Legacy Outdoor Adventures - Loa, Utah

Camille S.

This place changed my life!!! I came to Juniper canyon in February of 2022 absolutely broken and defeated. This place got me sober (and kept me sober) changed my entire perspective on life and what it means to be me, and shaped me into the woman I am today. My most sacred and special moments were spent in Utah with these absolutely incredible people and I am forever grateful. I have a beautiful, fun and full life today that would not have been possible without Legacy.

Steve S.

Simply put, Legacy saved our son's life! He went from a boy to a man through a constructive, loving, and accountable programing. EVERY SINGLE THING the Legacy team does with the men is intentional, and foundational in the rebuilding of their lives. Words cannot describe my gratitude to the staff, up to and including Gil, the head of the program who met with me and my son when we were considering wilderness. For those looking, Legacy is the real deal, and was the best investment I could have ever made into my son's life! Remember that all wilderness therapy programs are NOT the same; Legacy stands in a tier all by itself!

Darcy H.

Legacy is definitely one of my happy places. Some of my favorite people are here. As a person in long term recovery I feel blessed to spend time with them and be a witness to the safe haven they have created for my people. No one can love an addict back to life like they can. I would put my own kids here in a heartbeat. You will be safe, cared for and shown a new and happy life. What do you have to lose, except a second chance.

Rob U.

4.7 isn't high enough for Legacy. We live in the Northeast and VERY thoroughly researched wilderness treatment facilities before choosing one. Several, unaffiliated and trusted health professionals all pointed us in the same direction - Legacy. So, with our expectations already sky high, Legacy has somehow managed to exceed them. Their operation is amazingly well run, but the real reason for their effectiveness is their people. Some of the best, most emotionally involved and committed therapy professionals you will find anywhere. I could go on and on, but simply put, this place is amazing. My only regret is that it's financially out of reach for so many who could be saved here, primarily because insurance companies have yet to adequately recognize the mental health crisis that is ravaging our younger generations. Hopefully this will change some day.

Camille S.

I cannot recommend Juniper Canyon enough. I was a client there two years ago, 19 years old and freshly sober. I am now 21 with two years of sobriety under my belt, forever grateful for the 97 days I spent there. I will never forget what Juniper Canyon did for me. I went on the most powerful and life changing adventures alongside TOP NOTCH guides and therapists. I won't say that my experience there was easy, but the hard parts were where my spiritual growth and emotional grit came from. Looking back in time I miss Juniper Canyon like crazy. This place is so unbelievably special and I would recommend it to every lost or struggling soul out there.

Debbie G.

I’m continually impressed with Legacy! They genuinely care about their clients and are dedicated and skilled at helping them overcome their challenges.

As I’ve toured, worked with, and associated with Legacy and graduates of their program, over the years, I appreciate the powerful work they’re doing and the authentic way they do it.

It’s clear their approach is rooted in research and proven strategies and because they’re owner operated I think there’s an extra level of personal touch and quality of care they provide that stands out.

They’re a real gem changing lives!

Ethan E.

Legacy doesn't have the profound ethical/regulatory problems many wilderness therapy places do. When I went in 2017, it was run by good people.

But, before enrolling, you might ask yourself to what degree "adventuring" is an evidence-based treatment for addiction (the answer being that the research is sparse and not particularly promising) and to what degree backpacking the wilderness meaningfully relates to navigating life as a sober person. The majority of time spent at Legacy won't be working with a clinician; it'll be doing outdoor adventuring. If you like being outside... great! I had fun at Legacy. What Legacy didn't do was ask of me to meaningfully think about how I might live without substance use. A group of 6-10 dudes and 2 trail guides doesn't translate particularly well to the kind of milieu that most people encounter in the world. Add to the fact that Legacy's program for men is invested in a lot of (at best) dated ideas for masculinity and a lot of ideas borrowed (without context) from indigenous cultures and you end up with a program that really holds the potential to breed harmful ideas. The programming around the 12 steps is a good step, but the 12 steps still have far lower success rates than things like MAT or the Sinclair Method.

When I was at Legacy, it was also notoriously hard to leave Legacy (it generally involved having to hike through the desert, being followed by staff members who would warn people in Loa that you "might be a felon," and being denied your phone and your wallet by staff members). While those rules were in place for good reasons, and while addiction treatment is complicated, there was always a subtle form of coercion belied by these methods.

While I frequently felt alienated due to Legacy's gender dynamics. I did enjoy my time there. The real gems of the program were the trail guides; my conversations with them have, 5 years later, shaped my life for the better, even as my Legacy-assigned therapist was pretty useless (sorry, Troy. think more about how you interact with LGBTQ people). But... backpacking for three months would have been a lot cheaper if I didn't go through Legacy.

Michael S.

Legacy Outdoor Adventures is a phenomenal program for young men dealing with addiction, depression/anxiety, or other problems.

I found the staff to be loving, caring, empathetic, and invested in the welfare of their clients. My son has thrived in this program. He is now the son I knew before the drugs/alcohol and before the crippling depression/anxiety.

I recommend this program to you without hesitancy. It has all the components in place to help your son overcome issues around substance abuse and poor mental health.