Best Missouri Wilderness Camps Summer 2024 Directory

CAMP PROGRAM INFO: Kanakuk Kamps has been offering the finest summer camp experience for boys and girls since 1926. Our excellent staff of hand-picked Christian athletes help your child develop solid character with a Christian focus as they hone the sports skills God gave them. Learn more on our website at Our Camp Website Link: www.kanakuk.com

CAMP LEADERSHIP CIT/LIT PROGRAMS: Leadership program.

CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: Scholarships are available through our partner churches. Please contact your Host for more information.

FAMILY CAMP SESSION(S): for the whole family to experience the blessing of Kanakuk together. This resort quality summer camp, located in Branson, Missouri serves the whole family from newborns to grandparents. During a week at K-Kauai, your family will be ministered to and refreshed through activities, games, family event nights, parents nights, and more!

OTHER CAMP INFO: Kanakuk K-1 (ages 7-13)
1355 Lake Shore Drive
Branson, MO 65616
417-266-3510
Our Camp Website Link: kanakuk.com

Kanakuk K-2 (ages 13-18)
20 K-2 Drive
Lampe, MO 65681
417-266-3520
Our Camp Website Link: kanakuk.com

Kanakuk K-Kountry (ages 7-11)
967 Lake Shore Drive
Branson, MO 65616
417-266-3540
Our Camp Website Link: kanakuk.com

Kanakuk K-West (ages 12-14)
793 K-West Drive
Lampe, MO 65681
417-266-3530
Our Camp Website Link: kanakuk.com

Kanakuk K-Seven (ages 7-18)
118 K-7 Drive
Lampe, MO 65681
417-266-3570
Our Camp Website Link: kanakuk.com

Kanakuk Golf (ages 13-18)
20 K-2 Drive
Lampe, MO 65681
417-266-3000
Our Camp Website Link: kanakuk.com

Kanakuk K-Kauai Family Camp
833 Lake Shore Drive
Branson, MO 65616
417-266-3705
Our Camp Website Link: kanakuk.com

CAMP SESSION DATES & FEES:
Please find information on camp fees and availability here: Our Camp Website Link: kanakuk.com

CAMP FACILITIES: For Camp for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders, campers stay in the learning center which is complete with modern amenities

Adventure camp for Challenging Youth is a semi-primitive camping experience. Youth will be camping in individual tents or group tee-pees and cooking their meals over a campfire (with help from an expert guide). There is no electricity or running water at the campsites. Hand-pumped water and vault-style toilet facilities are in close proximity to each campsite. Bathing is done in the river and lake.

Our camp facilities also include:
10-acre recreational lake with Adventure Platform (The Blob, 150’ water zip line, rope swings, trapeze, rolling log, watermat, waterslide, & more)
28-element high challenge course
Dual 800-foot zip lines
Power pole, giant swing and vertical playground
8-element covered vertical challenge course
40-foot climbing wall
Buddy Team low ropes course
Team development course
Alpine rescue course
“The Crazy Mudder”—team mud obstacle course
3 miles of single track, flow tracks, and a pump track for Mountain Bikes
Full-court covered basketball/volleyball pavilion
Equestrian instruction and trail rides
Arts and crafts
Balance area
Play area with swings
Kayaking or canoeing in lake
Primitive skills (fire building, shelters, cordage, traps, tracking, crafts)
The Adventure Barn with Barn Swings, Rope Swings, Foam Pits, Slacklines

CAMP PROGRAM INFO: It is our belief that everyone has a unique purpose and calling in life that can be found and fulfilled through a life of Integrity, Service, Efficacy and Vision. We believe that adventure and wilderness environments provide the most inspiring and effective venue for the development of these attributes and to begin the journey to fulfilling that purpose.  

Adventure and wilderness experiences are not an escape from the daily grind. They are reality where the true self always eventually surfaces, free of the walls and masks built up through time and experience.  Adventure experiences, if paid attention to, can provide the lessons most needed for each person at that exact moment of their life.

This may be a time of purification, of testing, of building, of confirmation, of waking, of changing, of envisioning, or something totally different. However, whatever is needed is there for the taking, if they choose to seek it. At the Ranch, individuals, families, and teams are given the resources and opportunity to determine where they are in life, and what they truly need to continue their journey to become the men and women they were created to be.

