Offices Outdoor Program and Recreation Program

The Marlboro College Outdoor Program (O.P.) follows the seasons with regular sea kayaking and whitewater outings, caving, climbing, backpacking and trips to the area’s top ski resorts. Trails crisscross the 360-acre campus for mountain biking and hiking, and cross-country skiing on 17 miles of groomed trails when the snow flies. The nearby Green Mountain National Forest offers students a natural playground, with hiking trails, rivers, lakes and ski resorts within 30 minutes of campus. Two and half hours away lie the White Mountains, Adirondacks, Lake Champlain and the Atlantic Coast.

In addition to day trips and overnights, the Marlboro O.P. usually makes two major expeditions each school year — one over winter break and the other during spring break. Destinations and activities are based on student interests. Past trips have included canoeing and rock climbing along the Rio Grande, paddling through the Everglades and trips to Quebec, Jamaica and Costa Rica that combined adventure events with community service projects and academic research.

Marlboro has two organized sports. One is soccer – the Marlboro team regularly competes with other nearby colleges. The other is fencing, introduced to campus a decade ago by a student whose Plan was on medieval weaponry. Favorite unorganized sports include ultimate Frisbee, four-square and broomball hockey, played with brooms on a frozen campus pond. The Recreation Program organizes volleyball, basketball and softball games and schedules classes in yoga and martial arts.  Additionally the campus features an indoor climbing wall.