July 2009

Hello Everyone!  We thought we would post a message for all of our campers and friends out there.  El Ranchito Camp 2009 is finished and we had a great time!

In the 4th -9th grader camps, we had lots of our usual activities and, depending on the camp session, they included:  hiking, rock climbing, swimming at Hamilton Pool and the Pedernales River, horseback riding, campfire songs, s'mores, astronomy, and a lot of other fun, nature-based games and activities.  This year we included some new activities as well.  We had a fascinating snake program where we got to talk about and touch different kinds of snakes and we also got to hike along the dry creek bed looking for animal tracks and birds.  During the last session of camp we even got to play in the rain!

This year we added a new camp, The El Ranchito Conservation Corps.  This group of youths from 10th through 12th grades worked hard during the day on building trail, tending an organic farm, and controlling invasive woody vegetation in a prairie.  After six hours of hard work in the Central Texas heat the Conservation Corps would go on field trips to swim and explore exciting new activities like kayaking and zip-lining through forest canopies.

We have new pictures on this website from El Rnachito 2009 for everyone to see.  Check them out!  Also please check this site periodically and watch for notices in the mail about the El Ranchito Fall Reconnect and information on how to sign up for a registration session for next summer!

Thank you so much for being a part of El Ranchito,

Kelly Edwards                                             Jody Karr-Silaski
Camp Director 2009                                   Conservation Corps Director 2009
(Main Camp: 4th - 9th graders)                   (10-12th graders)

El Ranchito is a week-long overnight nature immersion summer camp for students entering the 4th through 12th grades in the summer of 2009.

4th – 9th graders: Each week is filled with explorations, demonstrations, field trips, a service project, healthy food, and nights under a starry sky. Your child will live outdoors, wade in a creek, tell stories around a campfire, ride a horse, go hiking, sleep in a tent, and explore nature. The cost is $25 per week for families who qualify.

10th-12th graders: New this year, Conservation Corps for high school students! Campers participate in conservation projects for which they are paid a modest stipend, and also spend time exploring nature through recreation, environmental education and adventure trips.

For more information about El Ranchito, please contact Dianne Folkerth, Registration Director at 512-739-9199 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .