Conservation Service
Some Deer Hill programs aid the U.S. Forest Service in the conservation of wilderness lands. During these service projects, you may maintain a footbridge or improve trails vital to backcountry access. You work alongside Forest Service rangers and other volunteers to protect and preserve these pristine lands.


Cross Cultural Service
Most Deer Hill programs work with native peoples of the Southwest or Costa Rica. You work with and share in the timelessness of their cultures. These people have deep connections to their land and past generations. Their ceremonies reinforce these connections. You have the chance to meet village elders whose stories illuminate a world that we have forgotten. You meet young people, your age, who share many similarities with you (music and dress to name a few), but who have grown up on the edge of a mesa in the Arizona desert or tropical rainforest. You play with youngsters, sharing in their openness, fun and laughter.


Native Arts
Unique to Deer Hill, your service program also includes a native arts component. You may learn about the ceremonial and healing traditions behind Navajo sand painting and how to make your own. Or carve a symbol into "tufa" rock, fill it with silver, and proudly wear a pendant that you made in a Hopi village. Learning a native art form gives you a rare glimpse into another culture's traditions.