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There's Something for Everyone!

A Variety of Options

Built specifically for youth, families, and adults, we offer an experience for everyone.

  • Day Camp
  • Overnight Camp
  • Adventure Trips
  • Leadership Training
  • Family Camp
  • Active Adult Camp
Youth Camps Family & Adult Camps

Camper Progression

Campers will get a chance to try new activities, but mastery of skills will take time. That is what we mean when we talk about progressive programs at CCO, your camper will try things out to see what they like, but then over the years they will build mastery of the programs they are most passionate about, while we intentionally building in our core values as part of the lessons.

Below is a snapshot of how we have set up the progression at camp to benefit your camper’s development with us.

Day Camp (ages 5-14)

Day Camp is our introductory program for campers ages 5-14. Day Camp welcomes campers for a day-long program of fun while being able to spend the night recharging at home. This program helps campers meet new friends, participate in summer camp activities, and prepare for overnight camp. 

NEXT: Mini Camp or Traditional Camp

Mini Camp (ages 7-12)

This is purposely designed to be 3 days/2 nights for those campers who have never spent the night away from home. They can get comfortable (and parents can see how they will react without their camper at home too) and meet new friends as they all get comfortable at camp. This beginner camp takes all the activities and shortens the time frame so campers can try a lot to see interests for future years at CCO.

NEXT: A full-week of camp!

Traditional Camp (ages 7-8)

Our youngest campers during the full-week option of traditional camp. These campers stay in lodges with heat and bathroom facilities inside the building. They do have choices of what activities they sign up for, and counselors will encourage them to choose what they want as opposed to what their friend is doing. These campers are starting at the beginner levels of most activities we offer unless they have received instruction elsewhere.

NEXT: Focusing in on skill mastery of their favorite program area. Also opening up at the next age group is rafting (9 year olds), two-week camp (11-13 year olds), and high ropes (12 year olds).

Traditional Camp (ages 9-12)

Our middle aged campers are moving up in the progression of activities. This means they will have better skill mastery and higher confidence in their own abilities. They will also be staying in our rustic cabins with a shared bathhouse that is separate from the cabin.

NEXT: Two-Week Camp, Challenger Camp and Adventure Trips.

Two-Week Camp (ages 10-14)

For those wanting more of camp at once, the two week program allows for more in-depth program skill development since the time frame is twice as long as traditional camp. Each week is different and there are some special activities that happen on the weekends and evenings separate from the rest of camp.

NEXT: Challenger Camp and Adventure Trips.

Challenger Camp (ages 13-14)

Challenger camp is for our teenagers and offers more freedom to choose activities with other teenagers. They have their own special camp out spot, they have a chance to talk with teens in the leadership programs to learn more about becoming a camp leader, and they have more flexibility in the schedule. This is a week long camp program.

NEXT: Adventure Trips, Wrangler-In-Training, Leader-In-Training and Trekker Trips.

Adventure Trips (ages 13-14)

These trips are one week long and differ depending on the trip. We have the straight forward trips like Backpacking, Kayaking, Rafting, and Horse Pack. Then we also have conglomerate trips like Fusion (mountain biking, climbing, and rafting) and Odyssey (mountain biking, climbing, rafting and backpacking). The campers start and end at CCO, but then spend the rest of the week out of camp exploring.

NEXT: Wrangler-In-Training, Trekker Trips, and Leaders-In-Training.

Trekker Trips (ages 14-17)

These are longer trips for the adventurous camper, typically ranging between 2 and 3 weeks. These trips will start and end at CCO, but then range from across the country (Wyoming, California, Utah, South Dakota) to International trips (Russia, Peru).

NEXT: Leaders-In-Training, Wrangler-In-Training, Specialist-In-Training, Wilderness Leadership, and Counselor-In-Training.

Wrangler-In-Training (ages 15-16)

Those interested in living a horse life will enjoy this program. The campers spend two weeks working and caring for the horses while helping lead lessons and trail rides. Even if not that in to horses, this is a great way to learn how to work with live animals around smaller campers as well as the safety and logistics of how this happens.

NEXT: Trekker Trips, Leaders-In-Training, Specialist-In-Training, Wilderness Leadership, and Counselor-In-Training.

Leaders-In-Training (ages 15-16)

This is the start of our leadership program. Campers will start the program with a 4 day/3 night backpacking trip in Rocky Mountain National Park. Once they return to camp, they will learn the basics of leadership through group activities, shadowing a cabin group, and volunteering at the day camp for an afternoon. The goal is to work with large groups to better handle instructions and build the confidence needed for the next stage.

NEXT: Specialist-In-Training, Backcountry Leadership Training, Wilderness Leadership, and Counselor-In-Training.

Specialist-In-Training (ages 16-17)

This is the next stage in leadership development. This program spends three weeks in specialized activities; rafting, backpacking, and mountain biking. They are building up how to intentionally build the campers up to work through back country situations and gain confidence in their outdoor ability.

NEXT: Wilderness Leadership and Counselor-In-Training.

Backcountry Leadership Training (ages 16-17)

This program is similar in design to the Specialist in Training, except it focuses in on backpacking through the backcountry. Campers will learn about Leave No Trace principles, backcountry risk management, group dynamics and development, and hard-skills specific to the activities on the trip. Campers will then spend four (4) days rafting the Upper Colorado River.

NEXT: Wilderness Leadership, Counselor-In-Training.

Wilderness Leadership (ages 16-18)

Wilderness Leadership is a 14-day backpacking trip into Wyoming to build confidence and backcountry skills. The campers will learn all about leading trips into the backcountry with campers or friends.

NEXT: Counselor-In-Training, Interview to be a staff member at CCO!

Counselor-In-Training (ages 16-18)

The culmination of our leadership program, these campers will spend one week backpacking in Rocky Mountain National Park. Once they return to CCO, they spend two weeks shadowing a cabin. By the end of their session, CIT’s will know the basics of being a counselor here at CCO. This will show the campers how to best deal with problem solving in small groups and with developmental characteristics between ages.

NEXT: Wilderness Leadership, Interview to be a staff member at CCO!

A Typical Day at Camp

Camp life includes mental, physical, and emotional stimulation so campers have the opportunity to discover new activities while following a flexible schedule.

Welcome to 

Camp Chief Ouray

Check-In Sunday

  • Meet Your Cabinmates
  • Camp Tour
  • Prepare for Our Time Together

Time to Adventure,
Explore & Grow

Monday - Saturday

  • Programs & Activities
  • New Friends
  • Skill Building & Discovery

Programs & Activities

At CCO, campers can try all activities and, over the years, build mastery of the programs they identify with while we intentionally build-in core values as part of the lessons. Activities include: 

  • Archery
  • Arts & Crafts
  • Birding
  • Camp Dance
  • Campfire
  • Camp-out Night
  • Canoeing
  • Ceramics
  • Climbing Wall
  • Drama
  • Fishing
  • Hiking
  • Low Ropes Course
  • Mad Science
  • Riflery
  • Sports & Games
  • Swimming
  • Talent Show
  • Teambuilding
  • +More

Your Camp Self is Your Best Self

Camp Chief Ouray is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of gender identity, race, faith, ability, and sexual orientation has the opportunity to reach their full potential with dignity. CCO is a place to be yourself, a place where diversity is celebrated.

Strategies to Strengthen Inclusion

YMCA of the Rockies puts Christian principles into practice through programs, staff, and facilities in an environment that builds healthy spirit, mind, and body for all. Our goal is to offer challenging experiences to build leaders through life-long skill development in a safe, imaginative, natural setting. We instill confidence through independence and interpersonal skills. We challenge our campers to discover their true selves.

CCO programs focus on our core values of Caring, Honesty, Respect, Responsibility, and Faith.

The YMCA of the Rockies will reach out to and welcome all people and organizations of goodwill and ensure that the rich gifts of diversity are reflected and respected at all levels.

We will serve a diverse population, inclusive of all people of goodwill. Reflecting our Christian Mission, we will be inclusive and welcoming of all people of goodwill. Our activities and facilities will be inclusive, accessible, and available to the diverse worldwide community we serve.

Camp Chief Ouray wants to make sure anyone who wants to be at summer camp has a way of attaining it. We do this in many ways; individual scholarships, partnerships with organizations, and third-party sponsors and donors.

We know costs are rising everywhere, and camp is no different. The move to offer more equitable pay for our camp counselor staff, combined with rising costs in the goods and services needed to offer a quality camp experience, has required us to raise our camp fees. Please do not let the cost of summer camp prevent your camper from an experience at CCO. Thanks to the continuous generous support of our donors, we are able to offer a variety of ways to help offset the cost of a week of summer camp for anyone interested.

For more information on our scholarships, visit this webpage. 

Camp Chief Ouray is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of gender identity, race, faith, ability, and sexual orientation has the opportunity to reach their full potential with dignity. CCO is a place to be yourself, a place where diversity is celebrated.  

At CCO, we create cabin groups based on gender identity. While overnight camp cabins remain divided by a binary gender identity, we understand that not all staff or campers fall into binary gender identities, and we welcome staff and campers across the gender spectrum. Our North Village and Woods Lodge are the cabin spaces for male-identifying campers and staff, and our South Village, Monarch Village, and Wild Bunkhouse are the cabin spaces for female-identifying campers and staff. We welcome campers and staff to choose which Village they feel most comfortable living in.

No matter the Village campers and staff choose to reside in, privacy and personal boundaries will remain an expectation. Campers will be fully supervised and always have trained staff members within hearing or sight of campers. All expectations about respect, modesty, civility, and boundaries apply, no matter what cabin or bathroom a person chooses to use. Every cabin is equipped with a private changing space. Each cabin or group is assigned at least two staff, and we maintain an appropriate adult to camper ratio in each cabin that corresponds to the gender identities of the residing campers.  

Diversity, equity, and inclusion training are integral for both full-time and seasonal staff at CCO. During our interview process, all applicants are asked questions about inclusion and how they feel they can make our CCO community a space of belonging for all people. Our seasonal staff training evolves every summer to address relevant topics, such as microaggressions, implicit bias, and restorative justice practices. Seasonal staff training is also focused on how to watch for red-flag behaviors or those straying from policy, including how to report these behaviors to supervisors.

There are many factors that contribute to having a positive camp experience. Campers must be:

Age 5 to 18 (5 for Day Camp, 7 for Overnight Camp) to participate in CCO programming 
Able to function with a 1 to 5 counselor to camper ratio 
Able to take care of their own personal hygiene independently (getting dressed, showering, keeping track of belongings, etc.) 
Able to handle the physical demands of summer camp, including walking between activities (up to two miles at a time and including steep hills), being outside for most of the day, etc. Summer Camp days are much more physical and longer than school days. 
Willing and able to participate in a group setting (able to transition among activities with group, follow instructions from staff, remain with the group, take turns, ask for help). 
Able to adapt to the summer camp environment—at times it can be loud, we spend time in large groups, and it’s fast-pace
Capable of maintaining effective mental, emotional, physical and social interactions and boundaries with self, campers, and staff. 
Able to interact effectively with individuals and groups respecting social and cultural diversity 
(For Overnight Camp): able to share personal space with at least 10 other people; able to sleep in a group setting. Nighttime routines can be done in a non-home setting. 

Join The CCO Community

Register Work at CCO Scholarships