LGBTQ+ Wilderness Horsepacking
Learn new leadership and outdoor skills as you explore Wyoming’s Red Desert on horseback with a group of LGBTQ-identified students.
Duration
14 days
Age
18+
Overview
About this course
Explore Wyoming’s Red Desert in a queer-positive community
Get ready for a unique outdoor adventure: traveling across Wyoming’s sweeping sagebrush plains and badlands on horseback. In an LGBTQ2IA+ affinity space, learn the fundamentals of horsepacking and camping in a striking Western landscape. Form new friendships as you ride across unbounded desert expanses. Enjoy dramatic sunrises as you tend to the horses. At the same time, develop your leadership style in a community that celebrates queer identities.
Before heading out into the Red Desert, you’ll spend several days camping at NOLS Three Peaks Ranch and learning the basics. Build community with your coursemates as you get comfortable riding and caring for horses, pitching a tent, and cooking on a camp stove. Then, fill your panniers and set off into the Wyoming backcountry.
In the field, gain leadership experience as well as outdoor skills with the support of your instructors. Stretch your comfort zone as you take on different roles within the group. Develop your problem-solving and decision-making skills while planning the day’s travel route or choosing a campsite. Practice effective communication with both human and equine companions. Find connection, belonging, and self-confidence as you explore a beautiful wilderness environment—and your own identity.
Resources
Resources & downloads
Schedule
Questions? Let's Connect
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Detailed daily objectives and skills progression
Complete packing & equipment checklist
Sample student journal from Unaweep Canyon
Pre-course preparation guide
Speak to an Expeditions Expert
Course Session Dates
No Course Sessions enrolling.
Financial aid & Scholarships
NOLS supports a variety of outside financial aid options:
- AmeriCorps
- 529 College Savings Plans
- Veteran's Benefits (only for courses fully in the state of Wyoming)
Ready
Ready to get certified?
Find a WFR course near you, talk to an admissions advisor, or request a free catalog to learn more about NOLS Wilderness Medicine.