The Ranch prides itself on its safety, competency, and professionalism. Great Circle has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval™. The Meramec Adventure Learning Ranch is also an accredited member of and follows all standards of operation of the American Camp Association. The director is a certified Single Pitch Instructor through the American Mountain Guides Association and a Single Pitch Guide with the Professional Climbing Guides Institute.

Challenge courses are built, inspected and certified by Association of Challenge Course Technology professional vendors. All activity staff members are trained extensively and regularly to the highest standards using state of the art equipment, training, and techniques in all activities. Programming staff also have advanced backcountry/wilderness first aid training and certifications.

CAMP SESSION DATES & FEES:
Adventure Camp for Challenging Youth:
June 23th through June 27th, 2014
Young men ages 13-17
$660.00/Participant
Please Visit: Our Camp Website Link: meramecranch.great-circle.org

Camp for Youth on the Autism Spectrum:
July 21st through July 25th, 2014
July 28th through August 1st, 2014
Co-ed ages 7-18
Free to St. Louis County, MO residents
Please Visit: Our Camp Website Link: meramecranch.great-circle.org

CAMP FACILITIES: Located on a 150 acres with 15 modern cabins with bathrooms. Outdoor swimming pool, air conditioned dinning hall, recreation room, crafts room, nature lodge, activity pavilion, two lighted tennis courts, basketball courts, rifle range, archery range, ropes course, 2 zip lines, horse stables, Health center, tree house located on the Black River.

CAMP PROGRAM INFO: Camp Taum Sauk has been a leader in camping since 1946. Located in Lesterville, Missouri on the Beautiful Black River. Our caring and skilled staff lead campers through daily activities. American Camp Accredited. Learn more from our website at Our Camp Website Link: www.taumsauk.com.

CAMP LEADERSHIP CIT/LIT PROGRAMS: Campers finishing 9th grade and are 15 to 16 years old can participate in a leadership training program. Hands on activities and training.

YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMS: Off season rental groups welcome.

OTHER CAMP INFO: Camp Taum Sauk coed private camp for children ages 8 - 15. Transportation is included in the tuition. Winter phone 314-993-1655. Visit our website at Our Camp Website Link: www.taumsauk.com

CAMP SESSION DATES & FEES:
Two Week: June 8 to June 21 $1,900.00
Three Week A: June 22 to July 12 $2,625.00
Three Week B: July 13 to Aug 2 $2,625.00
Five Week: June 8 to July 12 $3,975.00
Six Week: June 22 to Aug 2 $4,700.00
Eight Week: June 8 to Aug 2 $6,050.00

SUMMER CAMP JOBS:
Summer staff starting at age 18.  Be a part of a caring, and personal staff.  Nine weeks of commitment.  Visit our website at Our Camp Website Link: www.taumsauk.com to complete a staff application.

CAMP FACILITIES:

Camp Cedarledge is located in Pevely, MO and rolls across 700 acres of wooded hills. It is home to 35 horses, a covered riding arena and horse trails. Camp Cedarledge has lodge, cabin and tent units and hosts Resident, Troop and Day Camp sessions.

Camp Tuckaho is located in Troy, MO and sits on more than 600 acres of beautiful forest. Here, girls build leadership skills by participating in the Outdoor Adventure Course Challenge.

CAMP PROGRAM INFO: Both Camp Tuckaho and Cedarledge are accredited by the American Camp Association Camps (ACA) which requires us to follow over 300 specific criteria in addition to Girl Scouts of the USA, county and state rules.

All staff are required to go through several background screenings, drug screenings, complete a week of intense training and be certified in First Aid and CPR.

Lifeguards are training and tested through a Red Cross Certified Instructor.

CAMP LEADERSHIP CIT/LIT PROGRAMS: Our camps offer Leader-in-Training, Counselor-in-Training and Advanced Counselor-in-Training.

CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: We have activity scholarships and offer payment plans

FAMILY CAMP SESSION(S): She and Me for daughter and their favorite female (Mom, Aunt, Grandmother)

Just the 2 of Us for girl and their favorite male (Dad, Uncle, Grandfather)

Labor Day Family Camp for the whole famiy

YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMS: Our camps host special events and camping for troops on weekends throughout the year.

OTHER CAMP INFO: Our camps are open to all girls. You DO NOT have to be a Girl Scout to attend our camps.

CAMP SESSION DATES & FEES:

The Camp Adventure Guide, our camp publication, is available online at girlscoutsem.org/campadventureguide.

