An Adventure-Filled, Nature-Rich Day at Chattanooga’s Best Outdoor Summer Camp

We asked our superstar camp leadership to tell us what just one day could look like at summer camp… and here’s what they came up with.

• 8:45 - Arrive at the Welcome Center, meet new friends, connect with old ones, and get to know each other as counselors help campers feel comfortable and welcome.

• 9:00- Head to base to drop off gear and get organized for a fun day of outdoor adventure

• 9:30 - Hike to the Siren Pond at the far south edge of Reflection Riding’s campus for a water and snack break and some downtime. Explore all nature has to offer on the way, from plants and trees, to birds and bugs, to fungi and lichens.

• 10:30 - Play Camouflage and learn all about the tricky ways animals stay hidden in nature. It’s like hide-and-seek, but the very best version of the game for nature nerds.

• 11:00 - Next up are outdoors skills that can serve our campers for a lifetime, from map orienteering to interactive games like Kids Lead the Way and Get Lost in the Woods

• 12:00 - break to get cleaned up, hydrate, and have lunch with friends outside… most kids prefer to have lunch in the area with the big boulders at our Nature Playscape, so we try to work it in throughout the week.

• 12:30 - This may be the very best part of the day as we meet all kinds of native animals, from watching Winnie the Barn Owl fly overhead, to seeing our American Red Wolves up close…  it’s Animal Encounter time!!

• 1:15 - Using inspiration from our Animal Encounters, campers and counselors get to work to make animal enrichment options like toys, boxes, and/or puzzles that keep the animals engaged, healthy, active, and well.

• 2:00 - We’re staying energized and hydrated with a quick water and snack break… who knows, some unexpected popsicles or ice cream might even make an appearance one day!

• 2:30 - Cool down during those summer afternoons with Water Play time… from sprinklers to puddles to hoses and water toys, campers will enjoy some free time to play in the water with friends during the heat of the day.

• 3:15 - Enjoy some dramatics and great acting with the Poison Dart Frog game as the day winds down and we head back to the Welcome Center.

• 3:45 - We’ll pack up all our belongings, check for missing items, clean up a little for the ride home, and head out for the evening… ready for a long sleep and another day at Chattanooga’s best outdoor summer camp again tomorrow!

We took a (very) informal poll, and here are a few of our camper’s favorite things:

• Mud Day is nearly every child’s favorite thing. Who doesn’t love getting dirty?

• Lots of kids learn to paddle on Lookout Creek with us every summer and love it!

• Hiking up Lookout Mountain, from Reflection Riding to Sunset Rock, is a big camper accomplishment each year. 

• Nature art projects are a regular favorite, like building fairy houses, solar prints, leaf rubbings, and rock painting, to name a few. 

• Outdoor experiences many of us adults take for granted, like climbing trees (which many kids have never done before), outdoor games, exploring our wetland areas, and participating in pond studies, really engage our campers.

• Animal Encounters, especially when a snake is involved, are always crowd-pleasers.

Join us for summer camp, and your kids will make nature memories to last a lifetime! Special thanks to Rock/Creek and Local3 News for sponsoring summer camp 2023!