Explore. Enjoy. Protect.

Those three words have guided the Sierra Club for more than a century. They're more than our motto, they're the heart of our mission. Because we know something simple but powerful: people are more likely to fight for the places they've experienced firsthand.

A hike through an ancient forest. A quiet morning on the water. Watching wildlife in its natural habitat. These moments inspire us to protect the landscapes, wildlife, and communities that make them possible.

That's why Sierra Club Outings have always been about more than adventure. They're another way we fulfill our mission to explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the Earth. This week, we asked a few members of our staff a simple question:

If you could choose any Sierra Club Outing, which would you pick -- and why?

Here are three of our favorite answers.

Parks belong to everyone.

Jackie Ostfeld, our Outdoors for All Director, chose a service trip in Philadelphia that combines history, stewardship, and time outdoors.

For Jackie, the trip represents something bigger than a weekend away. It's a reminder that everyone deserves access to nature and the many physical and mental health benefits that come with it. Through Sierra Club's Transit to Trails campaign, she's helping expand public transportation to parks and green spaces so more communities can experience the outdoors.

The places we experience become the places we protect.

Dan Ritzman, who leads many of Sierra Club's conservation campaigns, chose Big Bend National Park.

For him, paddling through the Rio Grande canyons and spending nights beneath some of the darkest skies in North America is more than an unforgettable adventure.

“This trip offers a rare chance to experience an extraordinary place firsthand, fall in love with it, and be inspired to help protect it.”

Wildlife, history, and wild places are all connected.

Nick Gevock, who works to protect wildlife across the Northern Rockies, chose the Black Hills of South Dakota.

The trip brings together stunning landscapes, Native American history, and one of the country's most inspiring conservation stories: the restoration of American buffalo. Experiencing these places firsthand reminds us why protecting wildlife means protecting entire landscapes -- and the people and cultures connected to them.

Every one of us has a place that changed us.

Maybe it was your first national park. A favorite trail. A family camping trip. A quiet stretch of coastline.

Those experiences remind us what we're fighting for.

If you'd like a little inspiration for your own bucket list, we asked seven Sierra Club staff and volunteers to share the outdoor adventure they'd choose and why. Here's what they had to say:

Thank you for being part of a community that believes the best way to protect wild places is to explore them, enjoy them, and inspire others to do the same.

The Sierra Club Team

P.S. Next week, we'll be sharing a special summer opportunity inspired by Sierra Club Outings. We think you're going to love it.