Elementary School Summer Camps
Since 2020, SJMA is proud to continue the tradition of one of Durango Nature Studies’ most beloved and enriching summer camps in Durango. SJMA offers week-long camps where elementary-aged children will spend time learning about the natural world. Campers may spend their day catching crawdads, building forts, hiking, exploring, or river tromping. Campers leave camp with memories, new friends, and a better understanding of the world in which they live. If you didn’t get enough of these camps but now are too old, make sure you check out our free Counselor-in-Training Program for ages 12-17.
Junior Naturalist Field Camps
Junior Naturalist Field Camps (JNFC) are week-long camps where elementary-aged children (rising 1st – 6th graders) will spend time learning about the natural world. They get to play with old friends and make new ones, too. Campers leave with memories, new friends, and a better understanding of the world in which they live. SJMA is offering six week-long camps, each with a different theme (from Water World to Eco-Village) during the months of June – August.
Junior Naturalist Field Camps – Durango
**Please note that our 2024 Durango JNFC registration process has changed to a lottery system. The lottery was open from March 1 – 15. Review information below.**
Camp Dates / Themes / Cost
June 3-7, 2024: Wildlife Neighbors, $375
Want to know more about the incredible creatures with whom we share a backyard? Here is your chance! Learn about local wildlife species, their conservation, and how to share the landscape with bears, mountain lions, deer, moose, and many others. We’ll learn tracking skills, Leave No Trace ethics, and how to act in an animal encounter, among other fun games and activities!
June 17-21, 2024: Water World, $400
Time to explore the wet and wild world of rivers! From the high snowy peaks to the low desert canyons, we will trace water’s incredible journey from the mountains to the dry expanses below. Join us for a week of water play, exploration of watershed science and aquatic ecology, boat-building, and even our own raft trip on the Animas River!
June 24-28, 2024: Predators and Prey, $375
Explore one of the most central relationships that exist in ecosystems all over the world by exploring some of the amazing adaptations that predators have for hunting, and that prey have for avoiding predators. We’ll explore food chains and food webs, play hunting and camouflage games, and meet some of our backyard predators up close in person!
July 8-12, 2024: Biodiversity Blitz, $375
Sure you’ve heard of the circle of life, but did you know that this “circle” is actually like an enormous spider web, with relationships between species that support one another? Our goal this week is to discover as many of the different species as possible that live in our area. We’ll learn about tracking, classification, and even set up game cameras to see who lives at the Nature Center!
July 15-19, 2024: Eco Village, $375
Join us for a week as we explore the intersection of creativity, community, and nature! First, we will explore some of the indigenous cultures that wove themselves intricately into the web of life that exists in the SW. Then, using the story of Roxaboxen as a foundation, we will tap into our imagination and natural materials to build “homes, businesses, and infrastructure”. Taking cues from symbiotic relationships of different plant and animal species, we’ll cooperatively develop “agreements” to help guide our behavior and choices. The week will conclude with an “open for business” time for the campers to showcase their work for others.
August 5-9, 2024: Nature Detectives, $375
We’ll learn about the art of tracking to discover the hidden stories that play out in Nature when we are not around to see them!
Remember, if you have an SJMA Membership of $50 or more, you receive a 10% discount for all educational programming (discount will be applied automatically during registration). If you are in need of financial assistance, please submit our Camp Scholarship Form.
Drop Off / Pick Up Location
Fassbinder Park at corner of W 17th St and Main Street. SJMA vans will transport campers to a mix between SJMA’s Nature Center and the San Juan National Forest areas.
Drop Off / Pick Up Time
Monday – Thursday: 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
Friday: 8:30 am – 1:30 pm
Age Eligibility*
Rising 1st-6th graders
*A waiver is required for kids under the age of 7 and must be submitted by April 20. Please note, approval of the waiver is not guaranteed. Contact Adriana Stimax for more info.
Max Number Participants
35 per camp (Thanks to our supporters, SJMA has been able to expand our numbers thanks to another van!)
Registration
In our quest to make participation in our popular summer camps more equitable, we have decided to pursue a lottery system model. Our research shows that this process has worked well for similar summer camps in our region. While it has been a challenge to find a registration system that meets all the capacity desires of our invaluable camp families, we believe that this new approach will make registration as equitable as possible.
