Camps

2023 Summer Camps at North Branch Nature Center

The summer camp lottery is now over
General registration and waitlists open March 15 at 8 pm

Due to high demand and NBNC's commitment to equity, camp registration utilized a lottery system this year.
Families had from February 27 through March 6 to join the lottery for desired camps.
All who entered the lottery were notified on March 8 with instructions for checking the lottery results.
Lottery winners have until March 14th to complete their transactions. Unclaimed lottery spaces will be forfeited.
On March 15th at 8 PM, any available spaces will become available on this page for general registration. Families may also join waitlists for any interested camps at that time.
The two 7-9th grade adventure camps operate outside of the lottery system and dates outlined above. They are available for application until March 24.

ABOUT SUMMER CAMPS

Summer Camps at NBNC offer a safe place where children can interact directly with nature through observation, questioning, and hands-on exploration. From flipping rocks along wooded streams to chasing butterflies through the fields, this is what a child’s summer should be. Every day we create memorable experiences in the outdoors and send children home with a renewed excitement of the natural world. Please review individual camp descriptions for more information. We offer camps for various age groups ranging from 4 to 15 years old.

More About NBNC Summer Camps

Hours & Aftercare

HOURS & AFTER-CARE

All camps begin at 9 am. Please see age groups for pick-up times. Children may be dropped off after 8:45 am. Please respect this drop-off time as a courtesy to our staff who will be preparing for the day right up until 8:45.

Post-camp after-care is available until 5 pm for 1-3 and 4-6 grade camps. After-care is an informal extension of camp activities with supervised free time for games, reading, art projects and more.

Aftercare registration will be available in mid-March at the bottom of this page below camp registrations

2023 Cancellation Policies (New!)

2023 Cancellation Policies

Cancellations requested by March 31 will be refunded minus a $20 non-refundable processing fee.
Cancellations requested between April 1 and May 31 will be refunded minus a $50 processing fee.
Cancellations requested on or after June 1 are non-refundable. Exceptions may be granted in cases of emergency.

Every year, children are turned away from our camps due to lack of space. The more notice we have of cancellation, the better our ability to offer that space to another interested family.

If your child misses one or more days of camp, for any reason, we cannot provide partial refunds.

In the event that NBNC needs to cancel this camp as a result of unforeseen circumstances, a full refund will be issued.

Financial Support

Camp is often the highlight of a child’s summer, an opportunity to learn and explore in an environment very different from school. We provide financial support packages that typically provide a 50% discount off camp registration, though we occasionally accommodate greater support requests on a case-by-case basis.

If you need financial support to send your child to camp, please email [email protected]org with the following information:
-Your name, address and phone number
-Camper's name and age
-Camp titles (if available)

You may enter the camp lotteries before a financial support package has been arranged. After registering for the lottery, please contact us by March 6th so that we may discuss financial support options and provide you with an appropriate discount code to use if you win the lottery.

COVID-19 Protocols and Expectations

Please visit northbranchnaturecenter.org/COVID for our evolving guidelines, expectations, and policies surrounding COVID-19.

About our Summer Camp Staff

ABOUT OUR SUMMER STAFF

Get ready to have fun, because summer field staff include some of your kids’ favorite year-round NBNC staff including Ken Benton, Carrie Riker, Pete Kerby-Miller, Victoria Lee, Fiona Modrak, and Dave Muska. Each summer we also hire several fantastic additional staff with backgrounds in teaching and experience in environmental science or outdoor education. Visit 'About Us' on our website for more information about our top-notch staff.

Lottery Drawings Complete

General Registration Opens March 15 at 8 pm

Updates:

On March 8, we notified via email all those who entered the lotteries with instructions for checking their results. Lottery winners have until March 14th to visit their Jumbula Shopping Cart to complete transactions. Unclaimed items will become available for general registration on March 15th at 8 pm.

Camps for kids ages 4-5

Camps for kids entering grades 1-3

Camps for kids entering grades 4-6

Adventure Camps for kids entering grades 7-9

These two overnight travel camps do not operate on the lottery system like the camps above. Given the nature of these excursions, we ask that all interested families please fill out the applications linked in each camp description below. After our trip leaders review your application, they will contact invited families by March 24th with instructions to officially register.

(Click each title below to expand)

Paddling in the Adirondacks | July 31 - August 4

$725 | Apply Here
Maximum: 6 participants

In this camp, we will journey by canoe on the waters of the Adirondack lakes. We will awaken with the rising sun and birdsong to explore the ecology of this ancient landscape and these beautiful waterways. We will learn and practice skills specific to the region and incorporate mindfulness and gratitude practices into our daily routines. We’ll share our meals together along with stories, songs, and laughter throughout the course of our journey.

On this 5 day canoe trip, our team of participants will learn boating safety, paddling techniques, and navigation along with camp craft such as cooking, site selection, Leave-No-Trace ethics, and Team & Leadership skills.

Instructors: Dave Muska (NYS Guide #7059) and Annie Jackson

Backpacking in the Green Mountains | July 17 - 21

$475 | Apply Here
Maximum: 8 participants

In this camp we will embark on a backpacking adventure within the mountains of Vermont. We will carry with us all of the gear we will need for our journey, making different camps our home along the way. We will be awakened by the rising sun and sleep by starlight. Our days will be spent walking ridgelines and enjoying mountain vistas, all the while immersed in the rhythms of the natural world. We’ll experience the beauty of mindfulness and gratitude practices as part of our daily routines and share stories, songs, and laughter throughout our adventure.

On this 5 day backpacking trip, our team of participants will learn the basics of wilderness safety, backpacking/camping techniques, and navigation along with camp craft such as cooking, site selection, Leave-No-Trace ethics, and Team & Leadership skills.

*Participants should be prepared to walk between 3-6 miles per day wearing their full pack.