RESET & RECONNECT
Escape distractions & chaos of everyday life. Unplug from the world & reconnect with the Lord God.
Fall Colors Backpacking (Fall 2026)
3-day/2-night, co-ed backpacking trip & spiritual development program in the Texas Hill Country for adult men & women
$299 includes camping, food, activities, & spiritual development curriculum
+$25 to rent sleeping gear (sleeping bag + inflatable pad)
Sign up now! $75 deposit secures your spot.
Signing up more than 1 person? Add 2 sessions to your cart, then fill out forms for each participant
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Lost Maples State Natural Area is held by many to be THE best place in Texas to experience the beauty of fall, and this trip is scheduled for peak colors. We’re excited to explore this “pocket of wilderness” with you, from the colorful canyons filled with bigtooth maples, bald cypress, and sycamore trees to open views high above the limestone cliffs. Our route hits all the highlights of this incredible park, with different campsites on each night.
Over 3 days and 2 nights, we’ll learn and build on backpacking skills, enjoy meaningful community, and create space to slow down and spend time with God in the midst of His incredible creation. Whether this is your first backpacking trip and you’re looking to learn or you’re an experienced backpacker eager to explore this high-demand park, our guide team will help you enjoy the journey and begin planning adventures of your own.
2 nights of backcountry tent camping & 3 days of program:
Friday afternoon through Sunday lunch
Registration price includes: campsite reservations, tents, food, cooking gear, all activities & curriculum, outdoor skill training, & waterproof journal.
Backcountry-style tent camping in a beautiful pocket of wilderness. On Friday, we will backpack into the campsites (the hike in is 2 miles), & move camp 3 miles on Saturday, then hike another 3 miles back out to the trailhead on Sunday.
Teaching sessions will be throughout the weekend, with Day 1 building the foundation for backpacking, Day 2 focused on exploring the beauty around us, and Day 3 wrapping up with a session on how to plan a backpacking trip on your own.
We will encourage the healthy habit of “Time Alone With God”
Course Info — DOWNLOAD >
Packing List — DOWNLOAD >
COURSE START:
Friday, November 20, 2026 (Arrive between 4-5PM) @ Lost Maples State Natural Area, Vanderpool, TX
COURSE END:
Sunday, November 22, 2026 (2:00PM) @ Lost Maples State Natural Area, Vanderpool, TX
Photos from Spring 2025 Co-ed PW-Backcountry Intensive
IMPORTANT: While couples are welcome, this is not a marriage/couples-focused event. The focus should be on individuals seeking connection with the Lord & with the community formed at the event. Each participant will have opportunities to be solo as well as together in community with other participants.
Minors may attend with parent/guardian, but will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis for the level of social/emotional maturity necessary to benefit from this course.
Course Info — DOWNLOAD >
Packing List — DOWNLOAD >
Course Info — DOWNLOAD >
Packing List — DOWNLOAD >
SUMMIT Core Skill Areas targeted:
- COMMUNITY
- KNOWLEDGE
- STEWARDSHIP
Outdoor Skill Training includes:
- Introductory Backpacking
- Tents & Tarps
- Stove School
- Leave-No-Trace Outdoor Stewardship Ethics
- Planning your own backpacking trips
How has God used wilderness in the lives of His people?
Join us in the Texas Hill Country to dive into that question!
Be refreshed and challenged through deep community with other believers and through solos (time alone with God). Reconnect with the God through His Creation and His Word. Reset your rhythms and establish some new ones that will benefit your mind, soul, and body!
This backpacking course is level 2 of our Pocket Wilderness programming. To learn more about the “Pockets of Wilderness” concept, read here >
PWI participants take a fresh look at the story of God working in their own lives. Photo: Hunter Burcaw, 2022
What is “Pocket Wilderness?” Click here to learn more about the concept >
Rest & independent exploration times are an important part of the PWI schedule. Photo: Bryan Turner, 2022.
PWI participants explore God’s incredible creation & learn new ways to connect to Him through it. Photo: Bryan Turner, 2022