Adventure Based Education
Natural Sciences
Wildlife Studies
Eco Institute for Teens
A Typical Schedule
The Facilities
Map & Directions
Outdoor Education Home
For more information:
Outdoor Ed. Coordinator at:
(540) 721-2759 ext. 253 skelton4HoutdoorED@vt.edu
The W.E. Skelton 4-H Educational Conference Center is located near Wirtz, Virginia along the shores of Smith Mountain Lake in the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains. Our classrooms are 120 acres of streams, wooded forests, wildlife, and mountain views right on Smith Mountain Lake. Only 45 minutes from downtown Roanoke, our beautiful property is unparalleled and perfect for outdoor education programming.
The James A. Meador Center, a completely sustainable building completed in 2000, is the heart of the Outdoor Education program. It is a beautiful facility located on the waterfront, and is an excellent setting for environmental education. Boasting an array of environmental concepts, the Meador Center is a GREEN building and uses solar and geothermal energy, daylighting, local, renewable resources, and many other elements that help make it earth friendly. An aquatics classroom, a forestry classroom, and an atrium area complete with live animal exhibits make this building an exciting and unique learning space for students of all ages. Truly innovative, it is a building that “thinks” for itself.
- We offer comfortable, modern lodging for students and teachers. Our lodges are dormitory-style with three sets of bunk beds in each room and community style bathrooms. Each room is equipped with a heating/air-conditioning unit. Hotel style lodging is available for teachers upon request.
- The Challenge Course is nestled in the woods, a short walk from the main areas of campus. Perfect for groups looking to improve their ability to work as a team, improve communication, and simply learn more about each other, the Challenge Course features a Low Ropes Course and a Climbing Tower. They can be scheduled individually or together.
- Outdoor classroom areas include several miles of nature trails, a Riparian Buffer, fields, forests, shorelines, coves, and more!
- Other areas we use for the Outdoor Education program include Willard Pavilion, the campfire circle, main dining hall, recreation field, Open Air Pavilion, and Rockbridge vespers.