Written By Victoria Dissmore, Marketing Employee

Pack your bags, all you outdoor-adventure lovers out there! Grab your bug-spray, granola bars, and sense of adventure and head down to Liberty’s very own outdoor recreation facility: Hydaway Outdoor Center. There are so many fun, outdoor opportunities at Hydaway, less than 5 miles from campus. If you don’t have a car, you can request an On-Demand Ride through Liberty’s transit system. There really is no excuse—adventure is calling!
Camping
One of the activities Hydaway offers is camping for Liberty students, faculty, and staff. You can reserve a campsite for Friday and Saturday nights during the school year, complete with a fire pit, plenty of tent space, and bear boxes for food storage. Each site is only $5 per night, and with your Flames Pass you can rent camping equipment, including tents and sleeping bags, free of charge.
If you’re looking to go on an off-campus camping adventure, Hydaway can rent out all the camping equipment you need, including a hiking backpack, a camp cook set, and even a flashlight. Check out the website for a complete list of available items at a low cost.
Hydaway Lake
Another feature of Hydaway Outdoor Center is the beautiful Hydaway Lake. During the school year … Read More

Written By Lauren Stinner, Marketing Intern

With Summer approaching, the state of Virginia offers many opportunities for residents and visitors to participate in—whether its hikes on the Blue Ridge Parkway, running and biking on trails, or yoga in the park. Here are a few reasons why you should take advantage of outdoor exercise in Virginia:
There is something to do in all four seasons.
Living in Virginia means the ever-so-changing, yet beautiful seasons. The warmth of the summer sun, crisp fall air, cold and refreshing winter, and blooming spring means that you can cater your outdoor exercise to whatever the weather allows, while taking in the glory of God’s creation.
Adventure to find the best views.
Virginia is no stranger to incredible drives and mountain-top outlooks. Whether it’s the Blue Ridge Parkway, Shenandoah National Park, or Natural Bridge, you won’t be disappointed with what you find. Use the natural beauty of what God has made to move your body!
There are endless hiking spots.

Along with the views come some pretty popular hiking trails. Devil’s Marble Yard, Sharp Top, and Cole Mountain–just to name a few–are great hikes for any time of year. Hiking is a great way to exercise because you get to explore nature while you do it!
Fresh air is good for you.

Especially while we are primarily spending our time indoors, … Read More

Written by Joe Frey
 

We have all seen them around Hydaway and the trails, most of us own one and we all love using them!  Hammocks.  There may be a bit more to this fancy piece of fabric than you know.  So let’s dive in and discuss the hammock; both as a means to “hang out” with friends and a great camping option!

The History:
To better understand the hammock it is important to know the history and how it has been used in the past.  Hammocks have been around for hundreds of years.  As history goes, the hammock was invented by Mayan civilizations as a way to protect them from the environment around them.  They were then adopted by sailors as a way to ease sea sickness during voyages.  Used widely in the 16th century all the way to our present time.
In 2016 there was dramatic rise in interests among hammock.  The term “hammocking” became a trendy phase among millennials to describe a social way for them to “hang out” with their friends.  People realized you didn’t need to be camping in a forest, you could put you hammock up anywhere. With this rise in interest outdoor enthusiasts also began to use the hammock more as a means of camping.  Making the decision to leave the tent at home and only bring a hammock.

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Written by Luke Whitmire
 

It is incredible to read and listen to the stories of outdoor adventurers that have been pushing the boundaries over the recent years. Names such as Alex Honnold, Tommy Caldwell, and Colin O’Brady have become household names through their daring adventures and accomplishments in the outdoors. Why do their stories matter to us? Many of us will never accomplish what these professionals have, so what can we learn from them besides a cool story?
One of our values here at Outdoor Recreation is adventure. Adventure is a very vague word and can be used to describe everything from a daring new type of activity to a late-night run to Walmart with your friends, so let’s dig deeper into the word. Our department defines our adventure value by striving to use exciting undertakings to intentionally explore the people and places that surround us.

“We strive to use exciting undertakings to intentionally explore the people and places that surround us.”
-Outdoor Recreation Core Values-

It is important to recognize that this means that adventure is subjective to each person and will vary based on a person’s comfort levels. We see this often throughout our daily lives here at Outdoor Recreation. A great example is our zipline and high ropes course. Our zipline here gets many different reactions from many different people. To the experienced zipliner, our setup may … Read More

Written by Katy Ward

Have you ever unexpectedly found a new passion? Something that you had no idea existed but once you discovered it, you fell in love? I have.
 
In February 2018, Liberty University Outdoor Recreation facilitated its first caving trip. I had the privilege of being one of these initial participants to embark on this new adventure. When I first heard about the trip, it instantly caught my attention. I had been Free Climbing for a couple of years before and the thought of trying a new aspect of climbing (caving), piqued my interest. I was nervous for sure, did not really know what to expect, but was along for the ride nonetheless.
 
We pulled into this little gravel lot in the middle of nowhere Virginia, an empty field on one side and a small patch of woods on the other. It was here, where we meet our James River Grotto guides. They walk us through the process of getting geared up; helmets, headlamps, knee pads, dry bags, and snacks are necessities for the trip. We then walk down a small winding path to the cave entrance, to a literal hole in the ground. It’s at this point that I think to myself, “What did I get myself into?”
 
