Hyde Wilderness School Mission: To unearth and enrich character through defining moments in the wilderness.

At Hyde Schools, we believe that character can not be taught; character is inherent in all of us. For over 40 years, Hyde has ventured into the wilderness in order to expose and develop the character of our students, families and faculty. Since its official inception in 1997, the Hyde Wilderness School has offered a variety of programming to give our students the best and widest range of character-building opportunities.

Our wilderness campus is located on the Black Wilderness Preserve, Hyde’s 632-acre outdoor sanctuary in Eustis, Maine. Our peninsula sits on the 20,000 acre Flagstaff lake, at the foothills of the spectacular Bigelow Mountain Range. This pristine tract of Maine woodlands provides an important year-round outdoor classroom for Hyde students and their families.

Nestled in the forest is our headquarters–the Hyde Wilderness School Lodge, a beautiful 2500 sq ft facility with a spectacular vista of the Bigelow Range. Complete with three residential yurts and full amenities, the lodge offers a comfortable and inspiring place for families to gather, and a base camp for our ventures into the wild.

Each of our core programs has a distinct purpose:

• Wilderness Family Learning Center Retreats (WFLC’s)–an experientially-based FLC retreat on the Black Wilderness Preserve for veteran Hyde families
• Summer Challenge Wilderness Trips–an important component of the Summer Challenge experience, pushing each student to a defining moment, a moment of truth.
• Early Enrollment Course–a “head start” into the Hyde process, EEC is an opportunity for families to develop the foundation necessary to succeed in Hyde’s program
• Adventure Trips–challenging and rewarding adventures for our emerging leaders, an opportunity to learn new skills and take the next step toward their potential
• Academic Onward–an extra academic opportunity for struggling students, providing a chance to catch up and develop confidence through experiential education
• Outpost–an opportunity to take a “time-out,” face unproductive attitudes and reconnect to a sense of personal excellence.

This Wilderness Family Learning Center (WFLC) retreat went to a place, emotionally, that I did not expect, [but it] was good for me. –Hyde Woodstock Parent 2006 Winter Winter Family Learning Center #3