Outdoor Environmental Education

Real Experiences. Real Education.

Through the Camp Pepin Outdoor Education (OE) program, we strive to develop in youth an awareness and appreciation of themselves and the environment through hands-on educational sessions, cooperative exercises, recreational activities, and small-group living situations. The natural setting for our outdoor classroom includes river and lake habitats, areas of wetland, and the flora and fauna of northern Wisconsin. Additionally, Camp Pepin also features heated cabins that can lodge up to 110 students and adults, a full-service dining hall, a recreation hall, outdoor and indoor class/meeting areas, a team-building course with low/high ropes elements and a climbing wall, a waterfront with a campfire circle overlooking the lake, and trails for hiking or snowshoeing.

We provide instructors that will teach on-site classes and lead all scheduled activities throughout each day. However, we invite school groups to lead any classes or activities that they would like to add as a supplement to our curriculum if they so choose. The Camp Director will create a schedule based on your class requests and, with your input, determine a schedule that works well for your group. All of our classes have been aligned with the most current national educational standards for elementary and middle school-aged students, and these standards are outlined in the Teacher Packets that each group receives before arrival.

We can accommodate school groups for one-day, two-day, or three-day experiences at camp; however, we also can bring our traveling program to a school or location that is convenient for you. Download our Outdoor Education Planning Guide  for sample schedules and more information.

To register your school group or to schedule an on-site tour with our Camp Director, contact either YMCA Camp Pepin or the Red Wing YMCA. Photos and capacities of our accommodations, meeting rooms, dining hall, and outdoor facilities can be viewed on the Camp Pepin Map .