Our week-long Outdoor Explorers day camps are designed for kids aged 4-14. We spend every day outside, exploring parks and natural areas across Juneau. Our hands-on activities emphasize scientific inquiry, outdoor skills, social-emotional connection, and lifelong learning. We also offer intentional unstructured time for children to play, create, and discover in a supportive environment.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO PREPARE FOR REGISTRATION
- The first wave of registration for families with an assigned day was March 17-23. The second wave of registration starts Monday, March 24. Click here to register.
- Browse our camp calendar and full catalog below for all our summer offerings.
- Camp is organized by age, not grade level. Children should be the requisite age by the time camp begins. If your child falls under more than one age group, you can self select which group you think will be a better fit. We offer camps for five different age groups: Dragonflies (4-6), Flying Squirrels (6-8), Porcupines (7-9), Marmots (8-11), and Mountain Goats (11-14).
- As usual, we ask that you enroll each child in only one week of camp. If you’re interested in additional weeks of camp or your preferred camp is full, please sign up for our waitlist, which will open March 24. We enroll children from the waitlist throughout the summer when other participants cancel.
- We proudly offer sliding-scale tuition for all camps — pay the amount that’s right for your family.
- For Frequently Asked Questions, click here.
REGISTRATION PROCESS & TIMELINE
To make registration more equitable and less stressful, we utilize assigned days. Interested families will be randomly assigned a day to register during the first week of registration March 17-23. We will notify you of your randomly assigned day and provide a registration link via email. The first batch of emails were sent to families on March 12.
We highly recommend families sign up for an assigned registration day, as we expect to be fully enrolled. Receiving an assigned day does not guarantee a camp spot will be available; however, we expect and hope every family can find something that works for them.
“Regular” registration and our waitlist will open Monday, March 24. (If you decide to register on March 24 or later, you do not need an assigned day.)
As usual, we ask that you enroll each child in only one week of camp.
After registering for a camp online, please fill out our Participant Agreement by May 2. You can do so, and review a copy, here.
PRICING
We proudly offer sliding-scale tuition — pay the amount that’s right for your family. You can pay less than the recommended tuition, all the way down to zero. You can also pay more. (Operating camp costs approximately $480 per child.)
- Recommended tuition is $305 per child for full-day camp.
- Recommended tuition is $205 child per week for half-day camp.
We ask those paying less than half of the recommended tuition per child to complete the Youth Scholarship Program application and apply some or all of the awarded funds to Discovery Southeast tuition.
Sliding-scale tuition is made possible thanks to Discovery Southeast members, the US Forest Service, and citizens of the City and Borough of Juneau through sales tax revenue.
CAMP CALENDAR GRID (SUMMER OVERVIEW)
CAMP CATALOG (DESCRIPTIONS BY AGE GROUP)
Dragonflies (Ages 4-6)
Time: 9am-1pm, Mon-Fri
Pick-up/drop-off: A designated trailhead (varies per week)
Campers will explore that natural area all week.
June 2-6: Plants & Animals
LOCATION: River Rd @ Mendenhall Loop Rd (Discovery Southeast’s property)
We grow. Plants and animals grow too. What can we find newly growing in two diverse habitats, the forest and an oceanside ecosystem? Is there anything in nature that doesn’t grow? How does it change if it doesn’t grow? During this session, we will investigate and identify edibles such as delicious blueberries and spruce tip (perfect for tea!). We will also look and listen for all the busy animal life around us during this special time of year.
June 9-13: Insect & Animal Homes
LOCATION: Auke Village Recreation Area
During this session, we will explore what creatures need to live in different habitats. We will slow down, get low, and look up to identify homes of living things. We will search for bird nests, squirrel middens, and spiderwebs… and try our hand at building them!
June 16-20: Plants & Animals
LOCATION: Fish Creek Park on North Douglas
We grow. Plants and animals grow too. What can we find newly growing in two diverse habitats, the forest and an oceanside ecosystem? Is there anything in nature that doesn’t grow? How does it change if it doesn’t grow? During this session, we will investigate and identify edibles such as delicious blueberries and spruce tip (perfect for tea!). We will also look and listen for all the busy animal life around us during this special time of year.
June 23-27: Water & Sand
LOCATION: Sandy Beach (Savikko Park)
How do creeks flow to the ocean? And how do those beautiful designs appear in the sand? This week of camp is all about noticing, creating, and playing with water and sand. Let’s hit the beach!
