SUMMER EXPLORATION CAMPS
Summer Camp 2026 Registration is Closed!
The Great Basin Institute at Galena is dedicated to offering a dynamic, engaging, and safe outdoor educational experience. Our goal is to inspire campers to explore and appreciate the natural world, fostering environmental awareness and responsibility. Through hands-on activities and meaningful challenges, we aim to build confidence, cultivate new friendships, and create lasting memories. We are committed to nurturing curiosity, encouraging discovery, and empowering young explorers to become stewards of the environment.
Each Camp Week Offers
- Field trip or Camp Adventure
- Fire Ecology Lessons
- Guest Speakers
- Creek Play
- Fishing Opportunities
- Guided Hikes
- Science Experiments
- Arts and Crafts
- Group Games
Camp activities, field trips, and guest speakers are subject to change based on availability, weather, and other unforeseen circumstances.
Day Camp Ages 8-13
- Dates: June 8th -12th-SOLD OUT
- Camp Highlight: Rosewood Nature Preserve
- Price: $350-SOLD OUT
- At Animal Adventures day camp campers will explore by animal tracking, learn about furs and skulls through interactive presentations, and participate in exciting activities like wildlife hikes and outdoor survival skills. They will also engage in nature crafts, team challenges, animal-themed games, a scavenger hunt, and hands-on lessons in birdwatching and ecosystems, all designed to bring the animal world to life.
- Please Note: Campers will need to pack their own lunch from home each camp day. Snacks provided by Camp.
- DROP OFF: 9:00-9:30AM PICKUP: 3:30-4:00PM
- Dates: June 15th-19th-SOLD OUT
- Camp Highlight: Overnight Camping experience and Pizza Party on Friday at the Discovery Museum (Camper pickup will be on Saturday morning at the Discovery Museum. Optional transportation to the museum on Friday after camp is provided.)
- Price: $375
- At Bug’s Life day camp campers can taste dried bugs, go bug catching in the woods, and explore creek habitats to discover macroinvertebrates. They will also enjoy activities like bug-themed crafts, nature scavenger hunts, learn about insect life cycles, create insect habitats, and participate in bug identification games to deepen their understanding of these fascinating creatures.
- Please Note: Campers will need to pack their own lunch from home each camp day. Snacks provided by Camp.
- DROP OFF: 9:00-9:30AM PICKUP: 3:30-4:00PM
- Dates: June 22nd-26th
- Camp Highlight: Fishing Trip and Day Adventure to Idlewild
- Price: $350
- At Forest Defenders day camp campers will participate in restoration projects, park clean-ups, and seed planting activities to help protect and restore natural habitats. They will also enjoy nature hikes, learn about forest ecology, create eco-friendly crafts, engage in wildlife tracking, participate in survival skills workshops, and take part in team-based conservation challenges, all to deepen their connection to the environment and develop active stewardship skills.
- Please Note: Campers will need to pack their own lunch from home each camp day. Snacks provided by Camp.
- DROP OFF: 9:00-9:30AM PICKUP: 3:30-4:00PM
- Dates: June 29th- July 3rd
- Camp Highlight: Swimming trip to Bowers Mansion Swimming Pool (A swimming test will be conducted to determine if your camper can swim in deeper areas)
- Price: $350
- At Water Exploration day camp campers will learn about local watersheds through hands-on activities and educational lessons, gaining a deeper understanding of how water moves through the environment. They will also spend lots of time playing in the creek, exploring aquatic life, participating in water-themed crafts, conducting mini scientific experiments, and engaging in fun water games and team challenges to enhance their connection to freshwater ecosystems.
- Please Note: Campers will need to pack their own lunch from home each camp day. Snacks provided by Camp.
- DROP OFF: 9:00-9:30AM PICKUP: 3:30-4:00PM
Overnight Camp in WeChMe Lodge
- Dates: July 13th-17th
- Camp Highlight: Rosewood Nature Preserve
- Price: $525
- At Wild Wild West overnight camp campers will learn about the history of Nevada’s frontier towns, including Reno’s role during the gold rush and mining boom through interactive storytelling, hands-on activities and historic games. They will also participate in gold panning, cowboy skill challenges, craft making, lasso practice, and outdoor campfire cooking. Experience the rugged spirit of the Wild Wild West of Nevada.
- Please Note: All meals and snacks are provided by Camp during Overnight Camp. Drop off at WeChMe Lodge Monday morning and pick up Friday afternoon at Manzanita Picnic Area (both located at South Entrance to the Park).
- Dates: July 20th-24th
- Camp Highlight: 2 Night Backpacking and Tent Camping at Galena
- Price: $550
- At Wilderness Adventure 1 overnight camp campers will spend two nights in the forest, learning essential wilderness skills such as backpacking, tent building, fire-starting (subject to fire restrictions), and orienteering skills. They will also participate in team challenges, outdoor cooking, safety lessons, shelter construction, knot tying, and Leave No Trace principles to build their confidence and resilience in the wild.
- Please Note: All meals and snacks are provided by Camp during Overnight Camp. Drop off at WeChMe Lodge Monday morning and pick up Friday afternoon at Manzanita Picnic Area (both located at South Entrance to the Park).
- Dates: July 27th-31st
- Camp Highlight: 2 Night Backpacking and Tent Camping at Galena
- Price: $550
- At Wilderness Adventure 2 overnight camp campers will spend two nights camping in the forest, practicing shelter building, Survival skills, and first aid techniques to prepare for real outdoor emergencies. They will also participate in night activties, wildlife tracking, plant identification, nature journaling, practicing advanced fire-starting methods (subject to fire restrictions), and engaging in problem-solving challenges to build their confidence and independence in the wild.
- Please Note: All meals and snacks are provided by Camp during Overnight Camp. Drop off at WeChMe Lodge Monday morning and pick up Friday afternoon at Manzanita Picnic Area (both located at South Entrance to the Park).
- Dates: August 3rd-7th
- Camp Highlight: Swimming Trip to Crystal Peak Park (A swimming test will be conducted to see if your camper can safely swim in deeper water)
- Price: $525
- At Water Exploration overnight camp campers will engage in more challenging water based activities such as water chemistry experiments, creek exploration, conservation projects, learn from aquatic habitats, and team-based water challenges to develop their stewardship for local watersheds.
- Please Note: All meals and snacks are provided by Camp during Overnight Camp. Drop off at WeChMe Lodge Monday morning and pick up Friday afternoon at Manzanita Picnic Area (both located at South Entrance to the Park).
Please note a completed registration form is required at the time of payment, and a camper’s spot will only be held once payment has been received.
Is your camper interested in Fishing?
At camp we strive to have opportunities for campers to fish every week of camp. We have special permitting that allows campers to fish without having to obtain a fishing license. Please note, fishing is an optional activity during camp. If you’d like to bring your own fishing gear, you’re responsible for your items.
Remember, all fishing must be done with barbless hooks for safety and mandatory catch and release. We will provide fishing poles and minimal gear to get you started.
