# Cottonwood Gulch Summer Treks

Multi-week backcountry treks across the American Southwest for ages 14-18, run from a 550-acre basecamp in Thoreau, New Mexico, on a "Pick Your Price" sliding scale from $500 to $8,000.

## Key facts

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Organization | Cottonwood Gulch Expeditions |
| Category | leadership |
| Cost | Not listed |
| Deadline | Rolling / check official site |
| Eligibility | Grades 9–12 |
| Format | In person |
| Location | Thoreau, NM |
| Apply | https://cottonwoodgulch.org/programs/summer-treks/ |

## About this program

# Cottonwood Gulch Summer Treks

Cottonwood Gulch Expeditions has run expeditionary summer treks in the American Southwest since 1926, operating from a 550-acre basecamp in Thoreau, New Mexico, in the Zuni Mountains. Treks are long - up to 32 days - and combine backcountry travel with hands-on field science, cultural learning, and student-designed legacy projects. Teen options include the Prairie Trek, Turquoise Trail, Wild Country, Mountain Desert, and Paleontology treks.

## What You'll Do

- Travel for several weeks through the Southwest by van and on foot from the Thoreau basecamp
- Backpack in places such as the Valle Vidal and rock climb at sites like Socorro Box
- Do field science and place-based study - paleontology digs, ecological monitoring, and visits to research sites including the Very Large Array
- Take on rotating camp and trail leadership roles within a small group
- Design and complete a legacy project contributing to landscape restoration or ecological monitoring

## Who Should Apply

Summer Treks serve ages 8-18 overall, with the teen treks aimed at "ages 14-18"; the Prairie Trek and Turquoise Trail are for "14-16 year olds." Cottonwood Gulch bases "acceptance into our programs solely on their application and ability to participate fully in the Trek," independent of the price a family selects.

## Outcomes

Trekkers gain multi-week expedition experience, real field-science practice, and group leadership responsibility in a program with a century-long alumni tradition and an explicitly income-blind admissions promise.

## Frequently asked questions

### Who is eligible for Cottonwood Gulch Summer Treks?

Cottonwood Gulch Summer Treks is open to high school students in grades 9–12. Some programs have additional requirements (GPA, coursework, essays, or recommendations) — the full criteria are on the official site.

### Is Cottonwood Gulch Summer Treks online or in person?

Cottonwood Gulch Summer Treks is an in-person program based in Thoreau, NM.

### How do I apply to Cottonwood Gulch Summer Treks?

Apply directly through Cottonwood Gulch Expeditions's official website. ExtracurricularHub links to the official application — we list and verify programs but don't process applications.

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Last updated: 2026-07-28.
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