GROW AS AN EDUCATOR

 
 

OPPORTUNITY 


Staff members at High Trails live and work on the 6000-acre property of the Colorado Outdoor Education Center here in Florissant, CO.  Outdoor Education Instructors are involved in a wide variety of work, from teaching about local geology to orchestrating the setup and cleanup of meals.  Staff members spend a majority of time outside, and lead programs and classes starting before breakfast and ending after post-dinner evening activities. Because of this, we encourage hardworking applicants with college degrees and positive references from former employers, teachers and associates.

Staff members receive a stipend, housing, meals and laundry service. Pets are not allowed for seasonal employees.

 

High Trails hires instructors for the spring and fall seasons. Fall runs late August - mid November, and spring runs late March to mid - May. 

We are currently hiring Field Instructors for our Spring 2025 season!

Please contact cassidy@htoec.org for any openings on our leadership team.

For an inside look at the day-to-day of HTOEC instructors, check out our instagram @hightrailsoutdoored

 
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High Trails Leadership Team 

 

Hi I’m Cassidy! I have been a part of the High Trails community for the past four years. Beginning as a Field Instructor in 2021, I then transitioned into the Assistant Director role after a year and am excited to continue my journey as the Director for my second year! My passion and love for the outdoors and High Trails has deepened greatly during my time here, and I am excited to continue to share that passion and love year-round. Beyond Florissant, I have spent many summers leading youth in the outdoors backpacking, sea kayaking and biking. In receiving my Psychology degree from Colorado Mesa University, I enjoy connecting youth to the mental health benefits of nature in my work. I love all things camp and I can’t wait to share silly songs, dance parties, and my knowledge of the area with students!

Hi I’m Dennis and I’m very grateful to be here. I’ve gotten to serve this community in many different capacities from photographer to field instructor. I am excited to continue expanding our mission as the new High Trails Assistant Director. I like quiche, a good thrift binge, and Finding Nemo. I’m really looking forward to that sense of community and connectiveness we’re going to create this season. May our learnings inspire us to keep wondering.

Hi!  I’m Lu and I am a retired high school science teacher who joined the HTOEC team as the curriculum and instruction specialist in 2019. I love spending my days with students hiking, exploring, wondering, learning, playing and basking in the beauty of our natural world. Some of my other favorite things at High Trails include finding pretty rocks, building forts, identifying birds, smelling sage, the sunrise from Top of the World, Interbarn skits, silly costumes, baby goats and pizza lasagne. I can’t wait to share all my favorite things with you when you come to High Trails!

Hello everyone! My name is Tully and I'm from way up north in Anchorage, Alaska! This will be my second season with the HTOEC team, but I have been a High Trails camper and staff member for many years. I earned my Bachelor degree in Elementary Education from the University of Alaska and have gained a ton of awesome experience in the classroom that I am excited to bring to the High Trails team. Some fun facts about me are I still have a baby tooth because my adult tooth never grew in (I think it's shy), I can do a REALLY good Yoshi impression, and I love singing (even though I don't have the greatest voice- that doesn't stop me!). I am so excited to just be back at High Trails, surrounded by nature and the most incredible people on the face of the Earth. Woohoo!!

 
 

2025 Fall Season Field Instructors

 

Howdy! My name is Dan, and I’m from Colorado Springs, Colorado. This will be my second season on the HTOEC staff. I’m originally from Nashville, Tennessee and have always had a deep connection to the natural world. I was an English major in college, and quit my desk job this spring to come learn, teach and play outside! I love to read, write, climb, backpack and ride horses in my free time. I worked as a Wrangler for the summer program here this past season, and I’m super stoked to stick around and dive back into Outdoor Education! See y’all on the trail!

 

Hello! My name is Maddie, and I am so excited to be joining the HOTEC team this spring. I graduated from CSU with a bachelor's degree in Sociology and one in International Development. I'm originally from Pueblo, and after working at schools out in DC, I really needed to get back to nature. Volunteering with both AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps showed me that learning comes from experience as much as it does formal education. Things I love include reading, bug facts, and Dungeons and Dragons. I am very much looking forward to sharing my love of learning and nature this spring!

Hello everyone! My name is Nat Hernandez and I am an environmental science and fine arts major. I just finished working the Summer season at Big Spring as the Arts and Crafts Coordinator and it was an incredibly enriching experience, especially watching the kid’s imagination spark up with the materials we had in our Art Barn. I have a deep love for nature and art, and when those two things combine it is like a magical concoction that occurs right before you. I’m very excited to work at High Trails Outdoor Education Center this Fall!

Hi, My name is Madeline. I'm from Florida and recently graduated with a degree in Biology. I love all outdoor activities, especially paddle boarding and long walks, and I have a passion for conservation biology. I'm excited to be starting my first season at High Trails! I’m quite passionate about sharing my love for environmental preservation and sustainability. You generally find me restoring habitats and hanging out with the manatees.

