Join Wild Bear Nature Center in the cool mountain air this summer!
Hike the mountain forests, play in the woods with friends, discover the animals, fungi and plants mountain, create earth-friendly art to take home and more!
Small group size with qualified and incredible nature educators.
ALL THE DETAILS
DAYS & TIMES
Monday - Friday | 8:30AM - 4PM
Monday: Hiking Club
Tuesday: Field and Forest Science
Wednesday: Art in the Wild
Thursday: Survival Skills
Friday: Team Earth
AGES
10-14 year olds
COST
$450/session. Generous scholarships available. Wild Bear is a CCCAP (state childcare assistance) provider.
Pre-registration required, very limited day spots available.
*SHUTTLE AVAILABLE FROM & TO BOULDER!
CHECK OUT THE 2026 THEMES FOR THE WILD ADVENTURER SESSIONS BELOW
SESSION 1 | JUNE 1 - 5
The Interconnected Forest
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From the very big to the teeny tiny, from the abiotic sun and rocks, to the biotic trees and soil filled with life, let’s explore how we’re all connected while hiking by creeks to waterfalls, reservoirs and lakes, rocky outcroppings and deep canyons. We’ll become familiar with this montane ecosystem and each other through games, hands-on science, art, and exploration!
SESSION 2 | JUNE 8 - 12
Birds and Migration - The Rocky Mountain Central Flyaway
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Let’s go birding and explore what makes our elevation unique as birds migrate from Mexico, Central, and South America through the Rocky Mountain Corridor. What birds stay for the summer? Who’s just passing through? Let’s use our scopes, binoculars, eyes, and ears to witness the stories these travelers share.
SESSION 3 | JUNE 15 - 18
*No Camp June 19
Tracking & Patterns in Nature
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As the seasons change and the sun rises and sets- all of nature has patterns. Let’s celebrate the upcoming solstice as we learn how plants and animals move, dance, and survive in our montane home. We’ll explore tracks and scat, movement games, and mindfulness all while hiking beautiful trails.
SESSION 4 | JUNE 22 - 26
Homes & Habitats, Niches and Success
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As Brigitte Mars often says, “Everything is something!” From looking under rocks and in the water, to tree cavities and dens- where is the most comfy for whom? Where do different plants and animals THRIVE? We’ll hike to subalpine lakes and lower montane canyons- exploring all the ways life finds a way. Let’s build shelters that protect from the wind and weather and explore survival strategies for nature’s creatures, including us!
SESSION 5 | JUNE 30 - JULY 2
*No Camp July 3
Don’t take the mountain for GRANITE, but it’s Granite
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It’s Rock Week! There’s nothing like these young Rocky Mountains for exploring geology! We’ll rock out to veins of quartz crystals, be on the search for metamorphic swirls, and look at the geology and mining of Nederland, Caribou, and Black Hawk’s past. It’s sedimentary, my dear Wild Bears!
SESSION 6 | JULY 7 - 10
The Living Watershed
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From the glaciers and alpine lakes to the streams and reservoirs below- water is life. Let’s celebrate water in a unique place- less than 15 miles from the Continental divide! We’ll flow through the mountains taking a look at all the riparian zones along the way- exploring beaver habitats, lake and stream invertebrates, and multiple waterfalls.
SESSION 7 | JULY 13 - 17
Creatures of the Night
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Let’s get spooky! There’s a whole world of animals (and plants!) that are more active at night. Swooping bats, hooting owls, pollinating moths, and tree-climbing porcupines- what is going on out there? We’ll play games, create and tell scary stories, and howl to the moon in this week celebrating the nifty nocturnal.
SESSION 8 | JULY 20 - 24
Plantscape
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It’s Plant week! We’ll hike to the gnarled krummholz trees close to timberline and spiky yucca and prickly pear in the foothills celebrating all things botanical. Press flowers, drink herbal teas, learn about edible and medicinal plants and celebrate life with roots!
SESSION 9 | JULY 27 - 31
Arthropod World: It’s a Bug’s Life
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Oh, to have an exoskeleton! What’s the buzz on the wide, diverse world of bugs? From our flying pollinators to swimming beetles we’ll be exploring the world of compound eyes, textured antennae, and iridescent wings as we crawl, hop, climb, and fly through our montane fields and forests.
SESSION 10 | AUGUST 3 - 7
Fabulous Fungi
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Saving the best week for last! We’ll spread like mycelia- searching for mushrooms through the forests. We’ll take a liking to lichen, learn about decomposers, spores, and how to identify common mushrooms in the area. Let's hope for some afternoon rainfall during what may be the peak season for our elevation.