SUMMER CAMP JOBS:
We currently have openings for Camp Counselors.

Interested parties can email Melissa Niedermann at mniedermann[AT]girlscoutsem.org.

CAMP FACILITIES: Cub Creek boasts our modern, air-conditioned cabins with private showers and restrooms in each cabin. Each of the 15 cabins comfortably sleeps 16 campers and 4 staff counselors. Camp's newest addition is our large dining hall that allows for all of camp to eat at the same time. The dining hall is also home to some of camp's favorite animals- lemurs! They are housed in an adjacent, glassed enclosure so that campers may see them as they eat! Camp also has a swimming pool, 3 cleared, camp sites, several activity pavilions, 2 ropes course towers, 3 main animal buildings not including our dog kennels and wallaby country, pottery and art studios, and an impressive camp store with snacks, knick-knacks, and apparel.

CAMP PROGRAM INFO: Counselors at camp are college students or graduates who have an interest in children, animals, and science. All of our staff are trained for two weeks prior to the start of camp so that we can deliver the best possible program. Camp has a long list of activities! Please visit our website for a complete description at: Our Camp Website Link: www.MOScienceCamp.com.

CAMP LEADERSHIP CIT/LIT PROGRAMS: Senior campers (12+) are encouraged to take our CIT program. This is a wonderful start to their leadership training, and prepares them for the ASIT Program at Cub Creek. At our camp, our teen campers who wish to have more responsibility and more animal training, take part in the Animal Specialist in Training (ASIT) Program. Requirements for this program include one year at camp as a camper, recommendations from counselors and staff, and exemplary behavior. Our ASITs work in the animal area with our Animal Team, are leaders around camp, teach and assist in classes,and are a valued part of the CCSC family.

CAMP SESSION DATES & FEES:
Camp starts June 4th and has four, one-week sessions. Starting July 2nd, campers can stay for two, four, or six week sessions. Please visit our website for a complete list of dates and prices.

SUMMER CAMP JOBS:
Cub Creek Science Camp offers a variety of fun jobs this summer! Most of our staff are counselors who are assigned to a cabin, but also have instructor duties for what we call our "activity periods". Activities include ROPES COURSE (climbing, zip-line, rappelling, big swing, crate stacking, leap of faith), ARCHERY, ARTS & CRAFTS, RIFLERY, ANIMALS (llamas, alpaces, procupines, foxes, lemurs, sloths, parrots, snakes, ferrets, etc), JR. VET, CULINARY,SURVIVAL SKILLS, HIKING, BOTANY, CHEMISTRY, PHYSICS, CAVING, CRIME SCIENCE, plus many more!

We train you here! No prior experience is needed!

Interested applicants may apply for summer camp on our website. The link to the application is Our Camp Website Link: www.mosciencecamp.com

For questions, please contact Ari Farley, camp's Assistant Director at the email, marketing[AT]bearriverranch.com

CAMP PROGRAM INFO: We offer acceptance and love to more than 1,500 campers with special needs and chronic diseases and their siblings. Through adaptive activities, people with physical, intellectual, and/or medical challenges become participants, not observers, in the world around them. They leave Camp Barnabas knowing they are uniquely created to live lives of ability. Over 2,500 volunteers come through our gates every summer to serve these special people. We also hire and train 150-200 of some of the best college students in the country every summer as staff to serve and encourage our campers and volunteers. The experiences that are gained at Camp Barnabas become more than a week at camp, they are life-changing.

CAMP LEADERSHIP CIT/LIT PROGRAMS: We offer a position for our 2nd year and above campers to train in a volunteer position in various leadership positions at camp.

CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: We provide a camper scholarship fund so that we never need to turn a camper away due to financial reasons.

YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMS: From August-May we offer a school for our college-aged campers called Barnabas Prep. Barnabas Prep is an independent living-learning experience that is designed to help young adults move closer to reaching their full potential and to guide each student toward a meaningful life of independence and spiritual growth.

CAMP SESSION DATES & FEES:
We offer 13 weeks of camp in two locations in Missouri. Each week is divided by age and diagnoses. Please visit Our Camp Website Link: www.campbarnabas.org for complete information.

SUMMER CAMP JOBS:
We look for some of the best college-aged guys and girls across the country to work with our campers and volunteers for a summer. Apply at: Our Camp Website Link: www.campbarnabas.org.

