.
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Veterans Courses
What if you can find familiar connections in unfamiliar places?
Lead in New Ways
Tap into familiar leadership skills and learn new ways to engage with your crew to meet and navigate through unique challenges.
Connections That Last
Build connections that outlast the adventure as you and your crew learn to recognize each other’s strengths and celebrate success together.
Confidence Beyond the Uniform
Leaving the military can feel disorienting. Our Veterans courses offer a supportive crew and purposeful challenge—so you can reset, refocus, and return home with renewed confidence.
Life on Course
Discover purpose and camaraderie backpacking the Mojave, sharing stories, leading, and camping under Joshua Tree's starry skies.
Desert life provides an opportunity to discover challenge, purpose and camaraderie as you connect to service in civilian life. You will backpack the vast expanses of the Mojave Desert and some of the most iconic wilderness in the United States. Along the way the group will reflect, relate and support one another as you swap stories and take turns leading the group down the trail, cooking backcountry meals and setting up camp under the bright starry night sky of Joshua Tree.
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Sample Itinerary
Here’s an example of what your course itinerary might look like. The actual plan will depend on permits, weather, group skills, and instructor evaluation.
Swipe on table below to view more.
6-Day Course
| Day 1 | Arrival, issue gear, hike in and camp in the back-country |
| Day 2 | Backpacking, learn backcountry skills |
| Day 3 | Backpacking |
| Day 4 | Peak Attempt |
| Day 5 | Hike to trailhead, clean/de-issue gear, graduation/banquet |
| Day 6 | Depart for airport |
FAQs
What will the weather be like in Joshua Tree?
The Mojave Desert’s sunny fall, winter and spring weather is perfect for a week on the trail or basecamping below the next climb. Temperatures can vary, averaging 50-70 degrees during the day to a cool 30 or lower at night. Weather in the park is generally dry and rainfall is sparse, though unpredictable, and sometimes windy conditions or thunderstorms do occur. Rare winter snow is possible and it is a unique experience to see this commonly dry environment blanketed in white.
At what altitude does the course take place?
Joshua Tree is a lower elevation course area for OBCA. The highest peaks are just under 6,000 feet, making this a great destination for anyone with altitude concerns.
What is the solo experience like?
Solo is a chance to rest, reflect, and recharge on your own in a designated area near your group. You’ll have shelter, food, water, and support nearby. It’s not about isolation—it’s about insight.
Am I eligible to participate?
Outward Bound courses for veterans are open to active duty military and veterans. All applicants to our veterans courses will be asked to verify their service with the U.S. military. This course is designed for veterans with all levels of backpacking experience.
I already attended an OB Veterans program, can I apply again?
Veterans are welcome to take a second course after your first course has been completed, but we ask that alumni not enroll on two courses in the same year. Priority will be given to those who have not attended a course with us previously. Veterans are allowed to lifetime courses total, unless you have been deployed since you attended.
