Adventure Camp: Grades 6-8

Adventure Skills

It’s time to own your summer! Join us for a week of gaining new skills, playing classic camp games and hanging out in hammocks! You could do archery, our Canopy Tour zipline, paddling on the pond or biking down the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail. Explore parts of KNC that you haven’t seen before and go wild with the wildlife and be ready for adventure!

$285 MEMBER, $310 NON-MEMBER

ADVENTURE SKILLS RUN 9 AM - 5 PM MONDAY - WEDNESDAY, OVERNIGHT CAMPOUT IS 9 AM THURSDAY - 5 PM FRIDAY (TENTS AND 3 MEALS ARE PROVIDED. TENTS ARE SHARED WITH SAME GENDERED CAMPERS ONLY.)

Adventure Treks

Are you ready for the ultimate camp experience? Camp out 4 nights and 5 days and get to know what is around Kalamazoo. Learn backcountry camping skills like trip planning, food preparation, campsite selection, Leave No Trace Principles and proper gear use. Gain leadership and teamwork experience on the Low Ropes Challenge Course, Zip Line and Kalamazoo River Paddling adventures. Each trek is different, but all are amazing!

NATURE TREKS RUN 9 AM MONDAY - 5 PM FRIDAY. OVERNIGHT CAMPOUTS ARE MONDAY–THURSDAY NIGHTS. TENTS AND MEALS ARE PROVIDED. TENTS ARE SHARED WITH SAME GENDERED CAMPERS ONLY. *Participants should be able to carry 30 pound packs, walk two miles a day and relieve themselves in areas where there are no facilities available.

Register for Camp Check Camp Availability

Adventure Skills Camp Sessions

Session 1: June 17-21 | Wildly Prepared

You may know a little something about surviving in the woods, but are you ready to take it to the next step? Find out how to build the best fires in the worst situations, navigate yourself to be un-lost and what to do when you forget your water bottle at home. Join experienced counselors and hike some of the North Country Trail!

Session 2: June 24-28 | Pathfinders

You have always loved being outside, so what if it was your job? Explore your options in the field by meeting KNC professionals, DNR Researchers, Zookeepers and more. Gain the skills that could help you go far in your natural science career whether it’s biology or zoology, we want to help you find your passion.

Session 4: July 15-19 | Nature and Technology

Some may think technology and nature don’t mix but we want to use it to our advantage. Advocate for the Earth through vlogging , geocache with a handheld GPS, and utilize a camera to capture the beauty of the great outdoors. Technology can be our greatest asset when it comes to “speaking for the trees!”

Session 5: July 22-26 | Master Crafters

You can art but can you craft? Try new art techniques like painting with nature brushes, working with wood and whittling. Meet our featured Glen Vista Gallery Artist, Pamela Paulsrud to craft something amazing! It’s time to make things with our hands.

Session 6: July 29- August 2 | Leaders in Conservation

Be the change you wish to see in the world. Take your passion for nature one step further and learn to be a leader in environmental change. Help our Citizen Science program with projects to see how everyday people can make a difference and visit our local water treatment plant to see the system that cares for water. Experience our Challenge Course to see what it takes to work as a team and also play cooperative games.

Session 8: August 12-16 | Zoology Week

It’s a zoo out there! Be ready to get close up and personal with a bird of prey health exam here at KNC. Set up the trail cam to see who is visiting camp at night and observe animal behavior to learn more about the creatures of our Earth. Visit Binder Park Zoo to see how they are conserving the world’s species and what it takes to keep them healthy.

Adventure Trek Sessions

Session 3: July 8-12 | Water Ventures

$590 MEMBER, $615 NON-MEMBER

Water is life! Experience a charter fishing trip on Lake Michigan. Test for water quality of KNC’s water bodies with experiments and search for macroinvertebrates. Paddle the Kalamazoo river and don’t forget the water games! Adventures are more exciting when you are on the water.

Session 7: Aug 5-August 9 | Summer Fun Trek

$385 MEMBER, $410 NON-MEMBER

Nature is your second home. It’s day hikes to beautiful places, bike rides on the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail and trying new skills. Then at the end of the day hang out with your friends around campfires that you made and look up at the stars knowing that this is what you’ve been waiting all year for. Experience the different adventures the outdoors has in store for you!