Our Focus on Outdoor Education

Lake Lure Classical Academy (LLCA), is in a beautiful and accessible wooded setting in rural Western North Carolina. LLCA is surrounded by the Dittmer-Watts Nature Trail Park, consisting of 3.3 miles of wooded trail system. Connected to that trail system is the Lake Lure Green Space, which is a former municipal golf course, and offers another 1.5 miles of open mostly naturalized area, and a walking path. Within 10-15 miles of the school, more natural resources and recreation areas can be accessed such as Chimney Rock State Park, Rumbling Bald Mountain, Lake Lure Marina and Morse Park, Florence Nature Preserve, Bearwallow Mountain, Buffalo Creek Park, the Rocky Broad River, and more.

Learning and spending time outdoors regularly has proven to improve the well-being of humans in various ways. There are a multitude of benefits for children just being in nature including reported improved mental well-being, physical well-being , as well as improved communication and speech. Numerous gains that have been studied as a result of students learning outdoors, including academic growth, behavioral, and social improvements as well as increased pro-environmental beliefs. In fact, lessons outdoors can improve content learning in students who need it most!

Steps away from our school buildings are forests, trails, open green spaces, and a multitude of resources to explore, from small to large-scale. Getting students in the routine of regularly learning outside the walls of our school is a benefit to our greater community. With students being comfortable and knowledgeable about our local environment, they will learn to care for and even improve our campus and surrounding natural areas. Each time we have a chance to have class outside, it gives our students  the gift of fresh air, sunshine and even a little exercise.