The lottery for the DURANGO JNFCs is now closed. If you are still interested, please fill in our Durango JNFC Waitlist.
Starting March 1, 2024: Families will register for various “buckets” within our summer camp lottery system. These buckets will include categories for things such as “Locals,” “Household Member ($50) or above,” “Scholarship Recipients” etc.. Lottery closes on March 15, 2024.
On April 1, 2024: We will randomly draw names from those registered and announce camp spots. Families who are selected will still need to register to secure their spot(s) in summer camp by April 10th. We will continue to have a waiting list. Stay tuned for more details.
We greatly appreciate families’ patience as we pilot this new registration process. Our intent is that it will serve our community’s families and students as fairly as possible.
We have pulled together the Durango JNFC Summer Camp Lottery FAQ. If you have any additional questions, please reach out to Adriana Stimax, SJMA’s Education Director at astimax@sjma.org.
Junior Naturalist Field Camps – Bayfield & Ignacio
Camp Dates / Themes
June 3-7, 2024: Wildlife Neighbors, FULL – still interested, sign our Waitlist Form
Want to know more about the incredible creatures with whom we share a backyard? Here is your chance! Learn about local wildlife species, their conservation, and how to share the landscape with bears, mountain lions, deer, moose, and many others. We’ll learn tracking skills, Leave No Trace ethics, and how to act in an animal encounter, among other fun games and activities!
June 17-21, 2024: Water World, FULL – still interested, sign our Waitlist Form
Time to explore the wet and wild world of rivers! From the high snowy peaks to the low desert canyons, we will trace water’s incredible journey from the mountains to the dry expanses below. Join us for a week of water play, exploration of watershed science and aquatic ecology, boat-building, and even our own raft trip on the Animas River!
Cost
Free to Bayfield and Ignacio residents!
Drop Off / Pick Up Location
Ignacio Elementary School, 395 Romero Ave, Ignacio; SJMA vans will transport campers to a mix between SJMA’s Nature Center and the San Juan National Forest areas.
Drop Off / Pick Up Time
Monday – Thursday: 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
Friday: 8:30 am – 1:30 pm
Age Eligibility*
Rising 1st-6th graders
*A waiver is required for kids under the age of 7 and must be submitted by April 20. Please note, approval of the waiver is not guaranteed. Contact Adriana Stimax for more info.
Max Number Participants
12 Bayfield and Ignacio residents per camp
Registration
This camp is now full – if you are still interested, please fill in our Bayfield & Ignacio JNFC Waitlist.
Each child must be registered separately. You must complete the registration for the first child, including payment, before registering your second child. If you have registration questions, check out our Registration Flow Chart.
* Please note that if you have made this registration less than 48 hours in advance of the start of camp, your registration is not guaranteed until confirmed by staff. We need time to receive and process all of the camp forms mandated by Child Care License requirements.
Junior Naturalist Field Camp – Montezuma County
Camp Dates / Themes
July 22-26, 2024, FULL
This is our second ever year of JNFC in Montezuma County! We will be at different locations throughout MoCo for the week.
Cost
Montezuma County Residents: Free thanks to Montezuma Inspire Coalition and GOCO.
General: $375; Remember, if you have an SJMA Membership of $50 or more, you receive a 10% discount for all educational programming (discount will be applied automatically during registration). If you are in need of financial assistance, please submit our Camp Scholarship Form.
Drop Off / Pick Up Location
Drop Off / Pick Up Time
Monday – Thursday: 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
Friday: 8:30 am – 1:30 pm
Age Eligibility*
Rising 1st-6th Graders
*A waiver is required for kids under the age of 7 and must be submitted by April 29. Please note, approval of the waiver is not guaranteed. Contact Adriana Stimax for more info.
Max Number Participants
24 per camp
Registration
This camp is now full – if you are still interested, please fill in our Montezuma JNFC Waitlist.
Each child must be registered separately. You must complete the registration for the first child, including payment, before registering your second child. If you have registration questions, check out our Registration Flow Chart.
* Please note that if you have made this registration less than 48 hours in advance of the start of camp, your registration is not guaranteed until confirmed by staff. We need time to receive and process all of the camp forms mandated by Child Care License requirements.