2024 Nature Camps
Camp Forms:
If your child(ren) is registered for a 2024 Nature Camp, please see the permission forms button below to complete your camper(s) forms and email them to us at julie@highlandsbiological.org by May 10, 2024. You may also drop your forms off at the Highlands Nature Center (930 Horse Cove Road) during spring hours: Fridays & Saturdays, 10 AM – 4 PM.
Important Information
We’re gearing up for a wonderful summer full of camps at the Highlands Nature Center, and we hope your camper will be able to join us!
Nature Camps will be held weekly between June and August 2024 for children ages 5 to 13 years. Each camp runs for four days (Tuesday – Friday), and they are a wonderful way for kids to connect to nature, foster an appreciation for the environment, and learn about the many things that make the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau so unique.
Registration
Members of the Highlands Biological Foundation (HBF) will have access to early registration for Nature Camps. Camp registration for HBF members will open Monday, February 26th at 10 AM. Registration will be available to non-members on Monday, March 4th. Our main means of communication for camps and registration is email, so be sure you are subscribed to our email list (click the button above to subscribe). If you are subscribed but do not receive our email communications in your inbox, please check your spam folder. If you have trouble or need to check on the status of your membership, please call our office at 828.526.2221. Donations to HBF of $30 or more come with a complimentary membership which will give you the camp benefit listed above. Click HERE to make a donation today.
Please note: Membership does not guarantee a spot in camp. Camps fill quickly! Once registration opens, register as soon as possible for the best chance to get a spot. If the camp you want is full, we encourage you to join the waitlist.
Cancelation/ Refund Policy
- If you cancel your camp registration 30 days prior to the start of your camp, you are eligible for a full refund. If you need to cancel your camp registration, you may choose to have your camp fees converted to a donation to HBF.
- If you cancel 30 to 14 days prior to the start of your camp, you are eligible for a 50% refund.
- If you cancel within less than 14 days prior to the start of your camp, you are not eligible for any refund.
- Membership fees are non-refundable.
- Membership is subject to verification. If you register as a member but do not have current qualifying membership, your registration is subject to cancellation and your fees refunded, minus a 20% administrative fee.
- No refunds for missed days of camp.
- To cancel your registration, please contact Julie Thomson at julie@highlandsbiological.org
Scholarship Opportunities
A limited amount of need-based scholarships are available thanks to the generosity of Cullasaja Women’s Outreach. To inquire about eligibility, please email winter@highlandsbiological.org or call 828.526.2221
Special Needs
Our primary goal is providing safety and a positive camp experience for all. Camp staff is unable to provide one-on-one supervision for a special needs situation, but we would be happy to assist the family in making those arrangements with a care facilitator of your choice. Parents/Guardians are asked to discuss this need with our Education Specialist, Julie Thomson, prior to registration at julie@highlandsbiological.org
Available Nature Camps (in order by age)
We understand that our camps fill quickly. This season, we have adjusted our camp lineup to include sessions for 5-7 year olds every week of our camp season.
Ages 5 – 7 (rising K to rising 2nd):
Buggy Bonanza
Ages: 5 – 7 (rising K to rising 2nd)
Dates for camp 1: June 4 – June 7 | 9am – 12pm | FULL – join waitlist HERE
Dates for camp 2: June 25 – June 28 | 9am – 12pm | FULL – join waitlist HERE
Dates for camp 3: July 9 – July 12 | 9am – 12pm | FULL – join waitlist HERE
Cost: $120 per child
Embark on a journey on the near and small to meet our insect friends! Learn how to identify insects found in the garden, and how they make themselves at home in our own backyards.
Nature Sensing
Ages: 5 – 7 (rising K to rising 2nd)
Dates for camp 1: June 11 – June 14 | 9am – 12pm | FULL – join waitlist HERE
Dates for camp 2: July 16 – July 19 | 9am – 12pm | FULL – join waitlist HERE
Dates for camp 3: July 30 – August 2 | 9am – 12pm | FULL – join waitlist HERE
Cost: $120 per child
Follow your nose to explore the natural world! We will participate in games, explorative hikes, and activities to heighten our sense, and awareness, of the natural world.
Plant Paradise
Ages: 5 – 7 (rising K to rising 2nd)
Dates for camp 1: June 18 – June 21 | 9am – 12pm | FULL – join waitlist HERE
Dates for camp 2: July 2 – July 5 | 9am – 12pm | FULL – join waitlist HERE
Dates for camp 3: July 23 – July 26 | 9am – 12pm | FULL – join waitlist HERE
Cost: $120 per child
What’s a plant, anyway? Join us to learn about their life cycles, what they’re made of, and learn how we depend on each other through hikes and crafts!
Ages 8 – 10 (rising 3rd to rising 5th):
Wilderness Walkers
Ages: 8 – 10 (rising 3rd to rising 5th)
Dates for camp 1: June 4 – June 7 | 9am – 2pm | FULL – join waitlist HERE
Dates for camp 2: June 25 – June 28 | 9am – 2pm | FULL – join waitlist HERE
Cost: $200 per child
Uncover the secrets of surviving in the wild! Practice “Leave No Trace” principles, construct shelters, and sample wild edible plants.
Aquatic Adventures
Ages: 8 – 10 (rising 3rd to rising 5th)
Dates for camp 1: June 11 – June 14 | 9am – 2pm | FULL – join waitlist HERE
Dates for camp 2: July 16 – July 19 | 9am – 2pm | FULL – join waitlist HERE
Cost: $200 per child
Take a plunge into the wonderful world of water! Learn about the water cycle, splash in a creek, and conduct scientific studies to learn about the animals who call it home.
Nature Tales
Ages: 8 – 10 (rising 3rd to rising 5th)
Dates for camp 1: July 2 – July 5 | 9am – 2pm | FULL – join waitlist HERE
Dates for camp 2: July 23 – July 26 | 9am – 2pm | FULL – join waitlist HERE
Cost: $200 per child
Ever wonder what stories the land has to tell you? This summer, take time to venture into the wilderness and experience them for yourself! We’ll go on daily “Voyages of Discovery,” conduct habitat studies, and record our memories through nature journaling.
Ages 11 – 13 (rising 6th to rising 8th):
Appalachian Investigators: Beautiful Biomes
Ages: 11 – 13 (rising 6th to rising 8th)
Dates: June 18 – June 21 | 9am – 4pm | Register HERE
Cost: $300 per child
Explore the connections that give rise to the tapestry of life here at the Highlands Biological Station! Discover how each living organism connects itself to the planet, each other, and to us.
This camp will wrap up with an exploration hike at Jones Gap!
Appalachian Investigators: Secrets of the Earth
Ages: 11 – 13 (rising 6th to rising 8th)
Dates: July 9 – July 12 | 9am – 4pm | Register HERE
Cost: $300 per child
Take part in scientific explorations in our Botanical Garden to uncover some of the mysteries that comprise the planet! Learn how the mountains came to be through its geologic history and how that history created one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet.
This camp will wrap up with a tour of sacred Cherokee mounds!
Appalachian Investigators: Wonderous Waters
Ages: 11 – 13 (rising 6th to rising 8th)
Dates: July 30 – August 2 | 9am – 4pm | Register HERE
Cost: $300 per child
Learn about how this key element shapes and defines our lives on planet Earth! Test the waters to see how we influence its quality and how we impact the organisms who call them home.
This camp will wrap up with a kayaking excursion on the Little Tennessee River!