Carpenter Nature Center Summer Camp
Minnesota Campus, 12805 St. Croix Trail S., Hastings, MN 55033
About
Carpenter Nature Center Summer Camp includes activities such as plant and animal encounters, fishing, canoeing, shelter building, fire starting, orienteering, archery, hiking, water games, and meeting some of Carpenter Nature Center’s Animal Ambassadors. Some sessions include a canoe adventure at a nearby lake, a camp-out at Carpenter Nature Center, a three day/two night canoe trip on the Namekagon and St Croix Rivers with about 17 miles of canoeing and camping along the rivers, and canoeing, portaging, camping, and learning and following “leave no trace” practices in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Arts-focused sessions include learning key art concepts, making art projects to bring home, and receiving a take-home bag of art supplies so campers can continue to explore art-making when camp is over.
• Ages: 5–17 years old
• Schedule: Single-day, half-day, full-day, week-long day camps, a three-day camp, a three day/two night canoe trip, and a four-day, three-night canoe trip are offered on various dates in June, July, and August 2026.
• Price: $50–$425 per child per session, with reduced rates for “Friends of CNC” on all listed camps.
Carpenter Nature Center Summer Camp offers a variety of summer camp opportunities for youth ages 5 to 17, including plant and animal encounters, fishing, canoeing, and other activities, and states that campers will learn to foster an appreciation for the natural world while making friends. The program includes week-long day camps such as Nature Nuts, Pioneers, and Explorers, three-day camps such as Outdoor Skills and Arts in Nature, single-day options such as Fishing Fun, Forts and Fun, and Animal Adventure Camps I and II, and multi-day canoe trips on the Namekagon and St Croix Rivers and in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. For the Namekagon Canoe Trip, canoes, paddles, food, cooking equipment, tents, transportation, and PFDs are supplied, and for the BWCA Canoe Trip, canoes, paddles, food, cooking equipment, tents, transportation, packs/drybags, and PFDs are supplied, with scholarship assistance available for the BWCA trip thanks to a donor. A pre-trip meeting is held before the BWCA Canoe Trip to go over how to pack with a list of items to bring, and Fishing Fun sessions allow children to bring their own rod and reel or use one provided, with most of the time spent at the river and guidance to bring a water bottle, snacks, sunscreen, and appropriate clothing. Families are invited to a picnic on Friday at noon hosted by Carpenter Nature Center staff and campers for the Nature Nuts, Pioneers, and Explorers camps. The organization notes that Carpenter Nature Center has 725 acres to explore along the St. Croix River with more than 20 miles of hiking trails. Sarah Germscheid is listed as the contact for registration, camp information, waitlists, or scholarship opportunities, and for being added to the waitlist for Pioneers, Outdoor Skills, Explorers, Namekagon Canoe Trip, BWCA Canoe Trip, and Arts in Nature.
Last updated July 26, 2026.
• Ages: 5–17 years old
• Schedule: Single-day, half-day, full-day, week-long day camps, a three-day camp, a three day/two night canoe trip, and a four-day, three-night canoe trip are offered on various dates in June, July, and August 2026.
• Price: $50–$425 per child per session, with reduced rates for “Friends of CNC” on all listed camps.
Carpenter Nature Center Summer Camp offers a variety of summer camp opportunities for youth ages 5 to 17, including plant and animal encounters, fishing, canoeing, and other activities, and states that campers will learn to foster an appreciation for the natural world while making friends. The program includes week-long day camps such as Nature Nuts, Pioneers, and Explorers, three-day camps such as Outdoor Skills and Arts in Nature, single-day options such as Fishing Fun, Forts and Fun, and Animal Adventure Camps I and II, and multi-day canoe trips on the Namekagon and St Croix Rivers and in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. For the Namekagon Canoe Trip, canoes, paddles, food, cooking equipment, tents, transportation, and PFDs are supplied, and for the BWCA Canoe Trip, canoes, paddles, food, cooking equipment, tents, transportation, packs/drybags, and PFDs are supplied, with scholarship assistance available for the BWCA trip thanks to a donor. A pre-trip meeting is held before the BWCA Canoe Trip to go over how to pack with a list of items to bring, and Fishing Fun sessions allow children to bring their own rod and reel or use one provided, with most of the time spent at the river and guidance to bring a water bottle, snacks, sunscreen, and appropriate clothing. Families are invited to a picnic on Friday at noon hosted by Carpenter Nature Center staff and campers for the Nature Nuts, Pioneers, and Explorers camps. The organization notes that Carpenter Nature Center has 725 acres to explore along the St. Croix River with more than 20 miles of hiking trails. Sarah Germscheid is listed as the contact for registration, camp information, waitlists, or scholarship opportunities, and for being added to the waitlist for Pioneers, Outdoor Skills, Explorers, Namekagon Canoe Trip, BWCA Canoe Trip, and Arts in Nature.
Last updated July 26, 2026.
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