Flying Squirrels (Ages 6-8)
Time: 8:30am-3pm, Mon-Fri
Pick-up/drop-off: Twin Lakes Park
From Twin Lakes, campers will be transported in one of our 15-passenger vans to natural areas around Juneau.
June 2-6: Wanderers
In this week of wandering, campers will explore the
ir passions, engage in creative play, and have fun adventures in nature! We will search for critters on land and in the water and investigate local plants. We will learn wilderness skills and create with natural materials. As with all of our programs, we will tap into the spirit of play with games and art inspired by nature.
June 9-13: Wild Skills & Creations
This camp is for kids who love to work with their hands, create, and learn new things! Over the course of the week, campers will gain practical outdoor skills and engage their creativity through nature art projects! Activities may include shelter building, water filtration, weaving, plant identification, flower pressing, navigation, tracking, and more. Campers will develop self-confidence and appreciation for what the natural world provides!
June 16-20: Oceans
The ocean is calling — grab your tallest pair of boots and join us for a wet and wild week on Southeast Alaska’s rocky shores! This session will focus on Juneau’s oceanic ecosystems and all the fun they have to offer, from the animals of the open ocean to the microscopic excitement of the intertidal. Activities will include tide pooling, invertebrate investigations, nature art inspired by shells and seaweed, marine mammal explorations, and even fishing!
June 23-27: Nature Art
This week is all about creativity! Activities may include: building nests, using natural dyes, building sand sculptures, or finding the perfect specimens for flower pressing. We will find and replicate patterns in nature through watercolor and drawing, and learn from local artists about different techniques and approaches to capture the magic of the natural world.
July 11-14: Wild Skills & Creations
This camp is for kids who love to work with their hands, create, and learn new things! Over the course of the week, campers will gain practical outdoor skills and engage their creativity through nature art projects! Activities may include shelter building, water filtration, weaving, plant identification, flower pressing, navigation, tracking, and more. Campers will develop self-confidence and appreciation for what the natural world provides!
July 14-18: Streams & Salmon
Streams, rivers, lakes, and rain — in Southeast Alaska, water surrounds us! Grab your boots and join us for a merry, meandering week in Alaska’s great rainforest. This week will focus on Juneau’s flowing waters and all the fun they have to offer, including the amazing life cycle of the salmon species that make a “Salmon Forest.” Activities will include searching for aquatic insects, investigating stream ecology and erosion, creating nature art, fishing, and dissecting a salmon!
July 21-25: Harvesting
Campers will join naturalists on a journey of forest foraging, gardening, and plant identification! Summertime in Juneau means greens galore, and learning to tell those plants apart is an important skill for any young, budding naturalist. We will make nature journals to keep record of our forays into wild edibles and botany, do some outdoor cooking, and probably enjoy more than a handful of wild berries – yum!
July 28 – Aug 1: Animals & Insects
Who lives in this wild and wonderful place? This week will focus on animals, insects, and their homes in the forest. Campers will learn about the animals of the land, sea, and air. They will explore different habitats, search for animals’ homes, and build their own nests, dens, caves, and caches. This camp is perfect for kids who like to explore, build, and learn about wildlife!
Porcupines (Ages 7-9)
Time: 8:30am-3pm, Mon-Fri
Pick-up/drop-off: A designated trailhead (varies per week)
Campers explore that natural area all week.
June 9-13: Wildlife Biologist
LOCATION: Fish Creek Park on North Douglas
Sharpen your observation skills and experience the life of a wildlife biologist! Observe the unique structures of intertidal creatures, examine skulls in mammalogy, master bird watching in ornithology, and learn how to measure the height of trees for dendrology, without ever leaving the ground. Other activities may include creating a personal field guide, tracking, modeling the function of bird beaks and mammal teeth, or building nests and dens.
June 16-20: Outdoor Games
LOCATION: Auke Village Recreation Area
What’s the best thing about being a kid in the summer? Playing outside with friends! In our Outdoor Games week, campers will connect with nature and each other through creative play. They’ll sneak like a squirrel, sharpen their keen owl eyes, or travel as a wolf pack with our myriad of nature-inspired games. Energetic group games will foster teamwork and self-confidence. Campers can even harness their imaginations to create their own games!
July 14-18: Nature Art
LOCATION: Sandy Beach (Savikko Park)
This week is all about creativity! Activities may include: building nests, using natural dyes, building sand sculptures, or finding the perfect specimens for flower pressing. We will find and replicate patterns in nature through watercolor and drawing, and learn from local artists about different techniques and approaches to capture the magic of the natural world.
