Education ​/ Teaching Intern

Outdoor Educator Experience

High Trails Interns shadow and assist our field instructors with various aspects of the program, with support from High School Leaders and attending teachers. Interns have the opportunity to further develop their leadership style and gain exposure to potential career options. Throughout the season you will chance to teach and put your into actions.

In each outdoor Discovery Group session, interns assist with signature activities, group management, and instructor support. Interns will learn and observe classroom management, activity‑based learning experiences; focusing on the natural environment and the history and science of those who lived on this land before us. Role‑playing, group initiatives, experiential learning, and scientific experimentation form the framework of our program.

Community building is a major focus of the High Trails experience. Each intern is matched with an instructor and a cabin to guide the student experience at High Trails. High Trails interns lead their cabin groups on morning hikes, help foster a sense of community, and check in on their students throughout the day. Teachers and High School Leaders provide supervision in the cabin at night, so High Trails Instructors return to their own housing to sleep.

Interns assist with evening program after dinner each night. At the Interbarn, they work with instructors and High School Leaders to teach students about a variety of topics utilizing our hands‑on interpretive learning stations. The Folk Dance is a chance for students to enjoy themselves at the end of the day. Dances are taught and led by the High Trails Staff, and provide a chance to showcase creativity and the freedom to be ridiculous.

While most of our job function is geared toward school programming, we occasionally assist other support teams on property; with kitchen support, property clean up, and light work projects.

Curiosity, adaptability, and excitement for learning are all qualities that are necessary to lead and teach students in the outdoor classroom.

Both our days and our seasons are long and full. An ideal candidate is looking for an immersive, purposeful, job‑as‑lifestyle experience where connecting with fellow staff and contributing to a hard‑working, supportive community is a priority.

• Experience working with youth
• Current CPR certification
• Experience working in the outdoors (ie: camp, trail work, farm work)
• Ability to perform physical work in the outdoors in variable weather conditions and uneven terrain
• Willingness to give and receive feedback
• Effective communication and personal skills

• Interns receive $65.00/day, along with the following:
• All staff live on our 6,000 acre property in Florissant, CO. Staff live in houses with other instructors. Houses are equipped with heat and bathrooms. (everyone has their own private room)
• Meals are provided throughout workdays out of our excellent and accommodating lodge kitchen. Food is available for staff to prepare or take with on weekends.
• A free laundry service is provided weekly.

We are a small (~16) person staff, way out in the mountains - building community is a priority not only of our education program, but within our instructor community. Downtime is spent connecting over meals, group‑processing in our shared office space, or outside, as opposed to on phones and computers. (Aside from the requisite time spent staying in touch with the rest of the world, and we have WiFi for that)!

Weekends are usually spent exploring the surrounding region and beyond. A typical weekend might include hiking around our expansive property, rock climbing at a local crag, driving down to Colorado Springs for dinner or a concert, lying in a golden Aspen grove, cooking big breakfasts in the lodge kitchen, etc.!