Moments, memories and discoveries from a summer spent in your Great Parks
How do you sum up an entire summer with just a single post?
From creek days and wildlife encounters to horse rides, art projects and time spent growing and identifying plants, Summer Day Camps were full of opportunities to try something new.
Across the parks, campers spent their days getting muddy, making friends, building confidence and discovering interests they didn’t know they had! To look back on the summer, we asked the interpreters and seasonal staff (many known to campers as their counselors or “Acorns”) to share a few of the moments they’ll remember most.
Through their reflections and the photos below, here’s a glimpse into a summer well spent outdoors!
EVERY ADVENTURE STARTS WITH CURIOSITY
Summer camp is full of discoveries, but it often starts with a simple question. Whether they were exploring a creek, meeting an animal or spotting something new on the trail, campers approached each day with curiosity and a willingness to learn.
NOBODY WANTS TO LEAVE THE CREEK
“Camp Goblins” went to the creek and came back covered in clay. They ran through the rain, laughed when their hair got wet and worked together to flip over logs looking for the critters hiding beneath them. For many campers, the creek became a favorite destination, and one of the places where curiosity, friendship and adventure came together.
CONFIDENCE LOOKS DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE
Summer camp is full of firsts. Whether it was learning to sew, hammering in a first nail, climbing in the rain or launching a handmade boat, campers spent the week trying new things and discovering what they were capable of. Sometimes the biggest victories weren’t the loudest, they were the moments when a camper surprised themselves.
THE BEST MEMORIES WEREN’T PLANNED
Summer camp has a way of creating stories nobody could’ve planned. Campers climbed trees in the rain, turned quiet moments into imaginative adventures and kept interpreters laughing with unexpected questions. Some of the best memories came from simply giving kids the time and space to be creative and completely themselves.
SEE YOU NEXT SUMMER
New skills became new confidence. Questions led to discoveries. Strangers became friends. Creeks, trails, animals and art projects became the backdrop for a summer full of adventure. They reminded us that camp is about more than a week outdoors; it’s about building connections, creating memories, and discovering a lifelong love of nature.
Thank you to our campers, families, interpreters and seasonal staff for making this summer one to remember.
See you next summer!
Visit our Day Camps page for more information about the camps we offer. We’re looking forward to next year’s adventures! 2027 Day Camp registration is scheduled to open early 2027.