Challenge Course
Interested in a Challenge Course program? Fill out our Interest form or contact the Kentucky Outdoor Institute at KentuckyOutdoorInstitute@asbury.edu to find out more information.
The Asbury University Challenge Course is an experientially-based outdoor program focused on developing greater leadership, communication, trust, and initiative in teams. Since its inception in 1992, the program has served over 45,000 participants of all ages and ability levels. We’ve had guests from middle school soccer players to corporate executives. The Course is located in a beautiful hardwood forest on a 300-acre farm above the Kentucky River Palisades, and is the largest and most versatile ropes course in central Kentucky.
The Asbury University Challenge Course has an excellent reputation as a premiere location for outside-the-box professional development opportunities. Our high quality facilitators are focused on providing you with a safe experience that is simultaneously educational and recreational. There is simply no better or more affordable way to strengthen your workplace than a day at the Asbury University Challenge Course.
What to Expect
The Asbury University Challenge Course is designed to support leadership, personal skills development, and self-confidence in an alternative setting. Sometimes referred to as “Experience-Based Training and Development,” a well-designed program can be an appropriate vehicle for addressing process issues that can frequently get in the way of group effectiveness and goal accomplishment. Some of the group and personal skills that may be addressed are:
- team building
- problem solving
- communication skills
- conflict management
- decision making
- assessing and managing risk
There is flexibility in program design and offerings. While the typical program is a full day in length, partial- or multi-day programming is available. Each program will consist of low-course elements in partial or in full; a high course in partial or in full may be added on.
Ropes Course Activity Descriptions:
Low Course Activities: A series of ground level problem-solving initiatives are designed to be addressed through teamwork and support. The tasks are concrete, and the group is normally quite aware of their progress. While the problems themselves are non-consequential, the process and outcome of the group’s work provides material for debriefing, or reflecting on “the way we do things.” Issues of how your group communicates, identifies and solves problems, makes decisions, and manages conflict can be addressed in a setting that provides excellent opportunities for application to your workplace, church, school or agency.
High Course Activities: The high course is a series of linear challenges set in hardwood trees, from 20 to 35 feet above ground level. While the challenges inherent on the high course appear to be more individually oriented as participants take the opportunities to challenge themselves on a variety of different activities, the significance of group support, encouragement, and assistance cannot be discounted. Lessons on taking risk, building confidence, and finding personal satisfaction can be addressed in a safe environment of challenge and support. Our high course currently includes 6 linear challenges and 2 lateral elements, as well as a zip line and giant swing.
Off-site Team Building Programs:
Adventure Education Team Building Programs
We are excited to now be offering a wider variety of programming options! Interested in an adventure experience for your team that could include a canoe trip, caving, hiking and backpacking, or even rock climbing and rappelling? Building on the leadership development and team-building strategies we practice on the challenge course, we apply the same experientially-based learning principles to these other adventure activities. Contact us for more information.
Interested in an adventure program for your small group or family? We can design a program just for you, either at the challenge course or in one of our other adventure settings. Give us a call to discuss what we can offer you!
Off-site Professional Development and Corporate Training
We offer a wide variety of team building and leadership development programs to meet the specific needs of our corporate clients. Let us partner with you for your next conference, meeting, or training. All of these programs can be done in any workplace, meeting room, or outdoor space across the country:
- Professional Development Workshops
- Corporate Trainings
- Conferences, Retreats, Meetings – icebreakers, indoor team building activities, and other programs designed to fit in to your meeting schedule
- Fully Customizable Portable Initiatives
- Leadership, Team, and Communication Development Programs
- Charity Team Building Events – bike builds and backpack programs
Forms
FAQs
Preparing for a visit to Asbury University’s Challenge Course or just want as much information as possible? Check out our FAQs page.