O.W.L.

Strengthening women and girls’ confidence in the outdoors -- and life!

Outdoor Women Lead (OWL) reduces barriers women and girls experience in the outdoors.

We believe when more people have meaningful experiences outdoors, their quality of life, health, and social well-being improve.

We offer:

An Outing Group for Women, participants explore local land preserves and waterways while learning about local natural ecology and getting outside with like-minded women.
A Summer Camp for Girls. Girls learn outdoor, naturalist, and gardening skills at Milbridge Commons Wellness Park.
Outdoor Skill-Building Workshops for Women and their Families. Workshops are family-orientated and focus on skills you need to navigate and thrive in outdoor settings successfully.

Imagine the community you want.
Together, we can create it.

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Outing Group for Women

Skill Building Workshops

OWLette Summer Camp for Girls

OWL Videos

OWL Blog Posts

OWL is a collaborative project between WHRL and Maine Outdoor School, and is open to anyone for whom “woman” is a meaningful identifier or lived experience.

Outing Group for Women

Are you interested in joining other women on outdoor adventures and learning more about our local natural ecology? This outing group is reserved for women and girls 16+.

Upcoming Outings

In the event of a necessary weather-related cancellation, outings will be rescheduled. Registered participants will be emailed the Friday afternoon before an outing in the event of a postponement.

We ask that you please leave your dogs at home for OWL hikes.

Please let us know if the gas prices prevent you from participating! Contact lizzie@whrl.org.

Spanish Language Interpreter Service Available

Please let us know if interpreter services would make this experience more accessible.

“OWL is a life-changing program that has given me strength and education. It’s a great way to meet others.”

“On the OWL hikes, I feel the companionship of hiking with other women and the beauty of nature.”

“OWL is the only group where you can have honest conversations about being a woman in the outdoors without fear of judgment or ridicule that you aren’t exploring or hiking or doing whatever outside activity “right” or “correct.””