Forest Cradle Adventure Club

Adventure. Confidence. Connection.

The Forest Cradle Adventure Club is an outdoor enrichment program designed to inspire young people through adventure, exploration, and meaningful experiences in nature. Our goal is to help youth develop confidence, independence, resilience, teamwork, and a lifelong appreciation for the outdoors.

Each Adventure Day is unique and may include hiking, flat water paddling and swimming, teambuilding games, outdoor skills, plant identification, wildlife observation, primitive skills, stewardship projects, art, and other seasonal adventures throughout the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina.

Adventure Club meets two Saturdays each month, with each day featuring a different adventure. There are no long-term commitments - simply register for the Adventure Days that interest your family.

Age Groups

Adventure Club is offered in two age groups:

Ages 8–12

Ages 13–16

We understand that siblings often enjoy adventuring together. If you'd like siblings to participate in the same group, we're happy to accommodate that whenever possible.

If there is enough interest, we are also happy to organize special adventures for older teens.

Program Details

Cost: $75 per participant, per Adventure Day. Additional costs for gear rentals, entry fees, etc. will be posted when the schedule is released.

Payment: Payment is due one week before each Adventure Day.

Schedule: Programming dates are released one month in advance.

Meeting Location: Participants will meet at our central meeting location in Marshall, North Carolina. From there, the program director will transport participants to the day's adventure location. Pickup will be at the same meeting location.

Trip Itinerary: Parents and guardians will receive a detailed itinerary before each Adventure Day, including the day's activities, meeting and pickup times, packing list, and any additional information needed for the trip.

Registration & Cancellation Policy

A minimum of four participants is required for an Adventure Day to run. If fewer than four youth register, the Adventure Day will be canceled and all registered families will receive a full refund.

Because Adventure Days require advance planning and reservations, refunds are not available for cancellations within seven days of a scheduled Adventure Day.

In the event that an Adventure Day must be canceled due to inclement weather or unsafe conditions, participants will receive a full refund.

Private Group Adventures

Have a homeschool group, youth organization, or group of friends looking for an outdoor adventure?

If you have at least four participants, we'd be happy to schedule a custom Adventure Day on a weekday or another mutually convenient date. Reach out to us - we'd love to create an adventure that fits your group's interests and schedule.

September 2026 Launch

We're excited to launch the Forest Cradle Adventure Club this September!

Saturday, September 12 - Meet & Greet

Come meet the program director, learn about Adventure Club, ask questions, and get to know what our adventures are all about. Details for the Meet & Greet will be released soon.

If you're unable to attend, you're welcome to join us on any Adventure Day to observe the program, ask questions, and meet the director before deciding if Adventure Club is the right fit for your family.

Saturday, September 26 - First Adventure Day

Our first official Adventure Day takes place on September 26, 2026.

Details about the adventure and the day's itinerary will be published on our website soon.

Safety

Your child's safety and well-being are our highest priorities. Forest Cradle is fully insured, and every Adventure Day is thoughtfully planned to provide a safe, supportive, and memorable outdoor experience. Alisha, the program director, has 10 years of experience working in outdoor adventure, most of those spent with youth. Professional references are available to parents upon request.

We can't wait to explore the forests, rivers, lakes, mountains, and hidden places of Western North Carolina with your young adventurer. Come join the Adventure Club and discover where the trail leads next!

Sign Up

Ready to join the adventure?

📧 Email alisha.forestcradle@gmail.com to learn more and sign up!

Group of people examining the ground in a wooded area covered with fallen leaves, with one person holding a map.
Five people standing on a wooden overlook viewing mountain ranges under a clear blue sky.
Four children wearing colorful bandanas over their eyes, standing on a fallen tree in a wooded area. The children are playing a game involving blindfolds, with two girls holding the hands of the child in the middle, who is wearing a black and white jacket. An adult woman, also wearing a purple bandana over her eyes, is helping them.

Meet Your Outdoor Education Specialist

Alisha Blair is an outdoor educator and program leader with nearly a decade of experience guiding groups through the wilderness. She graduated cum laude from a nationally recognized Outdoor Leadership program, one of only two Outdoor Leadership degrees in the United States and the only one offered in North Carolina. The program’s director—her mentor and teacher—was honored as a Mountain Legend at Lees-McRae College, a testament to the program’s excellence and legacy.

Alisha is highly skilled in flatwater paddling on multi-day trips, extended group backpacking expeditions, challenge course facilitation, traditional skills, among others. She has worked as a Wilderness Therapy Guide, Head Adventure Leader for a nonprofit youth program serving teens, and as a trip leader for a variety of outdoor organizations.

Certifications:

  • Wilderness First Responder

  • Leave No Trace Trainer

Now, Alisha is bringing her experience and passion together to create her own programs, designed to help others build confidence, resilience, and leadership in the outdoors.

Inquire Here