CAMP PROGRAM INFO:
Challenge Camp - Campers Get to challenge themselves on our high flying challenge course!

Edge Camp - Camp centered around creative large group challenges. If things like t-shirt cannon skee ball sound fun to you then this is your camp.

Amazing Race - This camp is just like the show. Campers will race through different challenges on site and across the Midwest.

CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: Scholarships are available as needed, visit Our Camp Website Link: www.heartlandcamps.org for more information.

CAMP SESSION DATES & FEES:
For information, dates, and prices of our overnight and day camp programs visit.

Please visit: Our Camp Website Link: www.HeartlandCamps.org.

SUMMER CAMP JOBS:
We have both year round and summer jobs available. For more information visit Our Camp Website Link: www.heartlandcamps.org.

Heartland also has a year long internship for camp ministry. For more information visit Our Camp Website Link: www.heartlandcamps.org.

CAMP FACILITIES: The Camp has a dining hall, tabernacle, director's cabin, cook's cabin, caretaker's house, roofed shelters for small groups, vesper point and sleeping cabins which can accommodate almost 60 boys and girls with modern restrooms and showers. The Camp has a basketball court, volleyball court and ball field, and is located close to the Niangua River for float trips.

CAMP PROGRAM INFO: What is now known as the Bennett Spring Christian Church Camp met for the first time at Lindenlure in Christian County in 1936. This was the home of the Camp for three years. The next two years the Camp met at Camp Aurora in Dallas County.

In 1941 approximately 50 acres were purchased about one mile west of the Bennett Spring State Park on MO 64, about 18 miles Northeast of Buffalo, where the Camp has become permanently established.

Early leaders in the Camp include the following: J. H. Lynch, Orville Hodge, A. T. Mahanay, A. Z. Matthews, E. T. Sechler, A. B. Todd, Richard Pope and others..

This Camp is the oldest continuous Christian Church Camp in the Springfield area and second oldest in the Ozarks. It is registered with the State of Missouri as a Not-For-Profit Public Benefit Corporation.

The Camp is governed by a board of Trustees (15) from Christian Churches in Southwest Missouri and is funded by Churches and individuals who believe in its purposes.

Each year facilities are improved as money allows. For swimming campers are transported to the public pool in the Bennett Spring State Park.

CAMP FACILITIES: Purdy, MO: We have 16 new cabins with wheelchair accessible showers, recreation/dining hall, outdoor basketball courts, newly remodeled volunteer living, new on-site medical facility with nurse and doctors quarters, media/game building, arts/crafts building, zero entry swimming pool with two water slides, beautiful creek for fishing and canoeing with wheelchair lift to dock, wheelchair accessible treehouse. Shell Knob, MO: Swimming pool with water rings, trapeze, diving boards and water basketball, slip n slide, outdoor basketball courts, sand volleyball, barn swing, boat dock on Table Rock Lake with boating, recreational/sports fields, dining hall, recreational hall, pristine lake for swimming, putt-putt golf course

CAMP PROGRAM INFO: We offer acceptance and love to more than 1,500 campers with special needs and chronic diseases and their siblings. Through adaptive activities, people with physical, intellectual, and/or medical challenges become participants, not observers, in the world around them. They leave Camp Barnabas knowing they are uniquely created to live lives of ability. Over 2,500 volunteers come through our gates every summer to serve these special people. We also hire and train 150-200 of some of the best college students in the country every summer as staff to serve and encourage our campers and volunteers. The experiences that are gained at Camp Barnabas become more than a week at camp, they are life-changing.

CAMP LEADERSHIP CIT/LIT PROGRAMS: We offer a position for our 2nd year and above campers to train in a volunteer position in various leadership positions at camp.

CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: We provide a camper scholarship fund so that we never need to turn a camper away due to financial reasons.

YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMS: From August-May we offer a school for our college-aged campers called Barnabas Prep. Barnabas Prep is an independent living-learning experience that is designed to help young adults move closer to reaching their full potential and to guide each student toward a meaningful life of independence and spiritual growth.

CAMP SESSION DATES & FEES:
We offer 13 weeks of camp in two locations in Missouri. Each week is divided by age and diagnoses. Please visit Our Camp Website Link: www.campbarnabas.org for complete information.

SUMMER CAMP JOBS:
We look for some of the best college-aged guys and girls across the country to work with our campers and volunteers for a summer. Apply at: Our Camp Website Link: www.campbarnabas.org.