ACTIVITIES

Our horsemanship program includes trail rides, lessons, jumping and vaulting, and overnight trips.

We emphasize that Horsemanship is more than just riding. Feeding, cleaning stalls, vet care, brushing and bathing, tacking up, training, barn and trail maintenance, and, of course, friendship, are all part of living with horses. All of these activities are open to campers regardless of their previous experience with horses.

During Camp, we group riders based on their experience, skill, and comfort level while on horseback. Each riding group is scheduled 2-3 times a week. Campers who want to ride more often can come to the barn to be on hand for openings in lessons or trail rides. Overnights and pack trips are open to all campers, but participating campers must possess the necessary skills and experience as evaluated by our horsemanship staff.

The Ranch is home to approximately 25 horses, who are part of our big family. Many of our herd bloodlines trace back more than 50 years, or five generations to ancestors that, back in the early days of Camp, pulled wagons or packed supplies to the far corners of the Ranch.

All horses in our program spend time with an experienced trainer, and are ridden by staff until we feel they are ready to become a regular part of our herd. Many of our horses spend their off-season (September-June) at the UC Davis Equestrian Center where they are used to teach beginning Western lessons.

Music and singing are a part of daily life at Camp Trinity; on the grass under the apple trees before lunch, after the dance on Saturday night, or gathered around a campfire after a long day. Our songbook contains a collection of folk songs and favorites, both old and new. Singing together builds community and brings us together. Campers and staff often bring instruments to Camp and our staff musicians can offer lessons or pointers to beginners.

After dinner on Sunday we gather at sunset to share thoughts and to reflect on the week gone by. During this time, campers and staff often choose music and songs to express their feelings and to share their experiences of Camp.

The Curiosity Shop is our natural history resource room. Here we have terrariums to temporarily house critters and reference books to help identify what those critters may be. Campers can also check out animal skeletons, pressed plants, rocks, and pretty much any other cool item that lives or grows around the Ranch.

The Ranch is located within the Klamath Bioregion, home to a huge variety of plants and animals. We see Columbia Blacktail deer, foxes and coyotes, Douglas Gray squirrels, Stallers Jays California Quail, crayfish and Rainbow Trout. If you are lucky, you might catch a glimpse of a Black Bear or a Bald Eagle.

Many other rare species have also been seen around the Ranch, including: northern spotted owl, red tailed hawk, osprey, goshawk, golden eagle, ruffed grouse, Pacific fisher, mountain lion, American Trinity bristle snail, red-legged frog, and Chinook salmon.

The darkroom is fully equipped for developing and printing black and white film. We supply film and paper. Campers can use their own cameras or borrow one of ours.

Photographs document life at Camp, capturing memories of places visited, friends made, and adventures shared. Each summer, in a tradition going back to the 1930’s, we assemble photos from the summer into a slide show and an album to share with future generations of campers. These albums, and the photographs they contain, are a treasure trove of memories, ideas, and history that highlight all the ways in which Camp Trinity has changed (and stayed the same) over so many years.

There is always work to be done around the Ranch. From splitting firewood to fixing fences and  stacking hay, interested campers can always join in the work that makes the Ranch go.

Building something, making something with your hands, and leaving something that will be used for years by others creates a singular feeling of accomplishment and connection to the people you work with and the place you live. We want everyone to feel the unique sense of satisfaction that comes from contributing to an effort that benefits the whole community.

Much of what exists here on the Ranch (barns, platforms, trails, riding rings) has been built over the years with the help of generations of campers.

The rifle range allows campers the opportunity to develop their marksmanship skills under the careful supervision of an experienced Range Instructor. All campers interested in participating in Riflery must attend a rifle safety session prior to going to the range. Once at the range, campers can shoot .22 caliber rifles at a variety of targets.

Just a short hike down the hill from main camp, Hayfork Creek flows through the Ranch. Campers spend most afternoons at the Swim Hole, relaxing on the beach, floating in an inner tube, or jumping off the jumping board. The cool green waters of Hayfork creek are the perfect place to spend summer afternoons.

Up and down the river campers can enjoy many other great spots: Girls Camp with its wide sandy beach, Below Mays with its legendary jumping rock, and the great campsite at Diamond Back Beach. Campers can also join ‘Riverwalks’, donning tennis shoes and exploring the many creeks that flow through the Ranch.

Counselors with current Lifeguard Certifications are always on duty, lifeguarding whenever campers are swimming, boating, or in the river.

Our climbing program includes outdoor routes in beautiful locations near main camp. New and experienced climbers can practice their skills on the rocks or on our small training wall. All equipment needed for climbing including helmets, harnesses, and shoes is provided.

The Silkscreen Shop contains all the materials and supplies needed to create permanent, wearable works of art. Campers can use one of our many designs, or create one of their own. Any kind of artwork, drawings, phrases, logos, etc., can be printed on a T-shirt, sweatshirt, pillowcase, or anything made of fabric.

We stock white cotton tee shirts in many sizes for purchase in the Trading Post for campers in need of an extra for silk screening or tie dying.

Every session contains a number of Special Events. These include:

A 4th of July celebration, The Community BBQ, The Harvest Festival, The International Festival, The Apple Jubilee, Untalent Shows, Horse Shows, All-Ranch dinners, and more…

Special Events are all-Camp events. We gather as a community to commemorate holidays, show off- skills, demonstrate talent (or lack of it!), enjoy food, dance, visit with neighbors, celebrate the harvest, play games, and just have fun.

Special events are designed to give campers opportunities to participate in planning, organizing, and carrying out activities that involve the whole camp. They can be designers, stagehands, MC’s, hosts, cooks, performers, and participants.

The woodshop is equipped with a band saw, chop saw, small power tools, work benches, and many hand tools for working with wood. All the wood we use is salvaged, recycled/reused, or milled using our own sawmill from dead and dying trees harvested from our property.

Campers can build anything–from small projects such as a toy boat or picture frame, to larger scale projects like benches, tables, and shelves for use around the Ranch. The woodshop program teaches tool safety, along with the simple joy of creating beautiful and useful objects using a combination of practice, patience, and creativity.