The Road Less Traveled has educated youth to believe in themselves and their individual and collective abilities to shape the future for two decades. We do this by leading young men and women ages 13 to 19 on challenging, stimulating, mind-and-soul expanding journeys. Our values are simple: get out there, learn new skills, welcome surprise, work together...

We find that the best views follow the most exciting adventures and that the most vivid memories are made from trying new things.

With years of experience, we understand that safety is the most important aspect of travel and we have an exceptional record to prove it. The physical and emotional well-being of our travelers is the most important aspect of our work, and we live it and breathe it 24/7.

From our first day of business, we have always operated with the belief that the young people who come on our programs are no different than if they were our own children. This conviction has empowered and inspired us to provide only the best in training, emergency preparedness, and staffing over the years. Our safety, quality and experience are unrivaled. We encourage you to compare us to our competitors. It’s one thing to discover an interesting web site, call and book your summer, but it’s another to know the people to whom you’ve entrusted your child’s health and well-being. With The Road Less Traveled, we’ll be with you from beginning to end.

The Road Less Traveled’s philosophy is that caring for travelers in remote and foreign destinations around the world is serious business. Many years ago, we set the standard in the industry for safety as the first company serving young people to require that all of our leaders have a Wilderness First Responder Certification. Advanced medical training is essential. ALL community service learning, global perspectives and adventure expedition leaders, co-leaders and interns are required to have a minimum of 72 hours of advanced first-aid training in the form of WEMT (Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician), WFR (Wilderness First Responder), or EMT.

We have designated evacuation routes and medical facilities in every area we operate. Extensive first-aid kits, including antibiotics and epinephrine, are carried on all programs. Contents and protocols are updated according to annually-reviewed standing orders and current wilderness medical protocols. Our equipment is top quality and impeccably maintained. All participants wear life jackets, safety harnesses and helmets, as appropriate for participation in specific adventure activities.  On our service programs, participants use safety goggles, masks, and other protective gear, as necessary to ensure their safety.

Since our inception, RLT has been on the cutting edge of technological advances in communications. We were the first to carry Iridium satellite phones on all of our programs as soon as they were available. Today we continue to carry the latest in emergency communication systems. According to geographic location, programs are equipped with satellite phones, ground-to-air radios and/or cellular phones providing access to 24-hour medical help in case of emergency. Technology permitting, leaders can consult the directors, Jim and Donna Stein, anytime of the day or night.


The Road Less Traveled is accredited by the American Camp Association. We have been accredited since our first year of operation, and we continue to be committed to measuring the standard of our professionalism through the process of accreditation. Our accreditation indicates that we have voluntarily allowed our practices to be compared with over 300 standards established by professionals in the camp industry and that we have met or exceeded those standards. Courts of law and government regulators recognize the ACA standards, which often go beyond the requirements of state and federal laws, as the standards of the camp industry. Through the accreditation process, outside teams of trained camp professionals observe the camp in session to verify compliance with standards in the areas of health, safety, and program quality, including emergency procedures, program practices and design, health care, personnel policies, vehicle safety, goals, and administration.

In addition to being an ACA-accredited camp and a member of the Midwest Association of Independent Camps, we are a licensed child-care facility in the state of Colorado. We travel in the most spectacular, extraordinary regions of the world and are fully permitted to operate in all the areas we travel.

The Road Less Traveled is an equal opportunity provider. Our programs are conducted through special use permits granted by the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. We would like to acknowledge the following areas for welcoming The Road Less Traveled: Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Montana; Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming; Carson National Forest, New Mexico; Clearwater National Forest, Idaho; Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming; Manti-La Sal National Forest, Utah; Moab District BLM, Utah; Mt. Rainier National Park, Washington; North Cascades National Park, Washington; Olympic National Park, Washington; Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado; San Isabel National Forest, Colorado; San Juan Resource Area, Utah; San Juan-Rio Grande National Forest, Colorado; Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

RLT is committed to preserving the environment, the character of the lands and the cultures we visit. We acknowledge the influence we have on the earth and believe the quality of RLT programs is reflected in our mandate for education and our conscious commitment to protecting lands and waters. With thought and conscience we educate about stewardship of the planet and work to make a difference each day.