MacLeish Field Station
The Ada and Archibald MacLeish Field Station, a uniquely liberal arts field station, is a 250-acre patchwork of forest and pasture land in nearby Whately that provides opportunities for all members of the Smith community (students, faculty, staff, and alum) to pursue artistic inquiry, environmental research, outdoor education and low-impact recreation. Students are integral to the field station: they help steward the land, design programs for their peers and participate in making key decisions in the operation of the field station. The Bechtel Environmental classroom provides meeting and dry laboratory space for MacLeish users.
At MacLeish
Visit MacLeish
Challenge Course
The MacLeish Field Station is home to a “low elements” challenge course. This exciting resource was made possible by a generous donation from Trish Jackson, former vice president of development for the college, and was designed and constructed by High 5 Adventure of Brattleboro, Vermont.
The course and its facilitators engage student organizations, houses, outdoor programs, athletic teams, classes, student government leaders, residential life staff, and administrative and academic department members engage in safe and challenging activities that can bring groups closer together, reveal important issues about power dynamics, and improve communication strategies.
For more information, contact challengecourse@smith.edu. To inquire about use of the challenge course click here.
Field Archery Course
The Field Archery course at MacLeish allows archers to shoot at targets in varying outdoor settings. The course has seven stations with target distances that ranging from 5 to 45 yards and is located along the southern and western section of the Hemlock Trail (red markers).
The Field Archery course is available to the Smith community and outside groups with permission. Use of the course requires special training. Please contact Paul Wetzel, field station manager, at pwetzel@smith.edu.
Take a Virtual Tour of MacLeish
See and learn about all the ways you can use the field station for work and for leisure! Let Paul Wetzel, Field Station Manager, be your guide!
A Field Guide to MacLeish
Scientific inquiry flourishes at MacLeish Field Station, where students, faculty, and community members explore the beautiful and diverse ecosystem of plants and animals.

Out in the Field
Advisory Board
Andrew Berke
Faculty Director of CEEDS
Jesse Bellemare
Biological Sciences
Paul Wetzel
Field Station Manager
Amy Rhodes
Geosciences
Scott Johnson
Outdoor Adventures
Christiane Métral
French Studies