Agenda Available for Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Summit April 30-May 1

The agenda for the two-day Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Summit (WORS), which will take place Thursday-Friday, April 30-May 1, at the Platte Valley Community Center in Saratoga, is now available on the event’s webpage.

Co-hosted by the Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation and the University of Wyoming’s Jay Kemmerer WORTH Institute, WORS is the state’s premier annual convening, focusing on strengthening Wyoming’s outdoor recreation economy through collaboration, research and workforce development. The 2026 summit theme, “Building Capacity for Tomorrow,” emphasizes intergenerational knowledge exchange, strategic planning, community support and the importance of partnerships. 

The full agenda is available on the event’s webpage. Attendees can expect engaging sessions, panels and networking opportunities designed to support professionals across outdoor recreation, tourism, hospitality, education and public service.

Thursday will begin with Saratoga-based field trips, including museum tours, a guided hike and a tour of the National Fish Hatchery, each offered free of charge to conference attendees. Attendees interested in joining a field trip should review the information provided on the webpage and fill out the form to select their preferred option.

“Place-based field trips will help attendees connect with Saratoga and highlight the area’s hidden gems,” organizers say.

General sessions will start at 2 p.m. Thursday and will feature keynote speaker Stacy Bare -- National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, executive director of Friends of Grand Rapids Parks and a U.S. Army veteran. Bare, as an advocate of the health benefits of time outdoors, also has been referred to as an “awe pioneer.” He will bring decades of experience in programming and infrastructure for outdoor recreation to discuss why and how ensuring access to the outdoors for all means good business for communities, outdoor, and outdoor-adjacent brands and services.

Thursday will continue with a spotlight session on Wyoming’s outdoor recreation collaborative network and conclude with a happy hour sponsored by the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Business Alliance.

Friday will open with a fireside chat with Domenic Bravo, of the Wyoming Office of Tourism, and Kalene Griffith, of Visit Bentonville. Bravo and Griffith will explore how outdoor recreation and tourism intersect to create thriving destinations.

Friday will continue with breakout sessions covering a variety of topics, including grant funding information; how to build and strengthen collaborative partnerships and community stewardship; and a capstone presentation from UW outdoor recreation and tourism management students. 

Registration will remain open until Friday, April 24. Registration fees include field trip experiences, breakfast and lunch, and access to all sessions.
 

For up-to-date information, visit the WORS Summit Webpage or go to the WORS Summit Facebook Event.

WORS is sponsored by Discover Carbon County; Wagner’s; Visit Casper; Wyoming Workforce Services; Casper College Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management; National Outdoor Leadership School Rocky Mountain; Wyoming Assistive Technology Resources; Power Company of Wyoming; Wyoming Conservation Corps; and Pointe Strategies.

For more information, call Taylor Kruger at (307) 766-5019 or email tkruger@uwyo.edu.