Idaho is home to the Rocky Mountains and numerous national parks and forests, which make it an excellent destination for summer holidays. There are several top-notch Idaho summer camps where you can sign up your kids for various fun activities.
With its scenic landscape that offers a zillion outdoor pursuits that can be fun for the children, you can choose programs based on their interests in this western part of the United States. From sports camps to bible camps, summer camps allow campers to explore their passion while staying active.
We’ve compiled this list of the best summer camps in Idaho along with everything they offer, so you can find the most suitable one for your children. Most summer camps typically start in May or June, so you’ll still have plenty of time to decide until then!
1. MiVoden
Situated on the shore of Hayden Lake in Idaho, MiVoden offers a wide range of programs for participants ages 8 to 17 on top of the beautiful scenery in the surroundings. Their Christian summer camps are suitable for anyone who wants to combine outdoor activities with their spiritual well-being.
MiVoden has three options based on the type of activities and participants: Base Camps, Ultimate Camps, and Family Camps. The latter is perfect if you’re looking for quality time to spend the school holiday with your kids, as you will have a week full of family-friendly activities and classes with a campfire by the end of each day.
Meanwhile, your children can also attend a 7-day stay at MiVoden’s Base and Ultimate Camps, where they can mingle with others while doing a wide range of things, from trekking to learning outdoor survival skills and admiring Idaho’s scenic views! They also offer other specialty camps in equestrian, wakeboarding, and white water rafting.
2. Hodia
Founded by Don Scott, Hodia started its first operation in 1978 with the aim of giving a safe space for children with diabetes to gather and share friendships while enjoying a traditional summer camp experience.
While Hodia has now expanded, kids can still join the Hodia Buddy Camp designated for them while also allowing them to meet others with similar experiences. There are two venues for the camp at Hodia, and participants can join either the one at Magic Valley or Treasure Valley.
Hodia also offers subsidized fees for local participants from the state, as well as the residents in Western Wyoming and Eastern Oregon. In addition, Hodia offers a list of other choices designated for kids ages 5 to 14 with their Kids, Junior, and Shooting Stars Day Camp! Participate in everything from snowboarding to arts and crafts and hiking.
3. Camp Sanders
Camp Sanders lets campers and families enjoy a stay in the picturesque area of southern Benewah County.
In this rural part of Idaho, those who have finished their 2nd grade can participate in the full-day camp. Meanwhile, students who have completed 3rd and 5th grade can sign up for the resident camp, where they stay at the premises for 3 nights to join the fun activities with fellow peers and their mentors!
Alternatively, their family camp includes a 5-day non-denominational Christian adventure where you can participate in various family-friendly programs and activities alongside them. The accommodations include large dorms and cabins with all meals included.
4. Camp Ida-Haven
If you’re looking for a fun summer camp with Christian values, Camp Ida-Have in McCall covers all that, along with arts and sports activities. They have six different overnight camps divided by age groups. Every year, Camp Ida-Haven also hosts a week-long retreat.
From digital photography classes to mountain biking, Camp Ida-Haven can keep boys and girls ages 8-15 occupied during the summer. Idaho is home to many biking trails for scenic rides, and you won’t find any shortage of trails at Camp Ida-Haven!
Parents can pay additional fees for things like jet skiing and model rocketry, but there is more than enough to do already without them, like canoeing, rock climbing, and drama.
5. Camp Sawtooth
Surrounded by the Sawtooth mountain range in the city of Ketchum, Camp Sawtooth offers a picturesque view in their 4-day camp. Participants can play and learn in a Christian environment. From outdoor games to evening campfires, boys and girls can connect with their Christianity in a fun and engaging way!
As a ministry under Kendall and Boise Presbytery Church, participants from the region can also book carpooling services through the local church, so you don’t have to arrange the transport to the camp on your own.
At Camp Sawtooth, participants are split into four categories with different activities for each. With its strategic location in Sawtooth National Recreational Park, youth are spoiled with a bunch of fun outdoor activities.
6. Boise State Summer Youth Sports Program
Hosted by the Department of Kinesiology at Boise State University, the Summer Youth Sports Program (SYSP) is a great choice that has been popular for decades among families in Boise.
The SYSP offers sports camps suitable for young kids ages 5 to 14. Students can participate in the half-day or full-day camps for two weeks to enjoy the university’s extensive sports facilities.
In the SYSP Boise State University, campers can expect to do various field sports like soccer and lacrosse and use the campus’s extensive recreational facilities to learn to pitch a tent, go mountain biking, or rock climbing! The camps last 2 weeks each and maintain a 1:5 instructor-to-camper ratio.
7. Camp Pinewood
Managed by the Ministry of Idaho Regular Baptist churches in Southwestern Idaho, Camp Pinewood is one of the best bible camps in Idaho.
Sign up for a youth camp according to their age group, as Camp Pinewood has three different choices for the student participants: Junior, Middle, and High School Camps. The 5-day Christian camp offers fun pursuits in addition to worship services and biblical studies.
During their stay at Camp Pinewood, participants explore the Payette River while taking advantage of swimming and kayaking opportunities. Camp Pinewood also offers a Family Camp with designated facilities for all participants in their 46 acres of land, which makes this summer camp accessible for anyone who wants to join in!
8. Paradise Point Camp
Despite being managed by the Episcopal Diocese, Paradise Point Camp is open to all participants no matter their religious backgrounds. Located in Payette Lake, they encourage campers to exercise their body and mind through their programs.
Paradise Point Camp hosts a 5-day session for youth and teenagers each year. Participants as young as 7 can sign up for the most suitable option according to their age group. They offer a three-tier pricing system where you can apply for a scholarship to get a discount for the entire program.
Kids can go on adventurous experiences like horseback riding and watersports, from kayaking to surfing and white water rafting. Older teenagers between 15 and 17 years old can also apply for the leadership development program.
They offer more specific activities that encourage them to be involved in nurturing the camp’s community and gain some leadership skills. There are also adult and family camps for anyone to sign up.
9. Camp Cascade
Located just two hours from Boise in the mountains of Donnelly, Camp Cascade is a haven for campers looking to explore the great outdoors. Operated by the Deer Flat Church, Camp Cascade annually hosts overnight summer camps for kids and teenagers.
Camp Cascade runs for 5 days, except for the Junior Kidz Kamp program. This one is designated for younger participants in the third and fourth grades, which usually goes on for only three days. Campers can expect to make lifelong memories as they chat and sing in front of the giant firepit that can seat up to 100 people!
Campers enjoy a wide range of facilities, including their rustic cabins for accommodation with 13 other students. There is also a large grass field where kids join in on camp activities like volleyball or archery. Parents are welcome to come volunteer for them.
10. Trinity Pines Camp
Situated in the rural city of Cascade, Trinity Pines Camp offers a 5-day camp for 4th to 12th graders. Younger students in 1st to 3rd grade can also sign up for the Genesis Camps that runs for three days, where parents are also welcome to join.
Trinity Pines Camp offers top-notch facilities that children can use during their time here, from ziplining to wall climbing and even tubing at Kelly’s Whitewater Park. It has separate boy and girl sessions.
On their 198-acre campus, campers can be inspired to grow closer to nature and God through the Christian values they teach at this summer camp.
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