Nature

The Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) provides an incredible opportunity for youth ages 14-18 to make a meaningful impact while gaining hands-on experience. Each year, more than 200 participants join forces to complete transformative conservation projects across 10 counties in Northwest Colorado.
Through the YCC, participants engage in projects that range from trail building and environmental restoration to managing invasive species and improving wildlife habitats. These efforts leave a lasting legacy, enhancing both the natural environment and local communities. Being part of an RMYC crew means working with a dedicated team of 8-10 peers and two experienced crew leaders over two weeks or four weeks. Crews take on challenging, sustainability-focused projects during the day and camp together under the stars at night, forging strong bonds and unforgettable memories.
The YCC experience combines hard work, leadership development, and personal growth. Participants face demanding conditions but leave with new skills, enduring friendships, and a sense of pride in their accomplishments. It’s an adventure that shapes both the individual and the environment, creating a positive ripple effect that resonates far beyond the seasons end.

Please join us for a magical summer under the trees and by the creek on this heart-centered land. We'll be spending our mornings exploring our sun-filled forest together and our afternoons relaxing in the shade and taking adventure walks. All class focuses are seamlessly woven into our summer nature immersion program.

All weeks of camp include a fun and balanced approach to the day; blending activities with free play, collaborative group play, music and storytelling. And of course, we enjoy eating together--all campers please bring a hearty snack and water bottle, full day campers also bring a packed lunch.

This camp is for ages 2.5 - 6 years old.

Learn more about the many positive benefits of nature camps in this article. 

Friends of the Yampa and Colorado Mountain College Steamboat offer exciting youth river camps based on age and experience level. Younger campers get to explore the Yampa River in Steamboat Springs, Hayden, and Craig. Older campers have the opportunity to explore the Green River through the Gates of Lodore in Dinosaur National Monument.

Each group will have a weekly theme to guide their exploration and get to experience a field trip each day to locations all around Steamboat and the Yampa Valley. Campers get to go on hikes, play fun games, conduct experiments, create art projects, and so much more! Each child who visits Yampatika gets to go on a field trip each day they come to camp. We go all over from places like local parks and trails, museums, ranches, gardens, and State Parks. We also partner with lots of awesome organizations to help expand the experiences we are able to offer. We always have so much to explore!

Join Yampatika for an exciting week of Wilderness Adventure! Each Wilderness Rangers group will consist of 2 days of day camp from 9-4 and then a 3 day and 2-night backpacking adventure. To help focus on Positive Youth Development, we will focus on building five core competencies with each group of Wilderness Rangers: Savvy, Environmental Connection, Emotional Intelligence, Peer Learning, and Confidence. Our goal is to help give kids a memorable experience outdoors that will better connect them to both their peers and the environment we all depend on! Yampatika will have plenty of gear available for loan to participants.