Summer 2026 Science Camp Offerings Below!
*ALL 2026 SESSIONS FULL, WAITLIST AVAILABLE*
**To give more children a chance to attend, campers may register for only one week, though they may join waitlists for additional sessions.**
2026 Registration Information:
We’re making summer camp registration simpler and more efficient! Instead of a lottery, we are moving to a first-come, first-served system with priority registration periods for our K-9 summer programs: Children of RMBL community; past program participants, and local families get early access before spots open to the general public.
We ask families to register during the period that accurately reflects their eligibility. RMBL reserves the right to deny registrations submitted outside the appropriate period. This helps us keeps our system running smoothly.
Science Camp Registration Periods (open at 8am MST on the following start dates):
- Feb. 1–14: RMBL Community (family members of RMBL scientists, staff, or others closely connected to RMBL)
- Feb. 15–28: Past RMBL Youth Programs participants
- March 1–15: Gunnison County full-time residents (children attend GWSD, Lake City Community School or are full-time homeschooled in the county)
- March 16–Ongoing: General public
This new approach makes it easier for everyone to secure their preferred sessions while keeping the process transparent and efficient. We can’t wait to welcome campers for a fun summer of science outside!
Scholarships: A limited supply of scholarship funds are available for the K-9 programs. If you need financial assistance, please complete the RMBL-Youth-Program-Scholarship-Application.
Science Camp is designed for students entering third, fourth and fifth grades in the fall of 2026. Science Camp is an outdoor-based program that will travel within Gothic and various trails on nearby public lands. Programs include outdoor exploration with an emphasis on the practices and process of science, as well as the application of varied technologies used in field science. Students in Science Camp spend more time hiking and participating in field research activities connected to RMBL scientists than do the younger students in Nature Camp. Camps are being offered in weekly, Monday-Thursday, daily sessions. Three different weekly themes are offered throughout the summer.
Camps are offered in weekly, Monday-Thursday daily sessions. Three different weekly themes will be offered throughout the summer. To give more children a chance to attend, campers may register for only one week, though they may join waitlists for additional sessions.
Program cost:
$600 per session, plus $25 non-refundable registration fee
Crested Butte, Gunnison and Lake City students– $550 per session, plus $25 non-refundable registration fee
*Limited partial scholarships are available and can be applied for when applying for camp sessions*
Program times:
9am-3pm Monday-Thursday (8:30am-3:30 drop off/pick up at CB 4-way or Mt. CB)
2026 Session Dates:
Session 1 June 15-18: RMBL Rocks
Session 2 June 29- July 2: RMBL Rocks
Session 3 July 6-9: Creatures of the East
Session 4 July 13-16: Creatures of the East
Session 5 July 20-23: RMBL: Behind the Science **Transportation offered from Gunnison in addition to CB
Session 6 July 27- 30: RMBL: Behind the Science
2026 Science Camp Theme Descriptions
RMBL Rocks: Travel through time at RMBL Rocks Science Camp! Explore Gothic’s past- from the indigenous people who lived here to early scientists studying plants and rocks. Discover how landscapes, plants, and animals have changed over millions of years and learn how modern science predicts the future. Campers will dig into geology, plate tectonics, snow science, crystal formations, and the power of weathering, erosion, and deposition. Through hands-on experiments and fun adventures, students will see how rocks shape ecosystems and uncover the amazing secrets hidden in the land, water, and snow. Along the way, campers will meet real RMBL scientists, hear about the challenges they face, and see how they explore and protect this magical place.
Creatures of the East: Join us for an investigative Creatures of the East River week at RMBL Science Camp, where 3rd–5th grade scientists dive into the ecology of one of Gothic’s most important mountain waterways! Campers will explore the East River’s dynamic ecosystem by studying aquatic insects, trout and other organisms that reveal the river’s health. Using real scientific techniques, like kick-net sampling, water-quality testing, habitat mapping, and species identification, campers will uncover how temperature, flow rate, and nutrient cycles shape river communities. As they examine food webs, investigate adaptations, and track how seasonal changes influence life in the water, young scientists will build the skills and curiosity needed to understand and protect mountain river ecosystems. It’s a week of discovery, data collection, and hands-on science along the banks of the East River!
RMBL: Behind the Science: Get ready for an adventure at RMBL Science Camp! This week, campers will explore what it takes to run a real scientific field station and see how different research projects are connected. Meet the amazing RMBL staff and discover all the ways they help scientists do their work- from collecting and storing important data to keeping the station running smoothly. Campers will get to see which buildings in Gothic are used during the winter, find out where research happens across the surrounding public lands, and learn how scientists use teamwork to study the natural world. Through hands-on activities and behind-the-scenes exploration, experience the excitement of science in action and see how curiosity, collaboration, and nature come together to make discovery possible!
Science Camp Weekly Feel and Daily Rhythm:
Science Camp contains a combination of structured and open-ended age and developmentally appropriate activities. As campers age into science camp, they start exploring and using the scientific process more deeply.
- Opening and closing circles help campers connect to our weekly and daily themes in the morning and reflect in the afternoon.
- Structure at the beginning of the day and end of the day and during transitions.
- Designated time exploring as a group throughout the day on hikes and in the designated youth programs cabin.
- Organized games, scientific inquiry, and reflection activities that introduce and reinforce the weekly themes.
- We try to make camp fun for everyone by asking participants to follow the RMBL community expectations of taking care of people and place.
Sample Science Camp Daily Schedule:
*note that activities will change based on weekly themes and field locations
8:30am- camper pick up at CB 4way
9am- camp begins– opening circle & name game in Gothic or at trailhead
9:30am- snack and start morning nature hike
9:45am- morning activity block on trail/in field (guest scientist field visits and natural history hikes with games)
12ish- lunch/free choice (nature journaling, games, exploring, etc.)
12:45pm- afternoon science inquiry activity block (in the field or in youth programs cabin)
2:30pm- snack/field games/closing circle
3pm- camp ends- Gothic camper pickup, load van, depart for CB
3:30pm- arrive at CB 4way for camper drop-off