July 21-25: Wild Skills & Creations
LOCATION: West Glacier (Skater’s Cabin)
This camp is for kids who love to work with their hands, create, and learn new things! Over the course of the week, campers will gain practical outdoor skills and engage their creativity through nature art projects! Activities may include shelter building, water filtration, weaving, plant identification, flower pressing, navigation, tracking, and more. Campers will develop self-confidence and appreciation for what the natural world provides!
Marmots (Ages 8-11)
Time: 8:30am-3pm, Mon-Fri
Pick-up/drop-off: Twin Lakes Park*
From Twin Lakes, campers will be transported in one of our 15-passenger vans to natural areas around Juneau.
*The only exception is PEAK Week where campers will meet staff at a different trailhead each day.
June 2-6: Wild Skills & Creations
This camp is for kids wh
o love to work with their hands, create, and learn new things! Over the course of the week, campers will gain practical outdoor skills and engage their creativity through nature art projects. Activities may include shelter building, water filtration, weaving, plant identification, flower pressing, navigation, tracking, and more. Campers will develop self-confidence and appreciation for what the natural world provides!
June 9-13: Introduction to Adventure
I
t’s not about the destination, but the journey! This week is geared towards campers who are looking to gain experience or try outdoor adventures for the very first time. Activities may include: paddleboarding, indoor rock climbing, frisbee golf, slacklining, kayaking, and checking out new trails!
June 16-20: Oceans
The oce
an is calling – grab your tallest pair of boots and join us for a wet and wild week on Southeast Alaska’s rocky shores! This session will focus on Juneau’s oceanic ecosystems and all the fun they have to offer, from the animals of the open ocean to the microscopic excitement of the intertidal. Activities will include tide pooling, invertebrate investigations, nature art inspired by shells and seaweed, marine mammal explorations, and even fishing!
June 23-27: Wildlife Biologist
Sharpen your observation skills and experience the life of a wildlife biologist! Observe the unique structures of intertidal creatures, examine skulls in mammalogy, master bird watching in ornithology, and learn how to measure the height of trees for dendrology, without ever leaving the ground. Other activities may include creating a personal field guide, tracking, modeling the function of bird beaks and mammal teeth, or building nests and dens. camp is for kids who love to work with their hands, create, and learn new things!
July 7-11: Adventure
For our most adventurous campers, we offer an energetic week, filled to the brim with fast-moving activities, on water and on land. Activities may include: paddleboarding, frisbee golf, slacklining, indoor rock climbing, kayaking, and hiking!
July 14-18: Streams & Salmon
July 14-18: Streams & SalmonStreams, rivers, lakes, and rain — in Southeast Alaska, water surrounds us! Grab your boots and join us for a merry, meandering week in Alaska’s great rainforest. This week will focus on Juneau’s flowing waters and all the fun they have to offer, including the amazing life cycle of the salmon species that make a “Salmon Forest.” Activities will include searching for aquatic insects, investigating stream ecology and erosion, creating nature art, fishing, and dissecting a salmon!
July 21-25: Harvesting
July 21-25: HarvestingCampers will join naturalists on a journey of forest foraging, gardening, and plant identification! Summertime in Juneau means greens galore, and learning to tell those plants apart is an important skill for any young, budding naturalist. We will make nature journals to keep record of our forays into wild edibles and botany, do some outdoor cooking, and probably enjoy more than a handful of wild berries – yum!
July 28 – Aug 1: PEAK Week
NOTE: This camp meets at a different trailhead every day.
For our happiest hikers, this week is all about going up! Each day will bring a new peak or destination. Possible locations include Eaglecrest, Salmon Creek Dam, Sheep Creek, Mount Roberts, Mt. Juneau, Mt. Jumbo, the John Muir Trail, the Dan Moller Trail, the West Glacier Trail, and Thunder Mountain. Participants are expected to be in hiking shape and able to complete a big hike every day of camp. This is a challenging week, and always a camper favorite.
Mountain Goats (Ages 11-14)
Time: 9am-3:30pm, Mon-Fri
Pick-up/drop-off: Twin Lakes Park
From Twin Lakes, campers will be transported in one of our 15-passenger vans to natural areas around Juneau.
July 7-11: Nature Art
This week is all about creativity! Activitie
s may include: building nests, using natural dyes, building sand sculptures, or finding the perfect specimens for flower pressing. We will find and replicate patterns in nature through watercolor and drawing, and learn from local artists about different techniques and approaches to capture the magic of the natural world.