Hello! My name is Mason :) I am super excited to be starting my first season with HTOEC this fall. I am from Florida, where I recently graduated with a BA in Anthropology from UNF. Despite my East coast upbringing i have catered a great love for Colorado while camping and skiing all across the state. In my free time I enjoy listening to music, reading, practicing my hobbies such as leatherworking and blacksmithing, watching/ listening to video essays on Youtube about anything under the sun, and exploring nature. Again i am super excited to be joining the HTOEC staff this season, I can't wait to get to know everybody!

Hello! My name is Grace, I'm originally from Boise, Idaho and this is my first season working with HTOEC. A few fun facts about me, I got my bachelors degree in Psychology at Portland State University, I speak French and lived/taught in France for 8 months after graduating, and my favorite outdoor activities are rock climbing and skiing (but I also enjoy backpacking, biking, and being in the mountains when it's time to brush my teeth before bed!). I'm looking forward to joining the team and adventuring outdoors together!

Hi y'all! My name is Logan, and I can't wait for my first season with HTOEC! I grew up in Washington state and was in Colorado for 8 years where I ended up getting my degree in neuroscience and molecular biology at CU Boulder. I love talking about the science behind learning, memory, and development and Iearning about the interests of others! I also enjoy hiking, music, and listening to stories! I am so excited to be a part of this community and to spend time learning in the great outdoors!

Hi, My name is Alia! I am coming from Oceanside, California and am a recent graduate from the University of California, Berkeley. Some of my favorite ways I like to spend time in nature include camping, swimming, snowboarding, and hiking. I am looking forward to being a Field Instructor with High Trails to share these interests with students while teaching and learning more about the outdoors. Can’t wait for this fall!

Hello! My name is Ben, I am 25 years old and this will be my first season here! I just completed a summer at Sanborn Western Camps which was a total blast and I can’t wait to see what this coming season has to offer! I love to do anything outdoors such as backpacking, mountain biking. I'm enthused to get to share my love of outdoors and childlike wonder with the students. My happy place is anywhere the grass is growing and the trees are blowing.

Hi I’m Jennie! I’m from Northern California and this is my second season working in Colorado. I love camping, road tripping, swimming and spending time outside with my friends. I have a background in Environmental Economics and Disability Studies. I believe that nature is a precious thing and that it should be available for everyone to experience. I’m so excited for my first season at High Trails and the many young lives I get to impact.

Hi folks! My name is Madeline and I am super excited for my second season at HTOEC! I am from Wisconsin and have a background in conservation and ecology. The past four years I have been working in a traditional high school setting and I am thrilled at the opportunity to teach in an outdoor educational setting. I have always loved the intersection of nature, history, and music, and I am eager to share my knowledge and spark curiosity in others!

What’s up y’all. I’m Jamie! I’m from a small mountain village in Switzerland called Malix. I studied Digital Film Production in Zurich for 3.5 years which allowed me to get my BA in Arts. This will be my second time working for HTOEC but I have also worked 3 summers at the summer program. I love making music and playing guitar. I do a lot of songwritting and I am also the singer in a rockband. I love filmmaking as well. Hiking, swimming and skiing are also huge passions of mine. I’m really excited for this fall season and can’t wait to get into the outdoors once again!

2024 Fall Season Health Center Team

Hey ya'll! I'm Sarah from Alabama! I am a registered nurse and am so excited to be here this fall! I graduated in 2024 from UAB School of Nursing and spent my first year as a nurse working in the Emergency Room. I am so excited to be at Sanborn for outdoor education this fall and I know I will walk away with a full heart and a renewed strength. Outside of work, I love hiking, road trips, lots of family and friend time, reading, movies and finding new restaurants to try. I took a graduation trip with my mom in 2024 where I drove from Alabama to Montana, visiting Yellowstone, then the Grand Tetons in Wyoming, where I fell in love with the mountains and the freedom being outdoors brings. I am the youngest of 7 children and as my siblings say, I am the "favorite". I can’t wait for an amazing fall season and all the adventures to come!

Hello! My name is Kaitlyn and I'm beyond excited for my second season as an HTOEC Nurse! I have been a registered nurse for 8 years and have worked in many different areas of nursing, but none have given me the sense of fulfillment and wonder that camp nursing provides. I love being able to help facilitate camper experiences by providing nursing care so they can enjoy this amazing outdoor education opportunity! I also love crafting, my dog Merle, and being a part of this incredible team 💜 I can't wait to meet all the students and teachers for the Fall 2025 season and make it unforgettable!

 
 

Find us on Instagram @hightrailsoutdoored