For the second 12 months in a row, Radford College has claimed the title of Blue Ridge Outdoor’ “Prime Journey School”, rising above 31 different colleges in our 2026 bracket-style competitors. The back-to-back victory solidifies what college students, alumni, and outside fans throughout the Southeast already know: Radford’s outside tradition isn’t simply an added bonus—it’s a part of the college’s identification.
From riverside campus life to weekend climbing journeys and leadership-focused outside packages, Radford continues to show why it’s one of many premier locations for adventure-minded college students.
“This back-to-back victory additional validates how integral outside adventures and leisure alternatives are to the Radford Expertise,” the college shared. “Our workers, college students, alumni, and native and regional companions stepped up all through the 2026 competitors to affirm this distinctive component within the Radford DNA.”
Constructed for Journey
What separates Radford from the competitors is the sheer number of methods college students can have interaction with the outside. Whether or not by way of tutorial programs, membership sports activities, intramurals, or beginner-friendly packages, the college emphasizes experiential studying and private progress by way of outside recreation.
“We provide all kinds of outside journey and leisure actions by way of tutorial packages and programs, membership and intramural sports activities, and even for these college students who’re merely all in favour of dipping their toes in new studying experiences,” the college defined. “These hands-on, high-impact studying experiences are centered on instructing teamwork and resilience, together with fostering private {and professional} progress.”
These experiences typically translate past the trailhead, serving to college students develop expertise that carry into future careers and management alternatives.
A Campus Surrounded by Journey
At Radford, outside entry is woven instantly into on a regular basis campus life. College students recurrently spend time alongside the New River, chill out in hammocks between lessons, or collect with mates at close by inexperienced areas like Bisset Park. The college’s Selu Conservancy additionally affords college students a novel pure escape simply minutes from campus.
Journey alternatives lengthen effectively past campus boundaries, too. In style journeys and locations embrace mountain climbing in Bozoo, West Virginia and at New River Gorge Nationwide Park and Protect, backpacking in Grayson Highlands State Park, biking round Pandapas Pond and the Huckleberry Path, cave exploration all through Southwest Virginia, and winter ski journeys to Winterplace Ski Resort.
The college additionally pointed to the influence of RUABLE—the Radford College Journey Based mostly Studying Expertise—which incorporates memorable actions like excessive ropes programs and ziplining experiences that many college students cite as highlights of their faculty years.
New Out of doors Applications Proceed to Develop
Radford’s momentum isn’t slowing down anytime quickly. The college is introducing a number of expanded initiatives in 2026 aimed toward serving to incoming college students join by way of outside experiences earlier than lessons even start.
One of many latest additions is Quest Campout, an elective in a single day tenting expertise tied to the college’s new scholar orientation program. Incoming college students could have the chance to remain in a single day at Selu Conservancy earlier than orientation day, serving to them construct friendships and expertise Radford’s outside tradition early on.
The college can also be persevering with to develop Greater Floor, its prolonged orientation and outside journey program for incoming college students. Hosted by way of Radford Out of doors Applications, Greater Floor focuses on management, teamwork, and community-building by way of shared outside experiences earlier than the semester begins.
“One of many largest objectives of Greater Floor helps college students arrive on campus already understanding folks,” the college shared. “Many individuals find yourself forming good friend teams earlier than the semester even begins, which might make the transition to varsity really feel quite a bit much less intimidating.”
Radford’s outside tradition continues to thrive because of sturdy scholar participation and alumni involvement. Through the 2025–2026 college 12 months alone, Out of doors Applications hosted 70 totally different journey packages for college kids.
The college additionally highlighted that Connor Russell, Assistant Director of Out of doors Applications, is a Radford alumnus who as soon as labored as a scholar journey chief himself. In one other full-circle second, a number of college students who beforehand participated in Greater Floor are actually employed by Radford Out of doors Applications and making ready to mentor incoming Highlanders this fall.
With one other championship title secured and its outside programming persevering with to develop, Radford College has as soon as once more confirmed why it stands on the high of the Southeast’s journey faculty scene.