As we shimmy ourselves through this hole, the only light comes down on us from the entrance of … Read More

Written by Mike Ellsworth
 

New Year’s can be a wonderful time full of resolutions and goals.  Sadly, most of these attempts for personal betterment go unfulfilled.  Why does this so often happen?  Well, for me, it is because I am trying to do something in my life that I don’t like to do, to make an aspect of my life more positive.  For example, I want to sleep better at night, so I want to enforce a bedtime with no screens after a certain hour.  But, what often happens is that I want to stay up late to binge watch Big Bang Theory again…  So, I miss out on the opportunity for betterment.  I am trying to get positive effects with seemingly negative action.  What if you were able to seek positive effects with a positive action?
Well, I’ve got one for you.  Set up a New Year’s resolution right now to spend more time outdoors.  Being outside is fun, relaxing and great way to create new experiences for yourself.  I’ve been doing a lot of research lately and there are several studies out there proving that a simple positive action (15 minute hike through your wooded neighborhood) can create some amazingly positive effects in your life.
For hundreds of years, the outdoor enthusiast has known about these benefits.  People often use positive phrases like “it helps me … Read More

Written by  Tim Lewis
 

This fall, I had the privilege to participate in a Leave No Trace Master Educator course through Landmark Learning in Cullowhee, NC. This 5 day course introduced the topic of Leave No Trace (LNT) to myself and a several other outdoor professionals and recreationalists.
During that course, a foundation of experiential learning and outdoor ethics were built, and upon graduation, we would teach to our respective spheres of influence. We were tasked with teaching the course to each other throughout the 5 days. What better way to learn the material!?
What Is Leave No Trace?
Since the 1980’s, Leave No Trace has been a respected organization in the outdoor community who’s mission has been to protect the outdoors “by teaching and inspiring people to enjoy it responsibly” (LNT Mission Statement). Through “cutting-edge education and research”, LNT has become a household name in the outdoor industry and continues to send ripples well beyond the banks of the outdoor industry. So what is it exactly?

Quite simply, LNT is a collection of 7 defining principles:

Plan Ahead and Prepare
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
Dispose of Waste Properly
Leave What You Find
Minimize Campfire Impacts
Respect Wildlife
Be Considerate of Other Visitors

These 7 principles can be applied to all outdoor activities, sports, and environments at any time by anyone! While following each principle, you will find that they relate back to and support one … Read More

Written by Maria Campanella
As I’m sure anyone who attends Liberty University has noticed, the Enneagram is a constant topic of discussion. For those of you that don’t know, it is a set of nine personality types and meant to help people understand themselves and others better. The Enneagram Institute has far more information on each type, the correlation between all the types, and how to determine what number you are. It can be beneficial in relationships, the workplace, and to know yourself better to help you grow as a person.
The outdoors are more appealing to some types rather than others, but I feel that the Outdoor Recreation department has something to offer every enneagram type. Hopefully this will give you a better idea of what we do as a department and how you can utilize what we have available.
 

Type One – Ones have a very strong sense of right and wrong and strive for perfection. The Reformers are known for wanting to change the world, and they have goals and visions for how to make a difference. They are wise and discerning and, at their best, know what is best in every situation. Ones often like to have an escape and a way to “blow off steam” which is why I think that our trail races and trail running in general would be a beneficial thing … Read More

Written by Luke Whitmire

Fall is here, and it’s our last chance to soak up the warm weather before the cold arrives! One great way to get out and enjoy the changing seasons is to go out and do some fishing!  Central Virginia has some great opportunities to go after many different species of fish! If you’re into bass fishing, grab a canoe and head to the James! The James River provides great opportunities for both smallmouth and largemouth bass. If you’re really hardcore, grab the biggest streamer you can find, throw some salt over your shoulder, and go hunting for some muskies! Always be sure to pick up your fishing license when heading to public waters, this is a great way to support conservation and save yourself from some trouble, if you happen to see a game warden.
 
Another great spot for canoe and kayak fishing is to located at Clemmons Lake in Ivy Creek Park. They stocked over four-hundred pounds of trout and catfish last November and you can catch and keep up to four catfish or trout a day, so whether you’re a spin fisherman or a fly fishermen, head on over and try to catch some dinner! If you’re a fly fisherman looking for trout streams, take a drive and head out to some … Read More

Written By Hannah Gwaltney, Marketing Intern
Here at Liberty we are surrounded by beautiful mountains and students have the incredible opportunity to explore them on weekends. Whether you hike Cole Mountain, Sharp Top, McAfee’s Knob, or any other mountain, hiking is a great, fun outdoor workout. Before you begin your next hike, check out this list of do’s and don’ts. Hike mindfully and safely with these few tips!
Buddy system
Hiking alone provides a great opportunity to escape and unwind. However, if you are a beginner it is in your best interest to bring a friend or more. You will be less intimidated and lonely!
Look up the hike in advance
Know exactly what kind of hike you are starting before you drive there. This will allow you to look up the trail’s difficulty, distance, elevation, directions, water sources, and other important features.
Check the weather
Make sure you have clear weather the day of the hike (specifically no fog, rain, ice or snow). That will ensure you get the most of your hike in the best weather possible! Plus, it can protect you and your friends from getting stuck in faulty weather.
Wear the right shoes
Wear the most comfortable and broken-in sneakers or hiking boots you own. This choice is the … Read More