About
Camp El Ranchito offers activities such as hiking, swimming in natural swimming holes and creeks, games and team-building challenges, singing and storytelling around the campfire, stargazing with visiting astronomers, nature-themed art projects, climbing, canoeing, and other outdoor adventures. Campers also go on field trips to Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center and Milton Reimer’s Ranch Park, and take part in a camping trip to a state park. Nature Discovery Camp is an overnight camp that includes high-adventure activities for 4th–8th graders, and Conservation Corps is a longer session that includes outdoor work and activities.
• Ages: 9–18 years old
• Schedule: Nature Discovery Camp sessions are 5–6 days long in June and July 2026, and Conservation Corps sessions are 13 days long in June and July 2026.
• Price: Our 13-day campers receive a $400 stipend for their work. Families that are part of Dell Children’s Health Plan’s CHIP or STAR Medicaid programs during the time of camp receive free tuition with costs covered by Dell Children’s Health Plan. Families that qualify for a full scholarship pay tuition starting at $50 for Nature Discovery Camp or Conservation Corps, while non-scholarship families pay tuition starting at $800 for Nature Discovery Camp and $1,200 for Conservation Corps. Tuition is nonrefundable and nontransferable unless the application is denied, or the cancellation of registration is no later than two weeks before the camp session, and no fee is returned after a camper has been admitted.
Camp El Ranchito was established in 2007 and operates Nature Discovery Camp and Conservation Corps during the summer. Camp tuition includes lodging, meals, transportation, supervision, programs, a t-shirt, pack, and water bottle, along with all other camp supplies and activities. Campers are admitted on a first-come, first-served basis, with scholarship and returning campers having priority, and a waitlist is offered for all programs with waitlisted applicants admitted on a first-come, first-served basis and priority given to scholarship and returning campers.
Camp El Ranchito’s mission is to connect children with the natural world by providing an extraordinarily fun and inspiring nature-immersion experience. El Ranchito was created to serve children and youth from families who may not otherwise have access to a residential nature immersion camp, and ninety percent of camper families attend on full, bridge, or partial scholarships by qualifying for the federal free or reduced-price lunch program at school or for other financial needs. A small percentage of campers who are not eligible for scholarship tuition rates also attend, and the program brings together youth from diverse backgrounds and identities and strives to create an inclusive community where campers can be their authentic selves and belong. The Shield Ranch Foundation operates El Ranchito nature-immersion summer camp for youth and also hosts community groups for nature-based education for area students, youth leadership programs, spiritual and contemplative retreats, land stewardship seminars, wellness programs, and community events.
Camp El Ranchito is licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). The program uses a tiered pricing structure to meet the needs of a diverse community, and Conservation Corps campers receive a $400 stipend for their 13-day session.
Last updated July 17, 2026.
• Ages: 9–18 years old
• Schedule: Nature Discovery Camp sessions are 5–6 days long in June and July 2026, and Conservation Corps sessions are 13 days long in June and July 2026.
• Price: Our 13-day campers receive a $400 stipend for their work. Families that are part of Dell Children’s Health Plan’s CHIP or STAR Medicaid programs during the time of camp receive free tuition with costs covered by Dell Children’s Health Plan. Families that qualify for a full scholarship pay tuition starting at $50 for Nature Discovery Camp or Conservation Corps, while non-scholarship families pay tuition starting at $800 for Nature Discovery Camp and $1,200 for Conservation Corps. Tuition is nonrefundable and nontransferable unless the application is denied, or the cancellation of registration is no later than two weeks before the camp session, and no fee is returned after a camper has been admitted.
Camp El Ranchito was established in 2007 and operates Nature Discovery Camp and Conservation Corps during the summer. Camp tuition includes lodging, meals, transportation, supervision, programs, a t-shirt, pack, and water bottle, along with all other camp supplies and activities. Campers are admitted on a first-come, first-served basis, with scholarship and returning campers having priority, and a waitlist is offered for all programs with waitlisted applicants admitted on a first-come, first-served basis and priority given to scholarship and returning campers.
Camp El Ranchito’s mission is to connect children with the natural world by providing an extraordinarily fun and inspiring nature-immersion experience. El Ranchito was created to serve children and youth from families who may not otherwise have access to a residential nature immersion camp, and ninety percent of camper families attend on full, bridge, or partial scholarships by qualifying for the federal free or reduced-price lunch program at school or for other financial needs. A small percentage of campers who are not eligible for scholarship tuition rates also attend, and the program brings together youth from diverse backgrounds and identities and strives to create an inclusive community where campers can be their authentic selves and belong. The Shield Ranch Foundation operates El Ranchito nature-immersion summer camp for youth and also hosts community groups for nature-based education for area students, youth leadership programs, spiritual and contemplative retreats, land stewardship seminars, wellness programs, and community events.
Camp El Ranchito is licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). The program uses a tiered pricing structure to meet the needs of a diverse community, and Conservation Corps campers receive a $400 stipend for their 13-day session.
Last updated July 17, 2026.
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