Pathfinder Ranch Camps, Outdoor Education, and Retreat Programs
Pathfinder Ranch, 35510 Pathfinder Road, Mountain Center, CA 92561
About
Pathfinder Ranch Camps, Outdoor Education, and Retreat Programs offers activities that include swimming and boating. The program takes place at a facility that includes a swimming pool and a lake that has been used for swimming and boating.
• Ages: 5–17 years old
• Schedule: Office hours are generally 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday.
Pathfinder Ranch Camps, Outdoor Education, and Retreat Programs was founded in 1964. Early improvements included the construction of Leuthold Lodge and Stauffer Dining Hall in 1968, followed in the 1970s by four additional dorms, a conference center facility, and a lake for swimming and boating. Starting in 1996, renovations were made on all dormitories, the original lake was replaced and a swimming pool was added, 40 acres of wildlife preserve were acquired along with four residences along the lake, and a staff dormitory housing twenty-four was constructed.
The mission of Pathfinder Ranch Camps, Outdoor Education, and Retreat Programs is to enrich lives by providing quality programs and facilities that connect people to nature and each other. By the end of its fourth decade, Pathfinder Ranch Camps, Outdoor Education, and Retreat Programs was serving over 11,000 children each year. Pathfinder Ranch Camps, Outdoor Education, and Retreat Programs is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and is accredited by the American Camping Association (ACA).
Pathfinder Ranch Camps, Outdoor Education, and Retreat Programs was originally founded to provide an escape from the desert summer heat for the Palm Springs Boy’s Club, now the Palm Springs Boy’s and Girl’s Club, with support from the Palm Springs Pathfinders. The organization states that outdoor recreation can prevent or reduce stress as well as improve self-esteem, confidence, and creativity. It focuses on health and safety through proper cleaning, careful observation, and transparent communication, and follows CDC recommendations including frequent handwashing, social distancing, masking, and quick reporting of health concerns, as well as recommendations from the Riverside County Health Department, including those that call for limiting services and closures.
The leadership team includes Chris Fife, Executive Director; Amy Tweedie, Office Manager; Elizabeth Hueter-Willoughby, Outdoor Education Manager; Nicole Clinard, Summer Camp Manager; Ramon Cervantes, Facilities & Grounds Manager; and Shannon Norris, Food Service Manager.
Last updated July 4, 2026.
• Ages: 5–17 years old
• Schedule: Office hours are generally 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday.
Pathfinder Ranch Camps, Outdoor Education, and Retreat Programs was founded in 1964. Early improvements included the construction of Leuthold Lodge and Stauffer Dining Hall in 1968, followed in the 1970s by four additional dorms, a conference center facility, and a lake for swimming and boating. Starting in 1996, renovations were made on all dormitories, the original lake was replaced and a swimming pool was added, 40 acres of wildlife preserve were acquired along with four residences along the lake, and a staff dormitory housing twenty-four was constructed.
The mission of Pathfinder Ranch Camps, Outdoor Education, and Retreat Programs is to enrich lives by providing quality programs and facilities that connect people to nature and each other. By the end of its fourth decade, Pathfinder Ranch Camps, Outdoor Education, and Retreat Programs was serving over 11,000 children each year. Pathfinder Ranch Camps, Outdoor Education, and Retreat Programs is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and is accredited by the American Camping Association (ACA).
Pathfinder Ranch Camps, Outdoor Education, and Retreat Programs was originally founded to provide an escape from the desert summer heat for the Palm Springs Boy’s Club, now the Palm Springs Boy’s and Girl’s Club, with support from the Palm Springs Pathfinders. The organization states that outdoor recreation can prevent or reduce stress as well as improve self-esteem, confidence, and creativity. It focuses on health and safety through proper cleaning, careful observation, and transparent communication, and follows CDC recommendations including frequent handwashing, social distancing, masking, and quick reporting of health concerns, as well as recommendations from the Riverside County Health Department, including those that call for limiting services and closures.
The leadership team includes Chris Fife, Executive Director; Amy Tweedie, Office Manager; Elizabeth Hueter-Willoughby, Outdoor Education Manager; Nicole Clinard, Summer Camp Manager; Ramon Cervantes, Facilities & Grounds Manager; and Shannon Norris, Food Service Manager.
Last updated July 4, 2026.
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