The Nature Vancouver Summer Camps are designed to foster sharing of experience, knowledge, and tasks to create a small community immersed in wilderness, hiking, birding, and botany opportunities. The Camp Committee organizes two annual summer camps running back to back. The camps are normally fully catered including meals that address dietary restrictions. Most participants use a tent although a few arrange lodging on their own at an additional cost. The majority of participants are middle aged to senior adults, but all age ranges are represented. Families are welcome in the second week. The minimum age for participation is 8 years old.

General information about our summer camps is available from the links below: PLEASE NOTE FOR THE 2026 CAMP THERE WILL BE A VERY DIFFERENT ITINERARY, NO TENT SET UP AND NO CHORES (except tidy up after yourself).

Itinerary      Camp Roles     Suggested Equipment        Camp Chores  

For more information about the camps, or suggestions for future camps and to help organize future camps, please contact Elena.K.NVcamp AT outlook.com

Future of Nature Vancouver Summer Camps

In 2024, The Camp Committee surveyed Nature Vancouver members to determine what types of changes may be necessary to attract new participants, maintain current ones and how members would feel about eliminating hired cooks. You can read a report of results from Membership Survey.

A Word About Food and Dietary Restrictions.

Our cooks are professionals.  Our menus strive to reduce waste yet provide enough for any appetite. There is always several choices for breakfast and lunch. Dinners are hot and hearty and accompanied by a dessert. At registration you will be asked if you have any dietary restrictions.  If so, a follow-up, five-minute survey will be sent to you.  Using that information, we ensure that there will be a satisfying meal available for you.  However, due to the cramped cooking quarters and buffet style meals we cannot guarantee there will not be some cross contamination.  If you have a serious dietary restriction such as Crohn’s disease, we suggest you consider if this is an appropriate event for your condition. 

Some Testimonials 

“I have always been impressed with the meals in our Summer Camps.  But the 2024 Camp far exceeded my expectations.  As someone that does not eat pork or any of its byproducts and who also does not drink alcohol, the thoughtfulness, organization and preparation that went into the menu for this camp was far more than I had expected.  There was even turkey bacon for me! which was a first.  Each meal was not only delicious but healthy.  There were even non-alcoholic drinks for some of us who do not drink alcohol.  I believe all effort was made to accommodate every dietary needs.  A special thank you to Teresa G. and everyone in her team for a job well done.” – Nashrah S.

“As a first time Nature Vancouver camper, and someone who really enjoys cooking, I was amazed and delighted with the quality, diversity, and bounty of delicious food that was served on this summer’s Manning Park trip.  I am both vegetarian, and lactose intolerant, and my dietary needs were met with genuine care and attention, and I ate very, very, very well during the entire trip.  It was such a treat to be camping in a beautiful setting, and enjoying meals prepared with such creativity, and flare by two professional cooks who put their heart and soul into every meal.” – Rudi L. 

2025 Summer Camp

Nature Vancouver summer camps are typically planned two years in advance.  The covid years put a cramp in this planning and the camp committee has been trying to play catchup ever since.  Despite our best efforts and many good suggestions we have not been able to fulfill our research needs on a camp for 2025.  The committee has decided to forgo a camp for 2025 and instead focus on the 2026 and 2027 camps. 

2026 Summer Camp

Something Very Different for 2026. One week only at Camp Potlatch, from Tuesday September 8, 2026 to Monday September 14, 2026. Registration opens January 15, 2026. More information coming soon.

 

Camp Committee

Chair: Diane Fast and Sally McDermott

Registrar: Elena Klein

Members:  Laura Cottle, Brian Livsey, Paul Vasicek, Vivian Neal, Gail Ross, Linda Rosas, Cindy Cooper and Ian Mcmeekin

Sub Committee members: Teresa Gagne, catering.

The Nature Vancouver Camp Committee is always looking for help with organizing future camps. We need members to take on various tasks that are required to plan and organize these camps. Join the main committee, or a sub committee. Click below for more information.  To contact the committee nv.campcommittee AT gmail.com

Past Summer Camps

Camps have been an important tradition since 1918, providing magical experiences for our members. Click below to view the complete list of past Nature Vancouver summer camps, an article published in Discovery – VNHS Summer Camps from the Beginning to Present by Kitty Castle and some historic photos. 

Camp Photos & Reports

The photos from past camps and /or lists of flora and fauna observed at these camps are available from the link below. 

The complete reports of all camps are published in Discovery. All the PAST ISSUES of DISCOVERY, Vol. 1 to Vol. 47 are available on line.