Wilderness Youth Project Summer Camp

Wilderness Youth Project Summer Camp offers activities such as playing games designed to build awareness, gaining naturalist skills, following their own curiosity, and discovering the plants and animals in the area. Campers take part in nature awareness games, stewardship, tracking and animal tracking, carving, making crafts, building debris huts, making cordage from plants, building their own fire kits, and learning fire by friction. Some sessions also include playing games that increase awareness and agility, riding a bike, reviewing basic bicycle safety, riding in a group together, wandering, camping, and, in Skills Camp: Rabbits, working with rabbit hunting sticks, animal movements, skinning, tanning, butchering, and cooking the meat over the fire.

• Ages: 3–17 years old
• Schedule: Summer season runs June 15–August 14, 2026, with 1–2 week summer sessions
• Price: You can find the session price on the current master schedule or on the registration website.

The program includes several options with different daily schedules, such as Bumblebees meeting weekly from 9AM–1PM or 3PM with optional aftercare from 1–3PM, Treefrogs and Salamanders from 9AM–3PM, Dragonflies from 9AM–4PM, and Dolphins from 9AM–4PM. Steelheads Campout runs 9AM–4PM with an overnight from Wednesday to Friday in a one-week camp that starts with two days of day camp, Dragonflies Campout – Bike runs 9AM–4PM with a Thursday overnight campout, Ringtails Backpacking Trip has a first week of 9AM–4PM van-based day camp followed by a second week backpacking expedition, Scarab Bike Expedition runs 9AM–4PM with two days of local rides and a three-day bike packing trip, Condors Backpacking Trip is a five-day backpacking trip, and the C.I.T. program runs 9AM–3PM.

Most programs have 12 youth, use 15-passenger vans to travel to different resource-rich locations such as creeks, beaches, and open spaces, and maintain a 4:1 ratio of children to adults. Bumblebees is a place-based program for younger children that stays at the same open space from Monday through Friday and does not use vans. Salamanders is created specifically for neurodiverse kids to come together in a playful and adventurous outdoor environment. Steelheads Campout is designed to introduce young people to camping, Dragonflies Campout – Bike includes a Thursday ride to Carpinteria and campout at Carpinteria State Beach, Skills Camp: Rabbits focuses on rabbit-related tracking and tanning projects including each camper tanning their own rabbit skin, and C.I.T. is a Counselor in Training program for summer camps with younger children. Dragonflies Campout – Bike and Scarab Bike Expedition include riding bikes and group rides, and Condors Backpacking Trip is described as an away camp.

Wilderness Youth Project states that all children need nature and that nature connection makes life better for kids, and that time in nature makes kids happier, healthier, and smarter. The organization connects kids to nature in small groups guided by inspired, skilled, and committed mentors and volunteers, and connects kids from all backgrounds to Santa Barbara’s natural beauty. Wilderness Youth Project states that it equips students with self-confidence, problem-solving abilities, and skills to work with others, and that it runs on community support through donating or volunteering. Office hours are 10AM–4PM, with staff often present earlier and later.

According to one testimonial, a UCSB instructor describes the staff as unmatched in their professionalism, expertise, outdoor safety skills, and understanding of how to open up the world of nature to children of all ages. Another parent of a preschool-age participant reports seeing a significant transformation in their daughter’s confidence, listening skills, and love and connection for the earth, teachers, and friends. A middle school student on her first outing to Red Rock describes discovering that she could be outside instead of spending time on her phone, and another parent of a 6-year-old participant describes Wilderness Youth Project as a place of respite and solace where staff have helped their child build social bridges and confidence in challenging social situations. Summer waitlists operate on a first-come, first-serve basis, with weekly emails sent at 12:15PM each Wednesday to families on the waitlists when there are openings.

Last updated June 25, 2026.