Teen Camps (Ages 12-17)

Our Teen Camps often span several ages and grade levels. Please pay attention to programs with specific age or grade requirements!

*Attention* The majority of our programs are divided up using grade level. Grade level refers to the level your camper will be entering into in the upcoming fall of 2026. 

Outdoor Adventures: Survival Skills

Brought to you by UC Davis Outdoor Adventures

Outdoor Adventures: Survival Skills Camp C

 New this year!
9 am - 3 pm
Early Bird Price (from 3/16-3/22): $333

Final Price (Starting on 3/23/26): $350

Hosted by Outdoor Adventures, this week-long skills camp is designed for "C" campers and focuses on hands-on survival skills, outdoor recreation, and teambuilding. Campers will learn how to set up shelters, practice essential survival techniques, and develop navigation skills while also exploring outdoor activities like rock climbing, teambuilding games, and orienteering.

Each day, campers will practice a new skill, cool off in the pool, and challenge themselves on the climbing wall, all while building confidence, resilience, and a deeper appreciation for the outdoors. The camp will take place on the UC Davis campus from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM daily.

Offerings
Week 2*OUTSS2*June 29th - July 2nd
Week 3OUTSS3July 6 - 10

 

 

Outdoor Adventures: Survival Skills Camp Teen (Ages 12–14)

👉 Note specific age range
9 am - 3 pm
Early Bird Price (from 3/16-3/22): $333

Final Price (Starting on 3/23/26): $350

Hosted by Outdoor Adventures, this week-long skills camp is designed for ages 12-14 and focuses on hands-on survival skills, outdoor recreation, and teambuilding. Campers will learn how to set up shelters, practice essential survival techniques, and develop navigation skills while also exploring outdoor activities like rock climbing, teambuilding games, and orienteering.

Each day, campers will practice a new skill, cool off in the pool, and challenge themselves on the climbing wall, all while building confidence, resilience, and a deeper appreciation for the outdoors. The camp will take place on the UC Davis campus from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM daily.

Offerings
Week 4 OUTSS4July 13 - 17
Week 5 OUTSS5July 20 - 24

 

Outdoor Adventures: Survival Skills Adventure (Ages 13–16)

 New this year!

Registration for this program is now open!

*Requires Additional Van Transport*

👉 Note specific age range
9 am - 3 pm (Camp day will end at 5pm on field trip days)
Early Bird Price (from 3/16-3/22): $458

Final Price (Starting on 3/23/26): $481

The OA: Survival Skills Adventure Camp is a week-long outdoor recreation program designed for ages teens ages 13-16. During this program, campers will learn about the sports of outdoor Rock climbing and Rafting. Each day campers will learn and practice new skills such as using climbing or paddling equipment and then go on 3 field trips. Field trips include rock climbing in Auburn, the challenge course at the Sac State Aquatic Center and rafting the American River. Camp will be from 8am-5pm on Field trip days (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday) to allow for driving time. OA is excited to offer this opportunity and to share our love of recreation all while building confidence, resilience, and a deeper appreciation for nature. 

Offerings
Week 6OUTSA6July 27 - 31

Junior Lifeguard

Brought to you by the UC Davis Aquatics Department

Junior Lifeguarding (Ages 12–14)

👉 Note specific age range
9 am - 1:30 pm
Early Bird Price (from 3/16-3/22): $316

Final Price (Starting on 3/23/26): $332

The Junior Lifeguarding program is open to preteens and teens ages 12-14 with high-level swimming ability. A swim test will be given the first day. The focus of the program is to give participants an introduction to the basic skills of lifeguarding, including hands-only CPR, first aid, rescue techniques, recognizing and responding to emergency situations, and the responsibilities of lifeguarding. This class will prepare the participant for American Red Cross Lifeguard Training (but is NOT the certification course). Class is one week long, Monday through Friday. Participants will receive a whistle and a Junior Lifeguard T-shirt.  

View the weekly schedule here:

a camper practices CPR on a dummy by the Rec Pool.
Offerings 
Week 3AQUAT3July 6 - 10
Week 7AQUAT7August 3 - 7

 

 

Bio Boot Camps

Brought to you by the Bohart Museum of Entomology and the UCD Museum of Wildlife & Fish Biology

Bio Boot Camp - Mountain (Grades 7–9)

Applications for 2026 are available here!
​​​​​​Modified schedule, see below
$475

Together with the UCD Museum of Wildlife & Fish Biology and Campus Recreation Youth Programs we launched Bio Boot Camp in 2011, a camp for junior high aged students who are interested in the natural sciences. There is limited enrollment and so we ask that the students themselves be part of the enrollment process.

