The Outing Club

The W&L Outing Club offers students, faculty, and staff a variety of outdoor activities and classes. W&L students lead most of the activities, which include backpacking, fly fishing, canoeing, kayaking, rafting, rock climbing, mountain biking, caving, skiing, and outdoor cooking. Trips vary in length from day hikes to 10-day trips held during February and Spring breaks. Equipment and trip planning resources are available to all Outing Club members who want to do their own trips.

W&L Outing Club Membership

Membership to the W&L Outing Club entitles you to access our indoor climbing facility, access our bike shop, participate in all day trips, overnight trips, outdoor classes, and allows you to check out any outdoor equipment (SUP’s, kayaks, bikes, packs, tents and more), without further cost. Trip sign-ups and equipment are limited so all sign-ups and rentals will be taken on a first-come first-served basis. 

Where We Are

Want to get to the Outing Club to checkout equipment, a bike or climb the rockwall? Go to 159 West Denny Circle, right next to the Tennis Center and the Baseball Field. 

The Outing Club meeting room is located on Campus Level of the Elrod Commons, room 114. The Outing Club House is located at 203 East Washington St. in Davidson Park. We can be reached by phone at 540-458-4066 or by e-mail at outing@wlu.edu.

Outing Club Merchandise

  • Outing Club Membership – $40 (for 4 years Undergraduate Students or 3 years Law Students)
  • Outing Club Guidebook – $15
  • Wildflowers of W&L poster – $12
  • Nalgene water bottle with OC Logo – $15
  • Crazy Creek Chair with OC Logo – $45
  • Outing Club patch – $5

Outing Club Hours

Sunday (Mar 1)
1:00-3:00pm
Monday (Mar 2)
3:00-5:00pm
Tuesday (Mar 3)
closed
Wednesday (Mar 4)
3:00-5:00pm
Thursday (Mar 5)
closed
Friday (Mar 6)
3:00-5:00pm
Saturday (Mar 7)
closed

Climbing Wall Hours

Sunday (Mar 1)
3:00-7:00pm
Monday (Mar 2)
5:00-7:00pm
Tuesday (Mar 3)
4:00-8:00pm
Wednesday (Mar 4)
5:00-7:00pm
Thursday (Mar 5)
4:00-8:00pm
Friday (Mar 6)
5:00-7:00pm
Saturday (Mar 7)
closed

OC Events

Mar 06 - 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Hike Bluff Mountain

Enjoy the nice weather Friday going on a 4 mile out and back trail on Bluff Mountain! We will leave the OC at 1pm,

Mar 08 - 7:00 am - 1:00 pm

Glade Caving

Join us as we embark on an adventure through one of the muddiest but most fun caves in the area: Glade Cave! No pri

Mar 08 - 10:00 am - 12:30 pm

Beginner Back Campus Mountain Bike Ride

Looking for a way to enjoy the wonderful weather this Sunday? Join Cass and Nabil for a mid-morning back campus mou

Mar 09 - 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Death Cafe

Death Cafe is a global movement, and W&L hosts a pop-up event at which attendees enjoy light refreshments and d

Mar 12 - 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Moonlight Paddleboarding

Come join a relaxing moonlight paddleboard on the Maury! We’ll meet at the OC pavillion and drive a short ways to t

Mar 13 - 11:45 am - 12:45 pm

Mountaineering in the Patagonian Andes Talk

Mountaineering in the Patagonian Andes: Risking Death & Memento Mori Figures Talk by Dr. Marcos Mendoza, author

Mar 13 - 2:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Climb Outdoors at Goshen

Come climb for a Friday afternoon at Goshen Pass! We’ll set up a couple of top ropes and enjoy getting outside for

Mar 15 - 11:30 am - 6:00 pm

Jump Rock Hike

Do you crave adventure, hiking, exploring new places? Join Ashley and Mac for a beautiful Spring hike in Goshen Pas

Mar 17 - 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Natural Bridge State Park

Did you know that Natural Bridge (just 20 minutes from W&L) is a Certified Dark Sky’s Park? What better way to

Mar 21 - 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Bike the Whole Chessie

Have you wanted to bike the Chessie? Do you need to complete the OC degree? Do you want to welcome in Spring on a r

Mar 27 - Mar 28 - All Day

Sport Climbing at the New River Gorge

Come camp and climb at the New River Gorge, one of the best climbing destinations on the east coast! The New River

Mar 29 - 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

Via Ferrata

The Via Ferrata at NROCKS is a one-of-a-kind adventure that delivers big thrills and unforgettable views. This prof

Apr 04 - 6:00 am - 8:00 pm

Museums & Cherry Blossoms!

The weekend of April 3rd is the peak of the DC cherry blossom bloom. Join Mac on an all day exploration of the DC’s

Apr 04 - 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

Via Ferrata

The Via Ferrata at NROCKS is a one-of-a-kind adventure that delivers big thrills and unforgettable views. This prof

Apr 05 - 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

White Water Rafting on the Lower New River

Experience the best whitewater in New River Gorge National Park. The Lower New River Gorge is an 8–12 mile full-day

Apr 18 - Apr 25 - All Day

New Mexico Backpacking Trip

Epic backpacking trip in the Gila Wilderness in Southwest New Mexico, America’s first wilderness. Canyons, rivers a

Apr 18 - Apr 20 - All Day

Backpacking in Dolly Sods Wilderness

Come explore the Dolly Sods Wilderness area with the Outing Club! This trip will be a three-day intermediate backpa

Adventures Aplenty

Many students’ first adventure with the Outing Club happens during their first week on campus ⁠— on the Appalachian Adventure trip during Leading Edge.

Appalachian Adventure, which takes students on a four-night hike of the Appalachian Trail, is the most popular Leading Edge trip at W&L.

In the Great Outdoors

The surrounding area provides a scenic playground for hikers, cyclists, climbers, paddlers and fly fishers — and the Outing Club does it all all.

Adventures


Meet Gaby White ’27

White has embraced several leadership opportunities at W&L.

Continue Reading

Tackling the Bucket List

Students in the Outing Club’s new pilot Spring Term program had the chance to step outside their comfort zones one more time before Commencement.

Continue Reading

What the Mountain Gives You

Chris Paudel ’28 set out to challenge himself — and cultural stereotypes — through a mountaineering expedition in his home country of Nepal.

Continue Reading

Poetry in Motion

Aby Joyner ’28 believes in the power of photography and poetry, publishing two books, with another in progress.

Continue Reading

Meet Elizabeth Barr ’27

Barr’s love of nature led her to a biology major and getting her scuba certification with the Outing Club.

Continue Reading

‘To Be Where Your Feet Are’

The Kendrick Award, established in memory of Bryant Kendrick ’67, encourages W&L students to experience the natural world.

Continue Reading

Legacy of Outdoor Exploration

The Matelich Endowment enhances Outing Club experiences.

Continue Reading

Celebrating Spring: Outing Club’s Top Five Hikes

Spring Term and Alumni Weekend reunions are the perfect times to experience the outdoors that hug Washington and Lee.

Continue Reading

Meet Emma Scott ‘26

Scott’s passion for the environment carries over from the classroom to opportunities on campus and beyond.

Continue Reading

Meet Sydney Fleming ’27

The first-year student says the Outing Club and W&L’s proximity to great hiking and kayaking spots were a big draw.

Continue Reading

Meet a Colleague: Peter Grajzl

Peter Grajzl is the John F. Hendon Professor of Economics.

Continue Reading

Meet a Colleague: Mauricio Betancourt

Mauricio Betancourt is an assistant professor of environmental studies.

Continue Reading