Registration Opens for 2025 DEC Summer Camps: Outdoor Adventures for Youth Across New York State
The camp season runs from June 29 to August 15, 2025, with each camp offering tailored sessions based on age groups and program availability.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced that online registration for its 2025 Summer Camps program will open on Sunday, March 23, 2025, at 1 p.m.
Families can sign up through the DEC Summer Camps webpage. With weeks filling quickly, parents and guardians are encouraged to register early to secure spots and monitor the site for important updates on required forms and waivers.
“This program offers an incredible opportunity for young people to explore the outdoors, learn about conservation, and develop a lifelong connection to nature,” said Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar. “We urge families to take advantage of these programs and for sponsors to support the next generation of conservationists.”
Entering its 78th year, the DEC Summer Camps program offers week-long residential camps for youth aged 11 to 17 at four locations across New York State:
Camp Colby (Saranac Lake, Franklin County)
Camp DeBruce (Livingston Manor, Sullivan County)
Camp Rushford (Caneadea, Allegany County)
Camp Pack Forest (Warrensburg, Warren County)
The camp season runs from June 29 to August 15, 2025, with each camp offering tailored sessions based on age groups and program availability.
Camp Rushford: Five weeks for ages 11–13; two weeks for ages 14–17
Camp Colby: Five weeks for ages 11–13; two weeks for ages 14–17
Camp DeBruce: Six weeks for ages 11–13; one week for ages 14–17
Camp Pack Forest: Three weeks for ages 11–13; four weeks for ages 14–17, including an Outdoor Adventure Week
Each camper is initially limited to one week of registration, with opportunities for additional weeks if spots remain after May 24, 2025.
Campers will engage in a variety of outdoor activities, such as fishing, archery, canoeing, hiking, and orienteering. They will also participate in hands-on workshops to learn about forest, field, and aquatic ecology through activities like insect collection, soil testing, and tree measurement.
Special programs include hunter education courses (gun, bow, or trapping) offered during select weeks. Camp Pack Forest’s Outdoor Adventure Week (July 20–25) promises advanced outdoor skills, trust-building activities, and career exploration with guest natural resource professionals.
The 2025 camp fee is $350 per child, which includes lodging, meals, trips, and a camp t-shirt. To make the program accessible, the DEC encourages civic groups, environmental organizations, and sporting clubs to sponsor campers. Information about sponsorships can be found on the Sponsoring Youth to Camp webpage.
For more information or to register, visit the DEC Summer Camps webpage and take advantage of this opportunity for youth to explore, learn, and grow in New York’s great outdoors.