THINK OUTSIDE
Welcome to YMCA Camp Santa Maria, a traditional overnight camp located on more than 1,000 beautiful acres near Bailey, Colorado. We are a mid-sized camp that provides children ages 6-17 with outdoor adventures, resilience-nurturing experiences, support from a welcoming camp community, new skills and countless moments of fun, silliness and smile-inducing joy.
YMCA Camp Santa Maria is a Colorado overnight camp less than a 2-hour drive from the Denver area, Boulder, Loveland, Longmont, Golden and Colorado Springs, offering campers a wide range of experiences. From roasting s’mores to epic hikes to backpacking and learning outdoor skills to stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking, our campers become immersed in the community and culture of our mountain summer camp. Songs, chants and dance parties included!
MORE THAN FUN AND GAMES
Overnight camp is about fun. However, it’s not just fun. Counselors work to nurture campers’ knowledge and abilities throughout the summer by teaching them survival skills, music, drama, archery and much, much more. Kids are given a chance to take risks in a safe environment and with a community to support them along the way. And it’s not just kid stuff. From adventure camps that take campers down whitewater rapids to leadership camps that give teens a chance to guide others, camp can be a powerful way to provide young adults with mentors, confidence-building exercises and active time.
2024 CAMPS
Explorers (Ages 6-8): This mini camp is an epic introduction to overnight camp with a smaller camper-to-staff ratio. June 30-July 3
Traditional Camp (Ages 7-16): Traditional camps offer a classic sleep-away camp experience (think archery, hikes, crafts, swimming and more). Campers select either mountain adventure or waterfront options.
Outdoor Adventure Camps (Ages 10-16): Outdoor adventure camps participate in traditional activities — campfires, Breakfast of Champions, all-camp activities and more — while also enjoying their selected specialty: either backpacking or climbing.
Teen Expedition Camps (Ages 14-17): Our two-week expedition programs take campers on off-camp adventures that leave them with new skills, more confidence and life-long memories and friendships. There are two TEC options: backpacking and whitewater.
Leadership Programs (Ages 14-17): Our leadership programs give young people the tools, opportunities and mentors to evolve and grow as leaders in our welcoming camp community. There are five leadership program options: Junior Leader-In-Training, Leader-In-Training, Counselor-In-Training, Guide-In-Training (new!) and Intern.
