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 camps, outdoor education experiences, and retreat rental programs. The program serves visitors of all ages and backgrounds and includes access to a conference center facility, a lake that was later replaced, and a swimming pool. Facilities include Leuthold Lodge, Stauffer Dining Hall, multiple dormitories, a staff dormitory that houses twenty-four people, and 40 acres of wildlife preserve.
• Ages: 5–18 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 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. In its first summer, 60 boys attended, sleeping in tents and dining in an army field tent from World War II. In 1968, the Leuthold Lodge and Stauffer Dining Hall were built, and in the 1970s four more dorms, a conference center facility, and a lake for swimming and boating were added. 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 for twenty-four was constructed. By the end of its fourth decade, the camp was serving over 11,000 children each year.
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. The organization is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and is accredited by the American Camping Association (ACA). Health and safety practices are based on CDC recommendations, focusing on prevention through frequent handwashing, social distancing, masking, quick reporting of health concerns, and following recommendations from the Riverside County Health Department.
The leadership team includes Chris Fife as Executive Director, Amy Tweedie as Office Manager, Elizabeth Hueter-Willoughby as Outdoor Education Manager, Nicole Clinard as Summer Camp Manager, a Retreat & Conference Coordinator, Ramon Cervantes as Facilities & Grounds Manager, and Shannon Norris as Food Service Manager. Pathfinder Ranch Camps, Outdoor Education, and Retreat Programs is easily accessible from surrounding cities such as Palm Springs, Temecula, and Hemet.
Last updated April 4, 2026.
• Ages: 5–18 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 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. In its first summer, 60 boys attended, sleeping in tents and dining in an army field tent from World War II. In 1968, the Leuthold Lodge and Stauffer Dining Hall were built, and in the 1970s four more dorms, a conference center facility, and a lake for swimming and boating were added. 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 for twenty-four was constructed. By the end of its fourth decade, the camp was serving over 11,000 children each year.
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. The organization is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and is accredited by the American Camping Association (ACA). Health and safety practices are based on CDC recommendations, focusing on prevention through frequent handwashing, social distancing, masking, quick reporting of health concerns, and following recommendations from the Riverside County Health Department.
The leadership team includes Chris Fife as Executive Director, Amy Tweedie as Office Manager, Elizabeth Hueter-Willoughby as Outdoor Education Manager, Nicole Clinard as Summer Camp Manager, a Retreat & Conference Coordinator, Ramon Cervantes as Facilities & Grounds Manager, and Shannon Norris as Food Service Manager. Pathfinder Ranch Camps, Outdoor Education, and Retreat Programs is easily accessible from surrounding cities such as Palm Springs, Temecula, and Hemet.
Last updated April 4, 2026.
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