Summer camps with outdoor activities

[Anonymous]

This may seem like a weird question but I'm looking for a sleepaway camp that focuses on teaching kids real outdoor activities (kayaking in rapids, horseback riding, archery, rock climbing on real rocks) rather than things like sports and ropes courses. It seems like most of the camps I've found do the same sorts of activities you could do in the city (dance, swim, etc). I went to day camp at Valley Mill my whole childhood and my kids are there now -- I thought it would be easy to find a sleep away camp with similar opportunities but it's proved hard so far!

Does anyone have suggestions for camps where kids really get to explore outdoor activities? Preferably a Jewish camp but secular is good too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This may seem like a weird question but I'm looking for a sleepaway camp that focuses on teaching kids real outdoor activities (kayaking in rapids, horseback riding, archery, rock climbing on real rocks) rather than things like sports and ropes courses. It seems like most of the camps I've found do the same sorts of activities you could do in the city (dance, swim, etc). I went to day camp at Valley Mill my whole childhood and my kids are there now -- I thought it would be easy to find a sleep away camp with similar opportunities but it's proved hard so far!

Does anyone have suggestions for camps where kids really get to explore outdoor activities? Preferably a Jewish camp but secular is good too.

What about Ramah in the rockies?

[Anonymous]

Kayaking in rapids is definitely not for beginners. If sleepaway camp is next to river or lake/ocean, it probably includes kayaking as an activity, not for full day. It probably costs extra to do horseback riding, and it is probably just for beginner level. I have seen archery is offered at many sleepaway camp. There are always camp that do rock climbing on real rocks, but it is speciality camp for a week.

I think if you travel to some states, they probably have sleepaway camp that offer all these. I don't know any in DMV area.

[Anonymous]

Boy or girl? Kabeyun in New Hampshire has all those activities except horseback riding, but it's an all boys camp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kayaking in rapids is definitely not for beginners. If sleepaway camp is next to river or lake/ocean, it probably includes kayaking as an activity, not for full day. It probably costs extra to do horseback riding, and it is probably just for beginner level. I have seen archery is offered at many sleepaway camp. There are always camp that do rock climbing on real rocks, but it is speciality camp for a week.

I think if you travel to some states, they probably have sleepaway camp that offer all these. I don't know any in DMV area.

Camps that do this sort of thing usually start the kids in the lake and take them to the rapids after training them on safety, skirt usage, etc. I know Calleva and Valley Mill both do this so I’m surprised no sleep away camps in the greater area do. Or at least none that I know of.

[Anonymous]

Kieve and Wavus in Maine. But no horseback riding.

[Anonymous]

If you just want exercise and outdoor hiking/activities, I'd suggest Overland Summers. They go to various national and internattional locations for 1-3 weeks - my kids have done these and truly enjoyed them. Different than a standard sleep away camp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kayaking in rapids is definitely not for beginners. If sleepaway camp is next to river or lake/ocean, it probably includes kayaking as an activity, not for full day. It probably costs extra to do horseback riding, and it is probably just for beginner level. I have seen archery is offered at many sleepaway camp. There are always camp that do rock climbing on real rocks, but it is speciality camp for a week.

I think if you travel to some states, they probably have sleepaway camp that offer all these. I don't know any in DMV area.

Camps that do this sort of thing usually start the kids in the lake and take them to the rapids after training them on safety, skirt usage, etc. I know Calleva and Valley Mill both do this so I’m surprised no sleep away camps in the greater area do. Or at least none that I know of.

I am surprised too that DMV (especially the greater area) has none to offer as far as I know. I don't know why.

[Anonymous]

Scouting America camps teach those things in Merit Badge classes and have specialty programs for kids 14 and older. Both boys and girls can attend but you need to be a part of a Troop. Kids do attend camps as Provisional Scouts, that allows them to attend camps without a Troop as long as they are a registered Scout.

Girl Scouts, I did not see a gender in your post, has great camps that are activities based. You need to be a registered Girl Scout and they can fill up quickly.

Outward Bound is a backpacking program for teens. No group membership needed.

I am sure that there are camps for sailing and other outdoor activities that are not Scout related but I don’t know them off the top of my head.

[Anonymous]

Alpine Ministries' Bible Camp offers rappelling and white-water rafting, but I don't know how much experience they assume, and I have the impression that these are add-ons to the base camp experience.

[Anonymous]

My kid went to Calleva's kayaking camp--it was good. It had only 1 night of sleepaway in the 5 day week, but I think for older kids there are longer kayaking adventures that are more sleepaway days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Scouting America camps teach those things in Merit Badge classes and have specialty programs for kids 14 and older. Both boys and girls can attend but you need to be a part of a Troop. Kids do attend camps as Provisional Scouts, that allows them to attend camps without a Troop as long as they are a registered Scout.

Girl Scouts, I did not see a gender in your post, has great camps that are activities based. You need to be a registered Girl Scout and they can fill up quickly.

Outward Bound is a backpacking program for teens. No group membership needed.

I am sure that there are camps for sailing and other outdoor activities that are not Scout related but I don’t know them off the top of my head.

FYI for Girl Scout camp you can pay $25 to be registered as a Girl Scout and attend, you don't have to be a member of a troop. And sign-up is now lottery-based (and there were a fair number of camps this year that still had slots open for weeks or months after the lottery, although I don't know about the most heavily outdoorsy/adventure ones in particular (we weren't tracking those.)

[Anonymous]

Second joining scouts. You might check Twin Creeks. Otherwise, you probably have to send them out of state.

[Anonymous]

I was just looking this up today for a friend:

If you have girls these two are close to hitting the mark except the kayaking (canoeing instead)
I know someone who went to camp Carys brook and loved it: https://campcarysbrook.com/activities/

Camp Mont Shenandoah is another popular girls one that has a lot of what you mentioned: https://www.campmontshenandoah.com/activities/the-outdoors/

Camp Hidden meadows in west VA is mixed gender and has a true rock climbing, mountain biking, and some other things you mentioned https://camphiddenmeadows.com/camp-activities/

If you’re willing to drive further north I’m sure there are a ton. Timberlake is a fantastic camp and they have a girls one as well. They have rock climbing and true wilderness aspects to the camp: https://www.farmandwilderness.org/camps/timberlake
I don’t know Jewish camps though sorry but I know there are a lot of great ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was just looking this up today for a friend:

If you have girls these two are close to hitting the mark except the kayaking (canoeing instead)
I know someone who went to camp Carys brook and loved it: https://campcarysbrook.com/activities/

Camp Mont Shenandoah is another popular girls one that has a lot of what you mentioned: https://www.campmontshenandoah.com/activities/the-outdoors/

Camp Hidden meadows in west VA is mixed gender and has a true rock climbing, mountain biking, and some other things you mentioned https://camphiddenmeadows.com/camp-activities/

If you’re willing to drive further north I’m sure there are a ton. Timberlake is a fantastic camp and they have a girls one as well. They have rock climbing and true wilderness aspects to the camp: https://www.farmandwilderness.org/camps/timberlake
I don’t know Jewish camps though sorry but I know there are a lot of great ones.

Anything for boys?