Team Building & Group Activities

Learn about the Resort’s 25-acre solar farm comprised of 19,000 individual solar panels. Our expert will discuss various aspects of sustainable energy including the history and current state of the solar industry, environmental and economic benefits, plus the science of how solar power works.

Stretching more than 2,190 miles across 14 different states, the Appalachian Trail is a marked hiking trail in the Eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. Located approximately five miles from the Resort, our guided hike on this iconic trail offers the option of an easy hike through Pochuck Valley or a strenuous hike up the Stairway to Heaven to the the scenic Pinwheel Vista.

Tour nearby Vernon Valley Farm, where young, modern farmers Kirk and Christina Stephens utilize nature’s synergies to run their fully sustainable farm. Guests will enjoy a hay wagon ride tour of the farm, interact with various farm animals and harvest fresh fruit or vegetables in season. Vernon Valley Farm is situated on 270 acres, with exquisite mountain and valley views.

Teams will work with a local beekeeper to build a bee box with supplied materials. The beekeeper will share fun facts about how a bee colony develops, how honey is made, as well as how bees are critical to local agriculture and the food chain. The completed bee boxes will be donated to a local farm and become the new home of a bee colony. As a thank you for supporting the local bee population, your group will receive souvenir jars of sweet honey from your sponsored hive at a future date.

Join our Certified Herbalist & Naturalist for a nature hike to discover the edible and medicinal plants which can be found not only throughout the region, but in your very own backyard! She will share helpful hints for proper identification, as well as easy & efficient methods for harvesting and preparing these plants at home.

Learn all about mushrooms, such as the ins & outs of how they are cultivated, during an interactive workshop with resort Forager, Sarah Berman. You will prepare your very own oyster mushroom kit that yields delicious results.

This series will follow the rhythms of mother nature and offers seminars based on the seasonality of available ingredients. Go behind the scenes to learn about methods used in our own kitchen to preserve foods and reduce waste. Then, enjoy a hands-on demonstration of how to preserve nature’s bounty and take home a sampling of the fruits of your labor.

For those looking to reduce their intake of animal proteins, plant-based proteins can provide amazing health benefits. Join our Nutritionist for an interactive cooking demonstration with a discussion of these benefits, sharing useful tips and recipes, plus flavorful samples. Add new meals to your diet that not only taste delicious, but are healthy for you!

Led by a renowned Health Coach, Functional Nutrition & a Lifestyle Practitioner, you will discover & break the habits and beliefs that are stopping you from feeling your best. Learn new diet and lifestyle modifications, with partnership for guidance & support, to restore balance within and live a healthy & mindful lifestyle.

Learn tips & tricks of the trade from our expert mixologist, including techniques and tools to make a tasty beverage. Discover how different flavorings, garnishes and secret ingredients are used to make your favorite libations. Taste the final unique creations made with locally foraged and produced botanicals from one of the country’s only foraged bar programs.

If the thought of tasting delicious and local craft beverages inspires you, read on. Luckily, our bucolic area is home to a significant number of small winemakers, distillers and brewers who have been refining their trades for our tasting pleasure. For an exceptional bonding experience, opt for one of these “spirited” local tours on the Crystal Springs Harvest Trail.

Take a good old-fashioned hay ride up Glenwood Mountain to the Pochuck Orchard, home to hundreds of peach, pear and apple trees of multiple varieties. Participants can each pick a basket of fruit and have the option of enjoying a packed picnic in the middle of the orchard with a stunning view of the Pochuck Valley below.

Visit a local farm to meet cows, horses, goats, donkeys, ducks, geese and more. Learn from a local farmer about the animals and leave with the ultimate souvenir to memorialize your event . . . an unforgettable photo of your team with all their newfound farm friends.

Behold the beauty of nature through painting . . . and what better classroom than our stunning grounds. Join our in-house artist for an introduction to Plein Air Painting, which means ‘in the open air’. This outdoor class is designed for beginners, and provides a guided process of painting a scene.

Discover the wonders of the universe with Franklin Astronomy Club founder Zach Lichtmann. View amazing celestial targets with a high-powered telescope while hunting for orbiting satellites soaring overhead. An informed, casual discussion allows time for astronomy questions to be explored.

Get inspired by your surroundings while learning techniques from one our Resort photographers in this landscape composition class. Guests are encouraged to bring their DSLR camera if available, but can use a smartphone camera as well.

A fun and educational presentation on the science of why sound and vibration affect us physically, mentally and energetically. Participants will experience a meditative crystal sound bath and mini-sessions of Vibrational Sound Therapy through the use of Himalayan singing bowls.

Explore the science and art of dyeing fabric with intuitive artist Jessica Darling. Learn how to identify seasonal local dye plants accessible and how to transform them in the dye bath onto sustainable and upcycled textiles. Participants will dye their own piece of fabric using dyes found in the region and around the Resort.

Wondering about the world of essential oils? In this workshop, you will learn all about the essences of plants, how to use them safely & properly, along with the benefits they can provide as a complement to your current health regime. Participants will create their own essential oil rollerball.

Enjoy a guided walk with our resort naturalist while practicing sensory awareness such as scent, sight, sound, breath, to quiet the mind and deepen connection with the inner self and the natural world. The walk culminates in a 10-minute guided meditation with a focus on connecting with the earth.

Take part in a goat yoga session followed by a mix & mingle with the animals. There is a calming and therapeutic effect about being in nature with the goats, which brings participants more joy and less stress.

Take a yoga class with rescue puppies or partake in a mix and mingle with the playful canines. This session includes an informative talk with a representative from a local dog rescue, with a discussion of the importance of supporting animal shelters and rescue organizations, as well as the process for adopting a rescued puppy or grown dog.

This series of wine programs will delight both the novice & the astute wine lover, plus all levels in between featuring Wine Tasting, Wine 101, Wine Education and Blind Wine Competitions. All offerings are hosted by our Resort wine sommelier.

Introduce your team to yoga & mediation with certified instructors in a series of classes including: Intro to Meditation, Mindful Meditation, Morning Yoga, Yin Yoga, Piyo & more!

This popular activity is suitable for first time and seasoned clay target shooters. Using a modified shotgun, participants fire an infrared beam at reflective clays. Real, deactivated guns are used with realistic sound effects that inform the shooter when the target has been hit.

Located adjacent to the fresh-water quarry at Grand Cascades Lodge, our archery range showcases the finest in guided archery. A unique rustic log construction makes it an ideal place to take pictures and capture memories of your vacation. Bows, arrows and instruction provide. Also available on property at Minerals Hotel.