WilderSkills

WilderSkills offers summer camp sessions for ages 7-13 that include survival basics, storytelling, ancient culture and philosophy, and games. It also offers WilderSkills Jr. Trail Guides Summer Camp for learning real-world outdoor guiding and adventure skills, along with advanced wilderness activities for campers who have completed at least one general session.

Programs

• General Summer Camp Sessions — 7-13 · Monday-Friday, 9:00 am-3:00 pm · Summer camp sessions cover survival basics, storytelling, ancient culture and philosophy, and games.
• WilderSkills Jr. Trail Guides Summer Camp — 7-13 · Outdoor skills summer camp program for learning real-world outdoor guiding and adventure skills.
• Advanced WilderSkills Sessions — 7-13 · Advanced wilderness activities for campers who have completed at least one general session.
• Classroom Experiences and Trips — Outdoor adventure curriculums for schools or homeschool groups, plus day-long field trips.
• After-school Programs — Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 2-3 hours each afternoon · Programs span the entire school year.
• Civic Events — Indoor and outdoor activities for community events.
• Outdoor Academics — Custom-designed outdoor academics programs matched to students' grade levels and interests.
• Outdoor Training for Educators — Adult training courses for educators.

At a glance

• Ages: 7–13 years old
• General schedule: Summer camp programs run Monday-Friday from 9:00 am-3:00 pm. Camp hours listed for Saratoga programs are 9:00 am-3:00 pm and Redwood City programs are 9:30 am-3:30 pm.

About the provider

WilderSkills was founded in 2013 by Dan Baird and Laura Stein. Dan Baird is the Head Instructor, Laura Stein is an Instructor, and Nicole Sterman is an Instructor. The program describes itself as a youth outdoor education program that helps kids and teens connect with the wild and become outdoor adventure capable through developing modern and traditional wilderness living and guiding skills.

• Custom/Private — WilderSkills can tailor its curriculum to fit your needs.
• Technical Advisory — Outdoor expertise for large-scale outdoor themed events, media projects, and education curriculums.

There is a 60-day cancellation policy for summer camp registrations, group events, and overnight events. Cancellations before that time receive a full refund minus fees noted in the source. No refunds are allowed within 60 days, except if WilderSkills cancels a program.

What families say

“My 8 year old son loved WilderSkills summer camp. He rated it #1 out of 8 different camps he took last summer. I myself was envious of all the fun and useful survival techniques they have learned. My favorite was a spoon he made by burning out an indentation on a tree branch.” — M. P.

“It was great to find a summer camp that wasn’t about computers or sports. My son (13yr) loves the outdoors and had a great time at camp. Every day he would come home and write and illustrate what he learned in a camp journal that he decided to create. He would go in the back yard and show the rest of the family some of the skills he learned.” — Donald W.

“Awesome camp. Our kids loved it. There were great shared experiences with a real connection to nature.” — Nina J.

Last updated September 17, 2026.