Summer Camp Adventures for Teens in Utah

Utah is a real land of nature lovers. Craggy, red canyons and rushing rivers and streams, The Great Salt Lake, crystal clear mountain lakes, mountain peaks covered with snow, and valleys filled with wildflowers make it one of the most intriguing states in the "lower 48." There are also camps of all sorts where kids can have summer adventures, build their self-confidence, and have loads of fun in their summer off.

http://www.cottonwoodgulch.org/ Cottonwood Gulch summer camp specializes in, "adventure, archaeology, and ecology." As such it's really a teaching camp where kids have fun learning things that we sometimes think of as relegated to the classroom. It's really a learning-through-experiencing affair, where kids experience community living out in the wilderness for some weeks. They focus on the southwestern mountains because they offer real ruggedness and a range of wild animals and flora that thy teach youngsters to live with in harmony, as the native Indians did for centuries. During July and August the group travels the area, setting up temporary camps in old mining towns, in canyons, and ruin sites. There they study the flora and fauna of the area and learn high ecological standards of camping. There are different levels of challenge, the most costly being a 6-wk. "mountain challenge, costing almost $4,000. Like Outward Bound camps, this one is geared to build stamina, respect for nature and the elements, and self-reliance. (800) 2-Go-Trek