El Ranchito campers spend a week living in tents on the historic Shield Ranch southwest of Austin.   Nestled amid oaks and cedars along a tributary to Barton Creek, El Ranchito offers a nature immersion experience designed to nurture the mind, body, and spirit of our campers in ways that are completely new for many of them.  Meals are prepared by the camp cook and served under an open-air canopy.

Programmed activities for 4th - 9th graders in the Nature Discovery Camp:

• hiking and horseback riding
• swimming in natural swimming holes and creeks
• environmental education, including field trips to Westcave Preserve and Hamilton Pool
• hands-on study of the lifeways of Native Americans and early settlers to the region
• fundamentals of sustainable food production
• games and team-building challenges
• singing and storytelling around the campfire
• listening for owls and stargazing with visiting astronomers

The Conservation Corps  provides 10th - 12th graders an opportunity to participate in conservation work for which they are paid a modest stipend. 
Conservation Corps members will:

• work hands-on to maintain hiking tails and protect and restore wildlife habitat
• participate in age-appropriate environmental learning and outdoor adventure programs
• assist with programs for younger El Ranchito campers
• learn basic job skills as they prepare to enter the workforce as young adults

Thanks to generous support of area foundations and gifts from individuals who believe in our mission, eligible campers attend El Ranchito for a minimal fee.