SJMA Youth Camps and Programs
Durango Nature Center, 15 Burnett Court, Durango, CO 81302
About
SJMA Youth Camps and Programs include summer camps such as Junior Naturalist Field Camps, Adventure Camps, and a Counselor-in-Training (CIT) program. Campers take part in activities like learning about the natural world, learning about plants, flowers and local forests, camping basics, Leave No Trace ethics, hiking, hands-on science education, social and emotional development, and interpretive hikes. Campers spend time playing with old friends, making new ones, and leave camp with memories, new friends, and a better understanding of the world in which they live.
• Ages: 6–17 years old
• Schedule: Week-long camps and one 4-day camp offered during June–August, including six week-long camps, one additional week-long camp, and one 4-day camp, plus one week-long Adventure Camp based in La Plata County and one week-long Adventure Camp based in Montezuma County
Founded in 1988, SJMA promotes the exploration and protection of public lands in Southwest Colorado through stewardship and conservation education for people of all ages. Its mission is to inspire and empower connection to and responsible use of the spectacular public lands of Southwest Colorado. SJMA provides in-school lessons, field trips, summer camps, afterschool programs, interpretive hikes for adults, and community events, and it organizes stewardship programs and conducts visitor outreach to encourage responsible recreation on public lands. SJMA is an interpretive partner for the San Juan National Forest, Rio Grande National Forest, Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, and several Bureau of Land Management Field Offices, and it works with corporate and community partners including Backcountry Experience, Durango Outdoor Exchange, Alpine Bank, Durango Motor Company, and the Community Foundation serving SW Colorado. SJMA’s summer camps provide wild and engaging opportunities for children to discover and be adventurous with support from trained educators in the field, and hands-on science education and social and emotional development are key components of every session offered by SJMA. Junior Naturalist Field Camps are week-long camps in Durango and Montezuma County for elementary-aged children (rising 1st–6th graders), and Adventure Camps are for middle and high school students to explore the San Juan mountains and rivers, connect with like-minded friends, and gain leadership and communication skills while hiking among peers and SJMA Naturalists. The Counselor-in-Training program is free and is for ages 13–17, with consideration for mature 12 year olds. Visitor centers provide local public lands information and retail outlets whose proceeds support SJMA’s stewardship and conservation education programs, and SJMA empowers visitors and locals to explore, learn about, and protect the public lands of Southwest Colorado.
Last updated June 4, 2026.
• Ages: 6–17 years old
• Schedule: Week-long camps and one 4-day camp offered during June–August, including six week-long camps, one additional week-long camp, and one 4-day camp, plus one week-long Adventure Camp based in La Plata County and one week-long Adventure Camp based in Montezuma County
Founded in 1988, SJMA promotes the exploration and protection of public lands in Southwest Colorado through stewardship and conservation education for people of all ages. Its mission is to inspire and empower connection to and responsible use of the spectacular public lands of Southwest Colorado. SJMA provides in-school lessons, field trips, summer camps, afterschool programs, interpretive hikes for adults, and community events, and it organizes stewardship programs and conducts visitor outreach to encourage responsible recreation on public lands. SJMA is an interpretive partner for the San Juan National Forest, Rio Grande National Forest, Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, and several Bureau of Land Management Field Offices, and it works with corporate and community partners including Backcountry Experience, Durango Outdoor Exchange, Alpine Bank, Durango Motor Company, and the Community Foundation serving SW Colorado. SJMA’s summer camps provide wild and engaging opportunities for children to discover and be adventurous with support from trained educators in the field, and hands-on science education and social and emotional development are key components of every session offered by SJMA. Junior Naturalist Field Camps are week-long camps in Durango and Montezuma County for elementary-aged children (rising 1st–6th graders), and Adventure Camps are for middle and high school students to explore the San Juan mountains and rivers, connect with like-minded friends, and gain leadership and communication skills while hiking among peers and SJMA Naturalists. The Counselor-in-Training program is free and is for ages 13–17, with consideration for mature 12 year olds. Visitor centers provide local public lands information and retail outlets whose proceeds support SJMA’s stewardship and conservation education programs, and SJMA empowers visitors and locals to explore, learn about, and protect the public lands of Southwest Colorado.
Last updated June 4, 2026.
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