Over 40 years of experience providing customized outdoor adventures and wilderness education.

For forty years, we’ve welcomed people of all backgrounds to discover what nature has always known—that growth happens when we step outside, lean into challenge, and remember our connection to something larger than ourselves. From survival skills to accessible adventures, every experience is an invitation to learn, heal, and belong.

For forty years, we’ve welcomed people of all backgrounds to discover what nature has always known—that growth happens when we step outside, lean into challenge, and remember our connection to something larger than ourselves. From survival skills to accessible adventures, every experience is an invitation to learn, heal, and belong.

Featured Outdoor Programs

Mobile rock wall
A Climbing Wall comes to your event

Bring the excitement and thrill of adventure directly to your event with our 24-foot Mobile Rock Climbing Wall! 

Tree House Camp
Lodging at Santa Fe Tree House Camp

Santa Fe Tree House Camp offers camp sites, cabins, yurts, a kitchen, showers and more. Visit the Tree House Camp to learn more.

https://santafetreehousecamp.org

Adult and Pediatric CPR/AED-BL
Wilderness & Remote First Aid

(American Red Cross Licensed Training Provider)

Optional: Rent a campsite, cabin, yurt, Glamping tent, or tree house!

https://wildernessinstitute.org/santa-fe-wilderness-first-aid/

 

Wilderness Survival & Outdoor Safety

Learn strategies and practice such techniques as self rescue, finding shelter and water, how to build a fire and find food.

Map & Compass Navigation Skills

Learn how to understand topographic map features and compass readings through hands-on application in this one day course.

https://wildernessinstitute.org/outdoor-programs/

Emergency Preparedness

Learn how to stay safe in a natural disaster. 

What to put in your “Go Bag”  and how to use it.

Scheduled Classes Through Santa Fe Community College

For over 40 years, The Wilderness Institute has been a trusted leader in outdoor education, now based in the heart of Santa Fe. Our partnership with Santa Fe Community College brings structured learning to our beautiful 156-acre wilderness preserve, offering everything from essential survival skills to mindful stargazing experiences.

Group Gatherings at the Santa Fe Tree House Camp

Some moments deserve more than a rented hotel conference room. Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, desire a “Wilderness Wedding“, planning a workshop retreat, or bringing together your organization for something special, the setting shapes the experience. At Santa Fe Treehouse Camp, your gathering unfolds within 156 acres of high desert wilderness preserve, where towering ponderosas, hiking trails, and unique treehouse accommodations create a backdrop that transforms any event into an unforgettable experience.

Consulting Services

From corporate team-building and leadership development to high adventure systems design and safety consulting, our expertise spans four decades of outdoor education. Whether you’re looking to transform your organization’s culture through experiential learning or need technical guidance for developing  Adventure Programs and staff training we bring proven methodologies and hands-on experience to help you achieve your goals safely and effectively.

Community Outreach

Making outdoor adventures accessible to everyone is at the heart of our mission. For over 40 years, The Wilderness Institute has championed inclusivity through specialized programs that serve veterans, individuals with disabilities, at-risk youth, and underserved communities. Our community outreach initiatives demonstrate that nature’s transformative power belongs to all.

Our next event is Saturday, November 7, 2026 in Malibu, CA.

Contact us to sign up.

Wheel to sea event

Contact us

Call 505-699-1695, email info@wildernessInstitute.org, or use the form below to get in touch with us.

Brad Childs Credentials

Education

California State University, Northridge
Completed his MS Degree thesis in Recreation Administration and Leisure Studies, which studied the “effects of outdoor challenge experiences on the locus of control of select individuals”.

Behavioral Science Centers, Hypnosis Motivation Institute
Diploma in Clinical Hypnotherapy (with honors)

University of California (UCLA)
California State Board of Education, Adult Education Teaching Credential

Michigan State University
B.S. Parks and Recreation Resources

Certifications

Emergency response & safety

  • National Park Service Ranger (former)
  • Wildland Firefighter/EMT
  • American Red Cross Wilderness First Aid Instructor
  • Water Safety Instructor/Life Guard Trainer
  • Mountain Rescue Team Member (Placer County Sheriff)
  • Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
  • International Critical Incident Stress Foundation Provider

Outdoor Leadership & Instruction

  • Challenge Ropes Course Facilitator Trainer
  • Rock Climbing Instructor Trainer
  • USA Olympic Archery Instructor Trainer
  • Wilderness Survival Instructor
  • Whitewater River Guide
  • Colorado Hunter Education Instructor
  • Nordic Skiing and Snowshoe Instructor

Professional Development & Coaching

  • Coaches Training Institute Graduate
  • Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist
  • Qualified Personal Strengths Trainer (SDI)
  • Certified Practitioner of NLP
  • Institute of Cultural Affairs Group Facilitation
  • Crisis Intervention and Stress Management Provider
Leadership and community involvement

Environmental Leadership

  • Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Advisory Board Member
  • California Sustainable Tourism Symposium Contributor
  • National Geographic Sierra Nevada GeoTourism MapGuide Contributor
  • Outdoor Industry Foundation, Business for Wilderness Contributor

Business and Tourism Leadership

  • Placer County Visitor Council Board Treasurer
  • Sierra North (NorCal Outdoor Recreation Business Alliance) Founding President
  • Multiple Chamber of Commerce Executive Director positions
  • Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce Grant Writer/Committee Chair
Speaking and presentations (partial list)

Loyola Marymount University, School of Business
Executive MBA Leadership Seminar Instructor

Association for Challenge Course Technology International Conference
Crisis Management and Intervention Workshop Presenter

American Camp Association Regional Conferences
Outdoor Skills and Safety, Crisis Management Workshop Presenter

California Department of Education
Outdoor Recreation and Eco-Tourism Presenter

American Society of Training and Development
Adventure-Based Experiential Learning Workshop Presenter

Sunset Magazine Travel “Taste of Sunset Tourism Trade Show”
Eco-Tourism Presenter

Publications and media

Authorship

  • Team-Building and Leadership Challenge training manual
  • Co-author: State of California Outdoor Recreation Performance Standards
  • Executive Editor: Wilderness Guide publication
  • Articles on eco-tourism and outdoor safety for numerous publications

Media credits

  • “California Outdoors” Whitewater Rafting (California Tourism Council/NBC TV)
  • “The Coleman Guide to Camping” Naturalist (with Bruce Jenner)
  • “Rock Climbing” Celebrity/Talent Training (Lonely Planet Productions)
  • “Zig Zag Show” Yosemite Rock Climbing (Tokyo Broadcasting/Sony Television)
  • Multiple corporate training and outdoor adventure productions
Awards

National Park Service Unit Award
Executive MBA Leadership Seminar Instructor

National Environmental Education Award
National Association of Resource Conservation Districts

Golden Eagle Award
Outstanding contribution to The Wilderness Institute

LA County Recognition
Commitment towards facilitating and promoting equality for people with disabilities 

CSU Northridge Scholastic Achievement Honors
Outstanding Department Graduate Scholarship (two consecutive years)