EXTENDED HOURS: We will once again be offering before and after care programming from 8AM-9AM and 4PM-5PM for an additional cost of $25 per week for before-care and $25 per week for after-care. This service will be provided at no cost for our participants on scholarship. Please indicate your preferences when you register your camper.
MORE FOR OLDER YOUTH: Does your high schooler love camp but feels too old to be a camper? Check our PAID Outdoor Leadership Internship Program!
Join Camp Wa-Ya for a week-long overnight program as we kayak or backpack through some of Washington’s most beloved locations. Our trips are great for beginners and require no prior experience! Our instructors are experienced leaders and trained as Wilderness First Responders. We have scholarships available and are able to provide gear to participants upon request.
Each Adventure Camp is a 5-day program focused on outdoor adventure and environmental stewardship. You will spend your first day on-site in Olympia learning and practicing the skills you’ll need for your trip and developing your route and meal plan for your journey. Then for 4 days and 3 nights you’ll embark on either a kayaking or backpacking adventure!
Kayak through the Puget Sound exploring the intertidal ecosystem and spectacular areas of the San Juan Islands or South Sound. Backpack in the awe-inspiring Cascade Range or Olympic mountains, while learning about environmental leadership, outdoor skills, and forest ecology. Let nature be your teacher and unlock your potential in the outdoors!
Ready to dip your toes into an overnight camping adventure? Hope Island Adventure is a great trip for first-timers! We’ll spend our first day on-site in Olympia practicing kayak skills and safety and learning Leave No Trace principles, camping and packing skills, and developing the route and meal plan for our adventure. Then, for 3 days and 2 nights we’ll embark on a kayak adventure to Hope Island Marine State Park, one of the South Sound’s best marine campgrounds. We will explore the intertidal ecosystems and identify organisms of the island and surrounding inlets. This shorter trip is perfect for our younger participants who want a taste of sea kayaking before joining our San Juan Island trip.
Previous kayaking experience is not required. Campers will be provided a required gear list at least one week prior to the trip; we are able to loan most gear to participants for the trip upon request.
Join us on the Salish Kayak Adventure for a week-long program focused on sea kayaking, outdoor skills, and ocean ecology. We will spend our first day on-site in Olympia learning Leave No Trace principles, camping and packing skills, and developing the route and meal plan for our adventure. Then, for 4 days and 3 nights we’ll embark on a kayak adventure in the beautiful San Juan Islands. We will practice kayak skills and safety at Deception Pass State Park and then head out to Cypress Island to explore the breathtaking views of the surrounding sea cliffs and have the chance to spot abundant wildlife such as seals, whales, birds, and tidepool critters!
Previous kayaking experience is not required. Campers will be provided a required gear list at least one week prior to the trip; we are able to loan most gear to participants for the trip upon request.
On the Cascades Backpacking Adventure, we will spend our first day on-site in Olympia learning Leave No Trace principles, camping and packing skills, and developing the route and meal plan for our adventure. Then, for 4 days and 3 nights we’ll set out on a backpacking adventure to learn about outdoor leadership, wilderness survival, and alpine ecology. Each week Camp Wa-Ya will explore a different location in areas such as the Goat Rocks Wilderness, Olympic National Park, and Alpine Lakes Wilderness.
Previous backpacking experience is not required. Campers will be provided a required gear list and detailed itinerary at least one week prior to the trip; we are able to loan most gear to participants for the trip upon request.
Join Camp Wa-Ya for a week (or more) of fun in the Olympia area. Each camp starts and ends at Tumwater Historical Park and runs from 9am-4pm (extended care is available for an additional cost). Campers spend their time exploring the forests, mountains, and waterways of the South Sound on a different adventure each day. See each camp’s description for activities and field trips.
Check out these programs that can only be found at Camp Wa-Ya!
In Native Nature, campers will explore Native culture and its connection to the natural world. Campers will learn how Native people use objects from nature to heal, practice their traditional beliefs, and survive. They will learn Native songs, games and stories with special instruction from tribal members from the northwest, southwest, eastern, and plains cultures. Finally, campers will connect with the use of traditional ecological knowledge in science and natural resources.
