So you like to hike. There are many college campuses that boast not just academic adventures, but outdoor adventures just outside of the classroom. We’ve rounded up the best schools that happen to be very close to mountains, ideal for the student who also identifies as a hiker, skier, mountain biker, or just adventurous walker (isn’t that basically what hiking is?).
Washington & Lee
Location: Lexington, VA
Undergraduates: ~1.8K
Washington & Lee is a small liberal arts university in Virginia that is known for its wide range of interdisciplinary academic areas of study and its proximity to some of the most beautiful hikes and mountains in the area. There’s even a hike that’s basically on campus, called “W&L Back Campus” that leads all around local wooded banks and trails off near the law school. First-year students can choose to participate in an outdoor Leading Edge adventure before starting classes to get to know their classmates, campus, and the surrounding environment.
Bates
Location: Lewiston, ME
Undergraduates: ~1.8K
Set along the Appalachian Trail (or the “AT” at those who are in the know, call it), Bates is set in the gorgeous mountainous region that is southern Maine. There’s even a mountain named after the college. Bates maintains 3.5 miles of the trail and its students take pride in both their academics and their natural environment. First years participate in hiking and backpacking trips around the area as a right of passage of sorts. The school itself is also a haven for liberal arts students of all kinds, boasting top-notch academics. And it’s test-optional to boot.
Colorado College
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Undergraduates: ~2.1K
Colorado College is unique in many ways: in its proximity to a wide range of mountain trails, underground caves, and parks--the area is ripe for exploring-- and in its abnormal course scheduling pattern. The college’s “Block Plan” academic schedule, meaning students take courses one at a time for 3.5 weeks, allows students to delve deep into subjects they’re interested in for intensive, short periods of time, before moving on to their next “block”/class of choice. With four blocks per semester, students have the ability to really explore and diversify their interests.
Dartmouth
Location: Hanover, NH
Undergraduates: ~4.4K
The school’s mascot is literally a pine tree (known as the “Lone Pine”) and is located in the middle of nowhere New Hampshire, surrounded by mountains. Dartmouth embraces its proximity to the outdoors--whether it’s climbing Mt. Moosilauke and ending with a meal at the college’s Moosilauke Ravine Lodge or skiing at the Dartmouth Skiway before heading back to campus for a warm cup of coffee at the “DOC House” (Dartmouth Outing Club). 99% of incoming freshmen participate in “DOC Trips,” which are outdoor trips led by upperclassmen. Students choose from activities as low key as Organic Farming or as adventurous as Intense Hiking.
UC Boulder
Location: ~30K
Undergraduates:
UC Boulder is on the larger side, and the robustness of its outdoor program matches its undergraduate volume. The Rocky Mountains are the campus and its students’ neighbors, and . In addition to its diverse outdoor offerings, the school’s academics are also rigorous with lots of unique classes, and is known for having wonderful undergraduate programs in business, education, journalism, and across the liberal arts. Students can easily create their own major to explore their unique intersecting interests. Fun fact: the school’s hiking club just turned 100 years old in 2019. A love of mountains runs deep here.
UNC Asheville
Location: Asheville, NC
Undergraduates: ~3.7K
This smaller school within the UNC system boasts hiking trails and galore. Asheville is rich with tradition both in school and town. Every April, the school celebrates Greenfest, a series of active events (hiking, cycling, walking) that highlight the importance of preserving the natural environment. Once you’re done hiking the trails, carbo-load downtown--Asheville has become known for its food scene in recent years, with some of the best restaurants in America setting up shop there. Students seem to gravitate towards nature both in and outside of the classroom: two of the school’s most popular majors are Environmental Science and Biology.
University of Vermont
Location: Burlington, VT
Undergraduates: ~10.7K
Burlington is known for being a particularly crunchy town, but the majority of residents really earn their flannel by frequenting the hikes in warm weather and ski slopes in cold, on nearby mountains, which include Okemo, Stratton, Stowe, and Mad River Glen, to name a few. UVM students have a vast number of research opportunities and majors to choose from when they’re not adventuring, like studying in the waterfront ecosystem science lab on Lake Champlain or researching and working on one of the four college-owned farms.
Middlebury
Location: Middlebury, VT
Undergraduates: ~2.5K undergraduates
Middlebury has a host of not just outdoor adventure opportunities, but traditions as well. Seniors who started attending college mid-year ski down the college’s Snow Bowl in Hancock, VT (the first carbon-neutral ski area in the country) to receive their diplomas and incoming freshman gather for orientation trips before starting classes in September and February. The school is also known for its top-notch liberal arts and interdisciplinary academic programs like international relations, Russian, linguistics, and sociology, to name a few.
Davidson
Location: Davidson, NC
Undergraduates: ~1.8K
There’s a reason there are two North Carolina schools on this list--North Caroline is beautiful. It’s pretty beautiful year-round, particularly in the state’s south and south-west area, where Davidson and UNC Asheville (up above) are. Davidson is in what’s considered the “greater Charlotte area” (just a 30-min drive to Charlotte proper), and is surrounded by mountains, nature preserves, and lakeside vistas galore. Davidson offers tons of trips for students who want some guidance through the outdoors, or you can go it on your own and navigate the trails yourself with some rented gear and a map. The school also has stand-out science, engineering, and liberal arts programs alike.
UC Santa Cruz
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Undergraduates: ~17.8K
We had to get at least one west coast mountainous region on this list, and UC Santa Cruz was a clear winner because of its proximity to coastal mountain trails prime for exploring on your feet or your bikes. UCSC even has dedicated bike maintenance clinics and a bike co-op to keep your ride in shape. The college loves the outdoors so much, students can literally live like they’re camping year-round by living in the Camper Park on campus in recreational vehicles and use shared bathing, social, study, and laundry spaces in a dedicated community building.
Let us know if you want some more mountain-centric college insights by emailing or calling us.