Overnight Summer Camps
As a kid, I couldn’t get enough overnight camps. I spent my entire summer bouncing from one camp to the other, only coming home long enough to do my laundry and sleep every weekend. Every new weeks was an exciting adventure filled with possibility — new friends, new activities, new skills. As an adult, I’d still love to have summer camp. Except this time I’d prefer a much less regimented schedule, with plenty of time for swimming, reading, and eating delicious food with my friends.
Since that doesn’t exist for the over 18 set, I guess I’ll have to settle for sending my kids to one of Western Montana’s many outdoor summer overnight camps. We decided to break this list up between non-religious and religiously affiliated camps. Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments.
Non-religiously affiliated summer camps:
Ravalli County 4H Junior Camp
Location: Loon Lake 4-H Camp – Big Fork, MT
Time frame: TBA for 2023
Age range: 4-H Age 8-13 (4-H Age is age of youth on Oct. 1, 2021)
Description: 4-H camp is an overnight program that fosters healthy living in the outdoors. Participating in camp programs help youth build self-confidence, meet new people, and experience new opportunities.
Boone & Crockett Club
Location: Boone and Crockett Club’s Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Ranch west of Dupuyer, Montana
Time frame: Two weeks in August (each camp is one week)
Age range: 11-13 & 14-18
Description: Kids will venture across private, public, forest and wilderness lands. Topics include fly-fishing, fly-tying, shooting sports (.22 rifle/pistol, shotgun and archery), hiking, swimming, packrafting, visits from actual outdoor professionals and much more!
Montana Trout Unlimited Conservation Youth Camp
Location: Camp Watanopa on Georgetown Lake, Montana
Time frame: July 9-13
Age range: 11-14
Description: Youth Camp has evolved from an introductory fishing seminar to a robust conservation-based program that teaches love of the resource through the lens of fly fishing. Students hit the ground running with hands-on education in fly casting, fly tying, and fishing technique, while also learning the importance of healthy trout habitat and good stewardship.
BEAR Camp
Location: Bitterroot Valley
Time frame: Information forthcoming on May 1, 2023
Age range: 4th-11th graders
Description: Bitterroot Ecological Awareness Resources offers mentoring to inspire youth to connect to their own potential, their community, and the landscape through experiential and outdoor adventure programs. Only some of these camps are overnight.
Lubrecht Experimental Forest
Location: Greenough, MT
Time frame: July 16-21
Age range: 13 (if they have graduated from 8th grade) through 18
Description: Campers learn about forests, streams, soils, geology, range land, wildlife, and recreation, and spend a half-day rafting the Alberton Gorge of the Clark Fork River. In between the field sessions, taught largely by professionals that volunteer from a variety of natural resources based agencies and industries, specialty evening programs, guest speakers, hands-on learning-through-discovery, and campfires provide for a lasting summer camp experience. Click here to see a slideshow of this camp’s activities.
Glacier Institute Day Camps
Location: Glacier National Park
Time frame: Varies
Age range: From 9-17, depending on the camp
Description: Young adventurers will love these camps camps and hikes that focus on general outdoor skills, fly-fishing and even photography while providing a whole new perspective on nature.
Ravenwood Outdoor Learning Center
Location: Whitefish, MT
Time frame: Varies
Age range: 10-18, depending on the camp
Description: Ravenwood’s mission is to get kids outside for safe, fun outdoor learning adventures. Whether they’re learning how to backcountry camp, learn about the wilderness, or build friendship and skills while enjoying the great outdoors, Ravenwood offers an unforgettable summer experience.
Religiously Affiliated Summer Camps:
Legendary Lodge
Location: Salmon Lake, near southern end of Seeley Swan Valley
Time frame: varies
Age range: 5th grade - high school
Description: Legendary Lodge camps seek to engage, equip, and serve the young disciples of Montana and beyond. Campers embark on a 5-day summer camp experience filled with prayer, fellowship, and outdoor adventure where they will make memories that will last a lifetime.
Camp Utmost
Location: Greenough, MT
Time frame: varies
Age range: various weeks between June 12-Aug. 4
Description: Camp Utmost is owned and operated by Rocky Mountain Bible Mission, a para-church organization dedicated to advancing the gospel in rural communities across the Rocky Mountains.