July 14-18: Wild Week
In collabor
ation with Southeast Alaska Independent Living (SAIL)
Join us for an epic week of outdoor adventures, nature walks, and games galore! Led collaboratively each day by Discovery Southeast and SAIL staff members, this camp is designed to provide a fun, supportive environment for youth of all abilities. Activities may include: completing the Eagle Valley Center challenge course (ropes course), trail biking, kayaking, foraging, outdoor cooking, and slacklining.
July 21-25: Adventure
For our most adventurous campers, we offer an energetic week, filled to the brim with fast- moving activities, on water and on land. Activities may include: paddleboarding, frisbee golf, slacklining, indoor rock climbing, kayaking, and hiking!
July 28 – Aug 1: Girls’ Week
This week is for the girls! We will venture into the skills of outdoor recreation, building confidence, community, and empowerment. Activities may include: shelter building, outdoor cooking, indoor rock climbing, navigation and orienteering, paddle boarding, and kayaking. We will get in lots of hikes and nature art too! All middle schoolers who identify as girls are welcome.
What’s up with the assigned registration days?
In past years, hundreds of families have tried to get camp spots first thing when our registration opens. It can be stressful for families, slow down our website, and create disparity for those who aren’t available on that given morning. By randomly assigning days to register we hope to avoid the derby. Yes, you’ll still have other families registering that same day, but fewer. And yes, if you are assigned a later day, you’ll have fewer choices remaining, but hopefully still be able to find a good fit for your family.
Do I need to sign up for an assigned day of registration?
We highly recommend you do, because most (if not all) camp spots will be filled by the end of the first week. However, you are still welcome to register later during our regular, open registration, starting March 24, if you wish.
Will there be a camp spot for my child?
Receiving an assigned day does not guarantee a spot will be available; however, we expect and hope every family can find something that works for them. Our waitlist will open March 24, so if you didn’t get a camp you want, you’ll be able to get on the waitlist just like always. (We regularly enroll children from the waitlist.)
Can we sign up for multiple weeks?
We ask that you enroll your child in one week of camp. If you’re interested in another week of camp, please sign up for our waitlist so that we can contact you if space becomes available.
What if I want to enroll my child with a friend?
Registration days will be assigned by family, not friend groups. Fortunately, we believe our camps are great places to meet peers and develop new friendships. That said, if you want your child to be in the same camp as a peer, and that peer has a later registration date, you may wait until that later date to register both children at the same time.
When does my child need to be the requisite age for camp?
Camp is organized by age, not grade level. Children should be the requisite age by the time camp begins. For example, children enrolling in the June 23-27 Flying Squirrels camp should be 6 years old by June 23, the first day of camp.
My child falls into more than one age group. What age group should I sign up for?
You can self select which group you think will be a better fit for your child, and what works best for your family. An 8-year-old, for example, may participate in Flying Squirrels (6-8), Porcupines (7-9), or Marmots (8-11).
What paperwork and legal waivers are required?
After registering, please complete our Participant Agreement that includes Medical Information, Risk Acknowledgement, and Legal Waivers. A Participant Agreement for each child is due by May 2. If you register after May 2, please complete a Participant Agreement within 48 hours.
What's expected of my child at camp?
Campers are expected to follow directions from the adult leaders in order to keep them and the group safe. Any camper unable to follow safety directions, may be asked to be picked up, stay home the next day, or not return to camp.
If your child could benefit from 1:1 adult supervision for all or part of the day, please give details on how to support them in our Participant Agreement. While we cannot accommodate all requests, we will try to have extra support when possible. Important information to describe in the Participant Agreement includes: common triggers, communication preferences, sensory considerations, group dynamics, and/or preferred methods to self-regulate. Discovery Southeast will follow up via phone or email to discuss information provided in the Participant Agreement and confirm next steps.
How does the waitlist work?
We keep a waitlist for every camp that fills up. The form will open Monday, March 24 here.
We enroll children from the waitlist when other participants cancel. If a camp is full or you’re interested in an additional week, you’re welcome to join the waitlist. We’ll notify you via email if a spot becomes available for your child.
Can I cancel?
If you cancel more than 10 days in advance, we offer a refund minus a $25 cancellation fee.
If you cancel 10 or fewer days in advance, a refund is only possible if we can fill your spot, and if so there’s still the $25 cancellation fee.
If you don’t complete a Participant Agreement by May 2, 2025, or if your child is not allowed to participate due to behavior reasons, a refund is only possible if we can fill your spot, and if so, there’s still the $25 cancellation fee.
Email info@discoverysoutheast.org for cancellations.