If you can’t decide which session to sign up for because they all look so great, then the Best of Wa-Ya is for you! During this week of fun, we’ll visit our favorite activities and locations while exploring indigenous culture, ecological science, and adventure skills. This action-packed session includes hiking, kayaking, and exploration in forest ecology, marine science, and outdoor skills. So pick up a paddle, strap on your pack, and let’s go!
Are you ready to take the next step in your Wa-Ya journey? Join us for Adventure Time! During the week, we'll explore the hidden gems of the Olympia area, and then on Thursday we'll head to Millersylvania State Park for an overnight camping trip and two days of hiking, swimming, boating, and playing. Campers will stay in tents in a campsite with basic comforts and will cook meals together and enjoy time around the campfire and exploring the night sky. This is a great first-time camping experience (and will also be fun even if you've camped before)!
Previous camping experience is not required. Campers will be provided a required gear list at least one week prior to the trip; we are able to loan most gear to participants for the trip upon request.
From majestic mountains to lush forests to rugged shores, western Washington provides a landscape worth exploring. In Wa-Ya’s hiking-themed camp, campers will study the ecology of a range of ecosystems from alpine mountains to coastal forests while learning the basics of hiking, mountaineering, and leave no trace principles.
In Pathfinders, campers will travel to a new park each day to hike, investigate, and prowl through South Sound forests. We’ll (safely) observe some of the animals that live here with a visit to Northwest Trek Wildlife Park and discover how to observe and identify native plants and how to create art from nature. During the week campers will engage in nature connection and reflection activities, while guest speakers teach about conservation.
No one truly plans to be in a survival situation, but Wa-Ya’s survival camps will build confidence in your abilities to thrive and fend for yourself in the wild.
In Survival 1, campers will learn the foundations of how to survive in the wild, including the basics of fire and shelter building, orienteering, wilderness first aid, and Leave No Trace (LNT) principles and safety. When we are not focusing on survival tactics, we will be exploring the forest and using scientific methods to pursue our curiosities. Campers will gain a basic understanding of wildlife identification and tracking, as well as edible and medicinal plants of the Pacific Northwest.
Everyone is welcome to Survival 2! We will focus on the same topics as Survival 1, but with more advanced learning and activities for the older age group. No previous experience is necessary and returning campers will have the chance to build on their knowledge and skills.
Campers will learn and practice the foundations of how to survive in the wild, including the basics of fire and shelter building, orienteering, wilderness first aid, and Leave No Trace (LNT) principles and safety. When we are not focusing on survival tactics, we will be exploring the forest and using scientific methods to pursue our curiosities. Campers will gain a basic understanding of wildlife identification and tracking, as well as edible and medicinal plants of the Pacific Northwest.
In Geo Quest, campers will hike and scramble up hills and down streambanks to uncover the geological wonders of the Pacific Northwest. We’ll explore nearby landscapes like Mima Mounds and Bayshore Preserve and spend two days learning and practicing rock climbing skills with experienced instructors from the Mountaineers. This camp rocks!
The unique biodiversity of Puget Sound provides an ideal classroom that changes with the tides and seasons. In Wa-Ya’s kayak-themed camps, campers will study the ecology of our marine and freshwater ecosystems while learning the basics of kayaking, water safety, and water awareness.
During Intertidal Adventures, campers will explore all aspects of the Olympia area’s marine and freshwater ecosystems. They will investigate creatures of the deep through tide pools and touch tanks, get up close and personal at Point Defiance Aquarium, and learn the basics of sea kayaking as we explore local lakes, Budd Bay, and the surrounding waters.
In Marine Explorers, campers will take a deeper dive into the aquatic worlds around Olympia. They will examine the life cycle of salmon, explore nearby tidepools, and learn how to collect samples and analyze data to help local scientists. Campers will go sea kayaking on local lakes, Budd Bay, and the surrounding waters, and will take a field trip to the Point Defiance Aquarium.
At the end of the week, we will embark on a kayak journey to Hope Island to explore and identify organisms on and around the island. (Please note this extended day trip is dependent on tides, weather, and group behavior).