Adventure Trips
Adventure trips are just that – adventure! And they blend the line between the physical environment and human ingenuity. Choose your challenge in a local cave, or get an introduction to Mountain Biking with views of the Roanoke star. Join a social ride with a coffee stop — or stay on campus and get your adrenaline going with a visit to the Radford rock climbing wall.
Adventure Difficulty Ratings
Please read the descriptions of difficulty levels carefully before signing up for Adventure Trips.
Gentle: Introductory level. Climbing, biking, or fitness interest.
Moderate: Basic level. Some proficiency in climbing, biking, or fitness is required.
Strenuous: Advanced level. Above-average fitness. High proficiency in climbing, biking, or fitness is required.
Requirements for Adventure Trips
Please read the requirements section for your Adventure trip. These are real, safety-based mandates. You will not be allowed to go on a trip if you arrive at the Nature Tent without the required gear, and in such cases, there are no refunds.
Water, snacks, sunscreen, a raincoat, and bug spray are always good ideas for any nature trip. Our many years of experience, including occasional mishaps, have taught us that for your safety and your enjoyment, you must read the requirements and abide by the rules. Please consider the difficulty ratings carefully when choosing a trip.
Requirements for Caving Trips
Your cave environment will be WILD, with no handrails, sidewalks, steps, or any permanent lighting; but Mother Nature fully air-conditions your cave at a COOL 53º (guaranteed all summer long). SUUSI will provide helmets and headlamps with batteries. The cave will provide darkness, mud, rock, fossils, a few bats, and phenomenal formations thousands of years in the making.
Caving is not for the faint of heart. There are potentially dangerous conditions and very strenuous physical effort is sometimes required in the glorious underground.
Please note “Requirements” for caving as they will be enforced.
Required and Suggested Caving Equipment:
- At least one quart of water
- Sturdy, above-ankle boots
- Heavy gloves for protection and gripping in a wet, slippery environment - leather is suggested
- Long heavy pants
- Long-sleeved shirt, preferably one that wicks dampness to protect from hypothermia
- A jacket or sweatshirt to prevent hypothermia
- Two old hand towels: one for you, and one to clean your helmet and headlamp
- Plastic bag for dirty clothes
- A backpack to carry water and other supplies
- Complete change of clothes for the van ride back
- Athletic kneepads are strongly recommended
Requirements and Guidelines for Biking
Required and suggested equipment:
- Minimum one quart of water and a way to carry it (fanny pack, cycling jersey, or camelback).
- Helmet: bring your own or use a rented one
- Closed-toe shoes (sneakers or running shoes work well).
- Typical Nature trip stuff and a way to carry it (sunscreen, rain gear, and a snack).
- Safety glasses are not a bad idea, if you bring sunglasses they must be shatterproof.
Biking shorts and gloves are recommended.
- 805: Climbing Wall (Monday)Limit 25
We do not have to travel for this climbing experience. Radford University has its own climbing wall located in Peters Gym. Challenge yourself: opportunities will be provided for both the novice as well as the experienced. Training will be provided. Required: Closed-toe, tied shoes, and water. Additional waivers are required. For children under 18, a parent or guardian signature is required. Children under 14 may register without a parent or guardian, however, a parent or guardian must accompany the child, and be present while the child is climbing. - 806: Climbing Wall (Thursday, Family Friendly)Limit 25
We do not have to travel for this climbing experience. Radford University has its own climbing wall located in Peters Gym. Challenge yourself: opportunities will be provided for both the novice as well as the experienced. Training will be provided. Required: Closed-toe, tied shoes, and water. Additional waivers are required. For children under 18, a parent or guardian signature is required. Children under 14 may register without a parent or guardian, however, a parent or guardian must accompany the child, and be present while the child is climbing. - 810: Tawney's CaveLimit 12
Visit a limestone cave that was once the ocean floor. The development of cave formations will be discussed. Tawney's has a good variety of caving features: large rooms, mostly walking passages, a nice formation area, a fairly easy climb, some small passages, and lots of mud and water. You will see evidence of saltpeter mining of the past, a huge room called the moon room, back entrances to the cave and other interesting sights. Read caving requirements and come prepared. You will get muddy in this cave, long hair must be tied back, bandana suggested.
- 811: New River CaveLimit 12
Explore the largest cave SUUSI visits. The entrance is in a bluff and provides a beautiful view of the New River. With over 7 miles of mapped passages it has long been one of Virginia's premier recreational caves. After a 3/4 mile switchback approach to the cave, we will climb, scramble and sometimes crawl along one of many levels of the main passage, eventually dropping down to a flowing creek where the cave narrows to a crawl. This is a very strenuous cave. Read caving requirements and come prepared. Long hair must be tied back, this a mostly dry cave and requires sturdy hiking boots with a good tread. - 820: Vanless Bike Ride (Family Friendly)Limit 13
A bike trip with no van ride! We will take a 20-minute walk from campus to the trailhead of the Riverway Trail, which parallels the New River. It is a gentle, scenic ride, then climbs moderately through the forests of Bisset Park, Wildwood Park and Radford City Park. There is a tunnel connecting Bisset Park with Wildwood Park so we won't have to negotiate busy Hwy. 11 in the middle of the trip. We'll cover 6.4 miles over gentle to moderate, scenic terrain. Recent bicycling experience is expected. Bringing your own helmet is encouraged but are available to rent for an additional $15 fee. Required: tied shoes, water bottle in backpack. Recommended: shorts and rain gear. - 821: Mill Mountain Mountain Bike TourLimit 14
Enjoy the ultimate scenic mountain bike experience without the arduous climb. We will be shuttled to the summit of Mill Mountain by our guides, who will provide instruction on mountain bike fundamentals. Once we are all comfy on our bikes, we will descend the mountain on thrilling singletrack trails, all while taking in the breathtaking vistas of the Roanoke Valley and views of the iconic Mill Mountain Star. After we descend the mountain, it is a short and scenic ride back to the bike shop along the Roanoke River Greenway. High-quality bikes and helmets are provided. Recent biking experience is strongly encouraged. Required equipment: closed toed shoes, water in backpack
- 822: Bikes and CoffeeLimit 30
Calling all SUUSI roadies! Bring your bike and join us for an invigorating ~20 mile social road ride leaving directly from campus. After we complete our ride we will make a pit stop at Radford Coffee Co. for post-ride beverages, snacks, and some socializing before riding the last 2 miles back to campus. Recent road cycling experience expected. Required equipment: closed toed shoes, bike, helmet, water, spare tube/patch kit.