Trips
Venture Out
Venture Out is an excellent way to see beautiful areas, explore, and be active. We provide fun, exciting, and educational outdoor services to students, faculty, staff, and the greater Hokie community. We specialize in outdoor adventure recreation, team building, and quality rental gear at unbeatable rates, as well as a valuable resources to help you plan your own perfect adventure.
We now offer Custom Trips and Adventure Programming. Please use the request form above labeled "custom program request" to begin planning a custom program tailored to the needs of you and your group.
Venture Out: Trip Schedule - Spring 2026
Trip registration opens on January 5th
Day Hike Rock Castle Gorge
Join us for a hike at the lovely Rock Castle Gorge!
During the trip, we will take in the scenery, learn about local plants and wildlife, and discuss how to care for the environment.
Transportation, lunch, and instruction are included. We will be meeting at the Venture Out Center at 9:00am and will return by 4:00pm.
Dates: March 1st
Cost: $20
Caving
Escape the cold and join us on an underground adventure! Caves stay 55 degrees all year round.
Learn about the hidden complexities of caves: including cave ecosystems, bats, formations, how caves are formed and more!
This trip is meant for beginners. Expect to walk on mud and uneven terrain, scramble over rocks, and go through sections that are tight enough to require crawling.
Equipment, transportation, lunch, and instruction are provided. Plan to meet at the Venture Out Center at 8:30am and return by 5pm.
Dates: March 1st
Cost: $40
Rock Climbing
Spend a day outside with Venture Out while learning the basics of rock climbing. If you've ever been interested in climbing, this is the trip for you! Learn knot tying, belaying, and climbing skills in a beautiful outdoor setting. Our trip leaders will share their love of climbing and passion for the outdoors.
This trip will involve hiking uphill over rocky terrain to the climbing site, long periods of standing, and of course climbing using hands and feet.
Equipment, transportation, lunch, and instruction are provided. Plan to meet at the Venture Out Center at 8:30am and return by 5pm.
Dates: March 21st
Cost: $40
Day Hike Hanging Rock
Join us for a hike to see the Hanging Rock Raptor Observatory!
During the trip, we will take in the scenery, learn about local plants and wildlife, and discuss how to care for the environment.
Transportation, lunch, and instruction are included. We will meet at the Venture Out Center at 9:00am and will return by 4:00pm.
Dates: March 21st
Cost: $20
Challenge Course Open Registration
The Venture Out Challenge Course implements a "challenge-by-choice" principle so that individuals can choose their level of participation and difficulty throughout the course. This experience is open to the public and will last roughly 2 hours. Registration is required. The challenge course has a weight limit of 250 pounds, a weight minimum of 50 pounds, and age minimum of 8 years old. Individuals will put on harnesses and helmets and head up to height for different team and individual obstacles. Participants will move through the course connected via a smart belay system that keeps them connected at height. Obstacles include traversing on beams and cables, climbing nets and logs, and swinging between platforms. Participants will have the option to culminate the expereince by exiting course via the swing, leap or zipline.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, we are here to help! Please contact Venture Out at ventureout@vt.edu at least five business days prior to the event with a request for accomodation. If you desire that a caretaker or personal aide accompany you during the event, please contact us so that we can plan for their attendance at no additional cost.
Dates: March 21st
Cost: $20
Mountain Biking Carvins Cove
Come try out mountain biking at Carvins Cove. The Venture Out staff is ready to teach you everything you need to know about riding. Trust us, it's a wheelie good time.
This trip will involve riding a bike for up to 30 minutes at a time over uneven terrain on narrow trails.
Bikes, transportation, and light snacks are provided, just bring your energy! This trip will meet at the Venture Out Center at 10:00am and return by 5:00pm.
Dates: March 28th
Cost: $30
Women's History Month Rock Climbing
Spend a day outside with Venture Out and the Women’s Center at Virginia Tech to celebrate Women’s History Month. Along with learning the basics of rock climbing, we’ll also learn about female climbers who helped shape the sport into what it is today. If you've ever been interested in climbing, this is the trip for you and is open to all! Learn knot tying, belaying, and climbing skills in a beautiful outdoor setting. Our trip leaders will share their love of climbing and passion for the outdoors.
This trip will involve hiking uphill over rocky terrain to the climbing site, long periods of standing, and of course climbing using hands and feet.
Equipment, transportation, lunch, and instruction are provided. Plan to meet at the Venture Out Center at 8:30am and return by 5pm.
Dates: March 28th
Cost: $40
Low Impact Day Hike at Roaring Run
Join us for a peaceful, creek side day hike at Roaring Run! This hike is ideal for folks seeking a low-impact outdoor experience with options to explore more rugged terrain by a waterfall as well.
The route follows a well-packed, dirt path with moderate inclines, a few creek crossing bridges and is 1.7 miles long. Most of the trail is smooth and wide enough to comfortably maneuver with a cane or rolling walking aid. This trip is not recommended for wheelchair users as the trail also includes a few narrower sections with uneven, rocky and rooty terrain that require careful foot placement.
Equipment, transportation, lunch, and instruction are provided. We’ll have lunch at the Roaring Run Picnic Area which has picnic tables, a shelter, and pit toilets on site. Plan to meet at the Venture Out Center at 9:00am and return by 4:00pm.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Liza Thomas at lizat25@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.
Dates: March 29th
Cost: $20
Important Venture Out Information
If for some reason you have to cancel your registration, the following are our refund policies. Please notify ventureout@vt.edu as soon as possible if you need to cancel.
Cancelation more than 14 days in advance: 80% refund, spot trade, and fee transfers are allowed.
Cancellation 7-13 days in advance: NO refund, spot trading and fee transfers are allowed.
Cancellation less than 7 days in advance: NO refund, spot trading is allowed.
For an expedition more than 4 days in length including travel, there will be no refunds within 3 weeks of the start of the trip and no spot trades allowed within 10 days of departure.
- *A fee transfer is when you transfer a credit to a different trip within the same semester. Spot trading is when you have a friend attend under your registration.
- Participants have the duty to act in a reasonable and prudent manner when engaging in recreational activities offered by Venture Out.
- Participants may not participate in any Venture Out adventure related activity while under the influence of alcoholic beverages and/or controlled substances.
- Participants may not engage in harmful conduct or willfully and/or negligently engage in any type of conduct which contributes to or causes injury to any person or personal property.
- Participants may no interfere with the safe running and operation of the expedition, including failure to use safety equipment provided by Venture Out or failure to follow the trip leader(s) instructions in regard to safety or conduct.
- Participants must inform or notify trip leader(s) of any incident or accident involving personal injury or illness experienced during the course of a Venture Out related activity. If such injury or illness occurs, the participant shall leave personal identification, including name and address with the Venture Out center.
- Participants must advise trip leader(s) of any known health problems or medical conditions along with prescription medication(s) that may be used in the treatment of such health during the course of Venture Out activity.
- I, the participant, agree to abide by all Venture Out, Department of Recreational Sports, and University policies/procedures. I agree that I will support an alcohol/drug free environment by not consuming alcohol or drugs during this event. I also agree to follow the instruction and guidance of the university sponsor.