Yampa River Youth Camps
Friends of the Yampa and Colorado Mountain College Steamboat offer exciting youth river camps based on age and experience level. Younger campers get to explore the Yampa River in Steamboat Springs, Hayden, and Craig. Older campers have the opportunity to explore the Green River through the Gates of Lodore in Dinosaur National Monument.
2026 Youth River Camps
June 8-11 | June 15-18 | June 22-25 | June 29-July 2
Cost $450 with scholarships available
For youth entering 7-9th grade. No experience necessary.
IMPORTANT: Scholarships are first-come, first-served. To check availability, email outreach@friendsoftheyampa.com.
2026 Youth DINO River Camp
Mandatory Pre-Trip Course: 6-9pm July 15
Camp Dates: July 20-24
No cost with $400 refundable deposit
Overnight setting for students entering grades 10-12. Preference given to previous attendees of FOTY Youth River Camps.
*You must fill out the ‘Intent to Register’ form to be considered for this camp*
Youth River Camps
For youth entering 7-9th grade. Camps are limited to 12 students per camp.
Important dates:
Intent to Register: Feb. 15 – March 3
Pre-registration period: March 4-10
Open enrollment: March 11
When & Where:
There will be 4 camp sessions starting from different locations. All camps are Mon.-Thurs. from 9am-4pm:
June 8-11, Steamboat Springs, CO
June 15-18, Steamboat Springs, CO
June 22-25, Steamboat Springs, CO – FULL
June 29-July 2, Craig, CO
Discover your own backyard by embarking on a 4-day comprehensive river class on our stunning, wild and free, Yampa River!
No previous river experience is required to participate in this class. The main goal of this program is to empower youth to travel safely in whitewater river conditions while falling in love with one of the most important resources here in the Yampa Valley.
This class will create opportunities for the youth of Northwest Colorado to get their foot in the door with beginner river skills and local river knowledge. We are teaming up with Yampatika to add more environmental education on Tuesdays of the camp. Through river conservation and environmental education, youth will come away as agents of change and stewards to our local river and adjacent agricultural, public and private lands.
Basic raft guiding skills
– Reading water for recreation
– Identifying eddies
– Basic paddle strokes
– Knots
– Equipment knowledge
– Basic swiftwater rescue
– Safe navigation
and more…
River knowledge
– What makes a river?
– Cause of condition changes
– Leave No Trace Ethics
– Travel Techniques
– Identifying condition changes
– Western water issues
– Signs of a healthy river
Environmental & historical education
– Basic hydrology
– Geology
– Riparian ecosystems
– Water uses
– History of the Yampa River
– History of western water use
Cost & Scholarship Information
The cost is $450 per person for 4-day camp; we offer scholarships for 25% off, 50% off or the full cost of the camp based on need. Each camp has reserved spots for scholarship recipients.
Scholarship applications will be available through the Intent to Register Form from Feb. 15 to March 3. After pre-registration, responses to applications will occur on March 4, allowing registration to awarded applicants until March 10.
March 11 will be open registration for any unclaimed spots; registration at that point will be first-come, first-served.
At our discretion, Friends of the Yampa may open up more positions funded by scholarships if they find there is a need, so do not hesitate to apply. We will accept scholarship applications until the classes are full.
Please email outreach@friendsoftheyampa.com with further questions.
Registration
The Intent to Register Form will be open from Feb. 15 to March 3. After pre-registration, responses to applications will occur on March 4, allowing registration to awarded applicants until March 10.
March 11 will be open registration for any unclaimed spots; registration at that point will be first-come, first-served.
Due to the popularity of the FOTY and CMC Youth River Camps, we have had too many applications for slots and have utilized waitlists.
More Information
Difficulty: Class I-III whitewater
Locations: Where we float is largely dependent on river flows. We will try to stay as local as possible. Shuttle rides will be transporting everyone to put-in and takeout locations. Examples: Yampa River through Steamboat Springs, Morgan Bottom/Carpenter Ranch, Yampa River State Park, etc. There will also be a shuttle available from Steamboat Springs to Craig for the Craig camp. The new Yampa River Corridor Project — aka Craig whitewater park — has the potential to add exciting new water features depending on construction.
FAQs
- Will I lose my spot by applying for a scholarship and waiting to find out if I will get one?
We hold aside a few spots per camp for scholarship recipients. If you apply for a scholarship and do not receive any you are welcome to still apply at the full rate or try again next summer. Have any questions about our scholarships? Please reach out to outreach@friendsoftheyampa.com. - Will lunches be provided?
No, please have your child come prepared with lunches and snacks. Because your child will be outdoors and on the river the majority of the time it is advisable to have them bring either an insulated lunch box with an ice pack or non-perishable food items. Lunch will sometimes be enjoyed on the shoreline or on a raft so please use as little single-use plastics as possible to avoid trash in the river. - Is this a day camp or an overnight camp?
This is a day camp only. 9 am-4 pm every day unless otherwise noted. The DINO camp is an overnight camp. - Is river gear provided for?
We have partnered with our friends at Colorado Mountain College for these classes. CMC will provide PFD’s (life jackets), helmet, dry bag, transportation to and from the river, guides/instructors, boats, paddles, etc. Kids who attend will need to provide on river clothing including rain/splash jackets, lunch, water bottles, and other items. A full gear list will be provided to campers prior to the trip. - May I apply for the class out of Craig if I live in Steamboat Springs?
Yes! We do not limit any registrant based on where they live. By signing up for a class that requires commuting, you are doing it with the understanding they will be at the drop-off location by the start of class and be able to pick up your child in time. - What is your policy on refunds?
We have a tiered refund policy. Cancellations made 30 days before the classes will incur no fee, cancellations made at least 2 weeks ahead of time but under 30 days will incur a $100 cancellation fee, and classes canceled under 2 weeks will not receive a refund. Scholarship recipients will pay an equivalent percentage of registration when canceling. Full scholarship recipients will pay a deposit that will not be refunded if the spot is canceled within 30 days. There is a separate cancelation fee for DINO camp.
Any further questions? Please email outreach@friendsoftheyampa.com
Youth DINO River Camp
For youth entering 10-12th grade. Preference given to previous attendees of the FOTY Youth River Camps. This camp is overnight.
Important dates:
Camp dates: July 20-24
Intent to register period: April 17 to May 11
Mandatory pre-trip course: 6-9pm July 15, CMC Steamboat
- Planning for an overnight raft trip
- Leadership skills
- Meal prep
- Citizen science and river-based science
- Expedition mentality
- River safety
The DINO camp has a separate application process that will be open from April 17 to May 11. There is no registration fee for attending this DINO river experience thanks to generous support from the Iron Horse Family Foundation. Friends of the Yampa, Dinosaur National Monument, and Colorado Mountain College Steamboat strive to offer an experience unlike any other for high school youth to experience rivers in an overnight setting, learn about data collection and our natural river systems, and ponder their role in the future of their environment. Because we want to ensure an engaged and interested group, we ask that high school students and their parents put thought into their answers in the Intent to Register form.
Important deposit note for selected applicants
NOTE: Applicants who receive an invite to register will be asked to make a deposit of $400 to hold their spot. Because of the free nature of this program, we want to make sure people do not cancel at the last minute, which could potentially prevent another person from filling that spot. If you cancel less than 2 weeks before the camp start date, your deposit will be considered a donation to Friends of the Yampa, which will help pay for future DINO camps. All deposit returns will be initiated after campers and staff return from the trip.
Youth River Camps Photo Gallery
Thank you to the supporters of these camps:
