The black and white Indian Valley Summer Camp logo displays the silhouette of a large squirrel sharing an acorn with a baby squirrel.

Help make 2024 the best summer yet! Please consider making a donation to ensure that this robust outdoor education program continues being offered at no cost to local youth.

A large group of campers and counselors stands in the shade of a tree on a grassy lawn, holding up the Indian Valley Summer Camp banner in front of them.
Campers are paddling the Trinity River together in an inflatable raft. Their guide sits higher up in the guide chair and everyone is smiling.

Adventure

Since 2001, Indian Valley Summer Camp has provided an important avenue for local youth to experience the outdoors. Every summer, camp is offered at no cost to families and 50 campers connect with nature through day hikes, backpacking trips, raft excursions, science activities, and more! Campers have the chance to identify local plants and animals while learning how to care for them. From gazing at stars to observing aquatic insects, campers connect with all aspects of their surroundings, large and small.

 
A young girl wearing a high-visibility helmet and leather gloves zips up her high-visibility jacket. She wears a field pack on her back.

Self-Empowerment

Indian Valley Summer Camp gives youth the ability to challenge themselves by doing new activities in safe and supervised settings. We partner with local environmental education ranch, Bar 717, for horseback riding and ropes course experiences for campers. Art projects and stewardship activities give students tangible evidence of their hard work and creativity. We aim to have every camper leave the IVSC program feeling confident in their own abilities and connected to their environment and community.

 
Ten visible campers gather on a river bank to listen to Nathan McCanne talk about fishery monitoring.

Community

Indian Valley Summer Camp provides healthy and structured activities that teach youth various ways to contribute to their community and surroundings. Local professionals from all walks of life are invited to lead activities during camp, enlightening campers about career possibilities while providing positive role models in those fields. Stewardship activities—such as picking up trash and planting trees—give youth the chance to improve the health of the entire community. Team bonding and leadership are central themes of our camp program, and community values are instilled within everyone in attendance.

Want to get involved?

Each year we hire several counselors and are always in need of additional volunteers, presenters, chaperones, and donors. You can help create core memories in the lives of the next generation. Contact haley@thewatershedcenter.com for more information.

A wide shot shows a multitude of campers and volunteer parents gathered in a large circle in a shady, grassy glen.