Enjoying the Great Outdoors
If you enjoy nature’s playground, the Biddeford Campus of UNE is the place to be. Located so close to many outdoor recreation areas, your choices for fun in the great outdoors are endless. Canoeing, kayaking, skiing, sailing, hiking, biking, surfing, camping, rock climbing, or lying on the beach are all ways that UNE students have fun on the weekends. Grab your gear, and get going.
Clubs
Recreation Council
The Recreation Council is made up of the following clubs. The clubs of the Recreation Council encourage new members to get in contact at the Get Involved Portal.
One of the largest clubs on campus, Outing Club offers members numerous opportunities to explore Maine and New Hampshire — including an annual spring break trip. If you like hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, or camping, then Outing Club is for you.
The UNE Sailing Club offers learn-to-sail clinics throughout the semester in 420 sailboats steps from residence halls. Additional off-campus charters on traditional Maine Schooners and the opportunity to race amongst other collegiate teams keep students involved.
Want to learn to Scuba Dive? Scuba Club hosts PADI certification classes and open-water dives each year. When the water gets too cold, the club moves into the UNE pool and enjoys the warm water to practice skills and have fun.
Want to spend your winter on the mountain? Ride 24/7 provides rides to local mountains, discounted season passes, and local events that share the love of alpine sports.
With some of the best surfing on the east coast just minutes from the UNE campus, Surf Club has a great time teaching students how to surf and getting out on the waves. Join the club and borrow equipment anytime to catch a wave (restrictions apply).
Megan DeMorris ’20
Why UNE
The atmosphere and how nice everyone is at UNE really drew me here. I also like how quaint the campus is. We’re right on the water, and just walking around on campus, people hold the door open for you, say hi to you, and don’t ignore you. You’re actually a person here. You can walk up to anyone or walk around the hallways and start a full-on conversation with anyone.
I wanted to be an occupational therapist right out of high school because of an internship where I shadowed OTs, PTs, and speech therapists. As I've started in the major, it's very inclusive of all areas of wellness, and it's a very holistic way of looking at health — I really liked that aspect of it. It’s a person-based major and career path, which is something that's really important as our society is moving away from that.
Beyond the Classroom
I got really involved with Outing Club second semester of my first year. By the end of the semester, I ran for club president and got it. For two years, I was doing that and planning all of the trips. I started our first annual spring break trip, which was really exciting and super successful.
We went out to Utah to Zion National Park with 10 people. I came up with the idea for a spring break trip because we do so many awesome, cool things anyway, I felt like, why not take that extra step? I chose different hikes for different days and found an affordable campground right near the national park. We coordinated to book flights, made a plan for food — then we just went for it.
There were two days that we hiked Angels Landing, which was incredible. Then we did Observation Point, which is an 8-mile roundtrip hike that’s unexplainably pretty. We even saw snow at one point on that trail, but we were also in the desert, so it was really unique. On the other days, we did a bunch of smaller hikes. It was a really good bonding experience — the people from that trip are some of my closest friends.
Set For Success
After graduation, I am going to apply to grad schools. I'm probably going to stay at UNE and go to the M.S.O.T. program. I think the way we’re taught lets you know what to expect and really helps you succeed in whatever program you're going to go into. There are so many resources on campus that help you through the steps of getting into grad school or job searches. UNE also helped me find and assisted me in applying for my upcoming internship with Momentum in Windham.
UNE is the perfect place to go if you are looking for a small school. All of the professors have been absolutely amazing, and I don't think that you find that at a lot of places. The professors and advisors that I have go out of their way to assist me and make me comfortable and a priority. All of them know me by name and have a sense of what I'm doing with my life and my interests and hobbies. They just really want you to succeed. I think that's an important part of going to school.
I got really involved with Outing Club, we went out to Utah to Zion National Park [for spring break]. We coordinated to book flights, made a plan for food — then we just went for it. We hiked Angels Landing, Observation Point, and a bunch of smaller hikes. It was a really good bonding experience — the people from that trip are some of my closest friends.
Equipment Room
The Equipment Room is fully stocked for your next outdoor adventure. Check out our offerings in the Campus Center, including:
- Backpacks
- XC skis and boots
- Wetsuits
- Camping equipment such as sleeping bags, rain guards, cooking items, and more
- Bike and ski/snowboard repair and tuning
- Maps and guidebooks
Hours
Outdoor Recreation equipment is available for rent Thursday through Sunday each week. To ask about equipment availability email the Equipment Room at equipmentrentals@une.edu. For questions, consultation on available equipment, or to request equipment outside standard reservation times email Mira D’Amato, coordinator of Outdoor Recreation and Education at mdamato1@une.edu.
Nor’Easter Bike Share
No bike, no problem — UNE’s Nor’easter Bike Share is designed to make your life on campus more mobile and enjoyable. Whether you want to ride across campus or to the beach, this opportunity was made for you. It’s free for students to use and bikes are available at three locations, Campus Center, Alfond Forum, and Padua Residence Hall.
- Download the On-Bike Share App to your Android or Apple phone.
- Register for the UNE Nor'Easter Bike Share program using your UNE email address. Accept waiver and terms of program use.
- Verification will go to your UNE email. Complete the steps outlined in this email.
- Open the On-Bike Share App.
- Click on Available Bikes and wait for bikes to load.
- Use your phone’s Bluetooth. Select the number of the bike you want to rent.
- Bike will electronically unlock from the rack.
- Inspect bike prior to ride. Report any issue in the On-Bike Share App. Bikes must be returned to a docking station.
- Dock bike to the pin on the rack.
- Ensure bike securely locked to rack.
- The rental will end automatically.
| Building | Location |
|---|---|
| Morgane Hall | Main entrance |
| Decary Hall | Main and admissions entrances |
| Pickus Hall | Main entrance |
| Ketchum Library | Main entrance |
| Leonard Hall | Main entrance |
| Featherman Hall | Front and back of the building |
| Avila Hall | End of the building closest to Assisi Hall |
| Padua Hall | End of the building closest to Siena Hall |
| Siena Hall | Left side of the building |
| Alfond Science Building | Main entrance near Stella Maris Hall |
| Assisi Hall | Backside of the building, near laundry entrance |
| East Hall | Riverside entrance |
| West Hall | Riverside entrance |
| Freddie Hall | End of the building, towards Hills Beach Rd. |
| Champlain Hall | Main entrance |
| Marine Science Building | Main entrance |
| Petts Health Center | Main entrance |
| Sokokis Hall | Pond side of the building |
| Creative Arts Building | Behind the building, near the parking lot |
- Rental periods are 4 hours long and only occur from 6 a.m.–11 p.m. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in suspension of usage.
- Secure your bike properly when not in use during your reservation period to avoid your rental being stolen. Stolen, unreturned, or damaged bikes are the responsibility of the renter and may be charged to your student account. The bike replacement cost is $875.
- When on campus, please use any available bike rack to secure your rental. Securing your rental to a tree or post is not permitted.
- Bikes may be taken off campus and transported on buses. Plan accordingly to return your bike within the 4-hour time limit and/or by 11 p.m.