Yosemite Summer Camps Overview

Yosemite backpacking summer camps are the Lasting Adventures specialty. We offer a 6-day summer camp for children ages 11 to 13, a choice of a 6-day or 13-day program for teens ages 13 to 18, a 13-day Women’s Adventure Camp for young females, and a 27-day Junior Guide Leadership Expedition for teens ages 14 to 18 looking for a more advanced adventure.

For all our Yosemite Summer Camps, participants are equipped with top-of-the-line gear provided by Gregory Packs, LEKI trekking poles and our other outstanding partners. The primary goal of our expertly managed, professionally outfitted Yosemite youth programs is to provide unforgettable experiences that intimately connect each child with nature, themselves, and the greater world around them.

The Adventure Camp Experience

Throughout our youth and teen outdoor summer camps, participants are guided along some of the most famous trails and to the top of some of the most iconic peaks within Yosemite National Park. Our experienced leaders have extensive knowledge of the backcountry and are trained to share their expertise personally with each guest.

In addition to taking participants to many of Yosemite’s famous destinations, our leaders guide guests to lesser-known areas, such as off-the-trail high alpine lakes (where fish are plentiful), backcountry waterfalls, alpine meadows, and spectacular vistas. Guests will walk on Yosemite’s fabled polished granite, experience the park’s famous sunsets from unparalleled vantages, and discover the nuances of its majestic wilderness teeming with life.

The Yosemite Journey

On most trips, we backpack every day except one (a layover day and location is usually agreed upon by the team) and we are on the trail for an average of 3 to 5 hours each day. Most of our Yosemite backpacking adventures go from a higher elevation to a lower elevation (in other words, we generally hike downhill), and throughout the experience, we take our time, take in the views, and break at some awesome watering holes. Even so, views of the Yosemite backcountry are just one of the many outcomes that come from these adventures. For our youth and teen backpackers in Yosemite, inspiration, passion and life skills are the paramount takeaway.

Our Yosemite Summer Camps Mission

The primary mission of our outdoor summer camp is to foster environmental stewardship, teach responsible recreation, and provide opportunity for personal growth through the facilitation of impactful wilderness experiences. Through our nonprofit scholarship program, we also seek to provide disadvantaged youth, families, and communities the opportunity to experience America’s National Parks, regardless of their economic standing. In addition to unique individual backgrounds and certifications, our outdoor educators are trained in Adventure Based Programming, which challenges participants to improve their sense of self-esteem, worth, and confidence. Campers participate in daily goal-setting, group activities, and debriefing (usually mixed in with marshmallows around the campfire), all done within an environment of fun and support. All participants also learn basic backpacking skills, wilderness ethics, wilderness appreciation and Leave No Trace principles. Along with creating lasting memories, our goal is for participants to finish their adventure with a greater knowledge and appreciation of themselves, the world at large, and the environments around them.