Bio Boot Camp overview
We get to know each other, play games, explore the UC Davis campus, and go behind the scenes at the two host museums: the Bohart Museum of Entomology and the Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology. We go deep into standard museum practices from collecting data to preparing specimens including invertebrates and vertebrates. This can be hands-on or observational based on individual student's preferences. We also spend time outside mucking around in local streams, catching insects, observing birds and exploring nature with guest scientists. Bring a change of clothes and a sense of adventure! Thursday morning the vans get loaded with campers and gear and we visit the UC Sagehen Creek Field Station to compare the nature and biodiversity of the Central Valley to the Sierra Mountains. We stay at the field station, prepare our meals and sleep in cabins or tents. We put into practice everything we learned at camp and we have a lot of fun while doing it.

Transportation (vans), 3 meals (Thursday night dinner, Friday morning breakfast and lunch, plus snacks), and housing (cabins with bunk beds) are provided. Campers will have to bring their own sleeping bags, or bedding. Campers can also bring personal tents if they prefer. This camp has an enrollment of 12 students and 2 instructors, plus auxiliary staff.
  • Day camp at UC Davis: Monday-Wednesday, July 13-15 (9:00 am-3:00 pm each day); Overnight camp: departs from UC Davis on Thursday, July 16 (9:00 am) and returns to UC Davis on Friday, July 17 (5:00 pm)
  • Overnight camp will be at UC Sagehen Creek Field Station near Truckee, CA.
Offerings
Week 4 BBCCT4July 13 - 17 

Bio Boot 2.0 (Grades 10–12)

Applications for 2026 are available here!
​​​​​​Modified schedule, see below

$1200

Together the Bohart Museum of Entomology, UCD Museum of Wildlife & Fish Biology, and Campus Recreation launched Bio Boot Camp 2.0 in 2013 after much enthusiasm from Bio Boot Campers who graduated out of the junior high program. The camp spans 7 days and 6 nights, so Sunday at 11:00 am to Saturday at 2:00 pm. Pick-up and drop-off will be at the museums on the UC Davis Campus. The first day the students drive up to the mountains in vans to get to know the ecology of the Sierra and each other and settle in at the UC Berkeley's Sagehen Creek Field Station outside of Truckee, CA . There the campers will conduct a group project and mini individual project and explore the area and discuss college and career paths. However, this is still camp, so there are wandering hikes, an exploration to Lake Tahoe, silly games, and a lots of fun throughout. We will be stopping at the UC Davis campus on Friday for part of the day before traveling to UC Davis Quail Ridge Field Station outside of Winters, CA for the last night of camp. Campers will get to compare the Sierra Mountains to the Central Valley, prepare for their presentations and have their costumed dinner party. Transportation (vans), housing (cabins for 6 nights and open "safari" group tents for the last night) and food will be provided (we do our best to accommodate diverse dietary needs), but campers will be expected to help prepare group meals and clean-up after themselves. This camp has an enrollment of 10 students and 3 instructors, plus auxiliary staff.

  • Overnight camp Sunday, June 21 (11:00 am) to Saturday, June 27 at (2:00 pm)
  • Overnight camp will be at UC Sagehen Creek Field Station near Truckee, CA and UC Quail Ridge Field Station near Winters, CA.
  • Campers must have their own way of getting to and from Davis, CA, where the camp begins and ends.
Offerings
Week 1BBCTT1June 21 - 27

Vet Med Camp High School

Brought to you by the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine

Vet Med Camp High School (Grades 9-12)

*Requires Additional Van Transport*

👉 Note: specific grade range

👉 Note: Campers may NOT be over the age of 17 at the time of programming

Applications for summer 2026 are now closed!
8:30 am – 3 pm
$350

This week-long academy is intended for high school students with a strong interest in the field of veterinary medicine. The program is a combination of short lectures, labs, facility tours, and hands-on activities. Participants will have an opportunity to use instruments utilized by professionals in the field while learning about a variety of different animals and specialty areas from UC Davis Veterinarians and Veterinary students.

*Disclaimer* Due to the current outbreak of Avian Flu some field trips may need to be cancelled. We will reach out by email as soon as we're made aware of a cancellation.

Offerings
Week 5VETMH5July 20 - 24

*NOTE: Week 2 (June 29 - July 3) will NOT have camp programming scheduled for July 3rd. The price will be prorated during registration.