Summer Camps 2008
NOTE: To reach the naturalist staff call 301-972-5991.
To make registration easier
Make note of the course # and register at ParkPASS.
Babes in the Park
A nature camp for young children ages 2-5 and their parent. We'll learn about the natural world through crafts, stories, & hikes. Meet at the Visitor Center. Bring water & a bag lunch, also dress for the outdoors. Adult must register with child; no fee for adult. Naturalist: L.Lenz FOBH $80/$85
Earthkeepers Camp
Calling young nature lovers! Join a Naturalist &explore our park's three habitats: the forest, the lake, and the meadow. Through crafts, games, stories & hands-on activities, we'll learn how to help take care of Mother Earth. We'll be outside part of the class, so dress for the weather. Light snack provided; please bring water. Ages: 4 – 6 yrs. Naturalist: L. Lenz FOBH: $80.00/$85
Fishing Camp for Youth
Mandatory Tackle Check:
Mandatory Skill-Building Session:
It's fun... it's adventurous... it's Fishing Camp! We'll teach you how, when and where to catch freshwater fish, & provide expert, hands-on instruction on balanced tackle, live bait, artificial lure selection, knots, casting, & the latest techniques. Camp cost includes two mandatory evening classes that meet before the four-day camp begins: Evening Class #1 (6/18): Meet at Dick's Sporting Goods at the Rio Center in Gaithersburg, where we'll walk through the tackle department for an overview of available equipment, check out your tackle & make recommendations, go over knots & hook sharpening, paint jigheads, & more. We'll also give you the camp itinerary and list of necessary camp materials at this session. Evening Class #2 (6/20): Meet at Black Hill Regional Park Visitor Center, where we'll cover topics such as reading the waters, casting, back-reeling, basic lures & techniques. All participants will receive tackle packs (a $25 value!) filled with lures chosen especially for this area, & a free 'Fishing Resource Notebook' packed with valuable fishing tips & info! Van transportation each day to fishing sites also provided. Instructors: Naturalists: G. Cumings & K. Umbarger, with volunteer adult anglers. Ages: 11 – 17 yrs. FOBH $170/$175
Geology Camp for Youth
If you've ever marveled at a rock, mineral, gem or fossil, and wondered what treasure lies below your feet, this is the camp for you! We combine fun, adventure & learning in a series of field trips to locations that highlight the region's amazing geology. Our travels will take us to: The White Rocks of the Catoctin Mountains (formed from a lava flow of molten rock!); Point of Rocks, MD to see rock shelters & lizards basking in the sun; Calvert Cliffs (below Brownie's Beach) to go fossil collecting for ancient shark, porpoise and crocodile teeth, shells and whale bones; Appalachian Mountains, to Seidling Hill Road - the largest slice into the rock layers of the earth in the eastern U.S.; U.S. Silica Mine at Berkeley Springs, WV to find trilobites, crinoids, brachiopods & sponges: Rockville Crushed Stone Quarry to collect rock and mineral treasures, & see first-hand how rock is removed, crushed, sized, & made into products that support our community. You'll receive a FREE geology notebook pack with rock, mineral & fossil info to take home with you, too. Rock on & rock out with us! Ages: 12 – 17 yr. Naturalist: G. Cumings FOBH $170/$175
River Adventures Kayak Camp
Kayaking is even more fun than it looks,and it looks really fun! Beginner paddlers will learn basics needed forsuccessful kayaking on flatwater & in gentle river waters in our Kayaking Camp. We'll cover equipment, safety considerations, basic strokes, entries and exits (wet and dry), boat control, self-rescue, how to read the water, river hazards, safe transport of kayaks, knots and hitches, characteristics & uses of kayaks and kayaking equipment and more, using American Canoe Association (ACA)- approved instructional manuals and ACA-certified kayak instructors. We'll spend our first day at Black Hill Regional Park and on Little Seneca Lake, learning how to kayak on flatwater; then spend the other three full days kayaking on local rivers (Class I moving water). No program on Wednesday, so you (and our staff!) can rest. Camp fee Includes transportation (using our van and kayak trailer) to & from Black Hill Regional Park, kayak rental, personal floatation devices (PFDs), & all other necessary equipment. You must be able to swim, wear clothes you don't mind getting wet, & bring water shoes or strap-on sandals, a brimmed hat, sunglasses with a keeper strap, and sunscreen. Ages: 12 – 17 yrs. Naturalists: K. Umbarger, L. Lenz, S. Radov & G. Cumings FOBH $170/$175.
Date of last page update: February 14, 2008
