See camp titles, descriptions, and dates of 2026 camps. Location varies by camp, so please note the property when browsing!
Camps with remaining space have a Register button.
Summer Camp Choices
NEW camp this year: Neurodiverse by Nature
Designed to create a welcoming and supportive camp experience, Neurodiverse by Nature welcomes neurodivergent kids ages 5–12 to explore nature through thoughtfully paced, flexible activities. This small-group camp is held during a quieter week onsite, offering a calmer environment. Campers are welcome to attend with an aide for additional support.
To ensure this camp is accessible to those it's designed to serve, placement in this camp is not done via the lottery. Instead, families may register directly. Registration is open now and remains available as space allows.
If you have questions about this camp or would like to learn more before registering, reach out to naturalists Michael Harrison or Mary Dybvig.
Ages 5–8
August 10–13: Neurodiverse by Nature
Time: 8:30–11:30 a.m.
Cost: $150
Location: Shepard Farm in Cottage Grove
Ages 9–12
August 10–13: Neurodiverse by Nature
Time: 12:00–3:00 p.m.
Cost: $150
Location: Shepard Farm in Cottage Grove
For kids entering Grades 1–2
June 15–18: Baa, Cluck, Moo
It’s morning on the farm and there are jobs to do. Baa, cluck, moo. Can you guess what’s to see? I’ll give you a clue! Baa, cluck, moo. Play games at the farm and feed the animals, too. Baa, cluck, moo.
Cost: $280
Location: Main Property in West St. Paul
June 22–25: Intro to Magic
It’s time to start your magic training! Mix potions, explore the powers of herbs, and meet magical creatures like snakes, toads, and owls. Build whimsical gnome homes, search for hidden fairies, and practice your magical skills. By the end of the week, you’ll be ready to wield your very first magic wand!
Cost: $280
Location: Main Property in West St. Paul
July 6–9: Cooking in the Outdoors
Take your campfire cooking skills beyond marshmallows! Learn how to build and tend a fire safely while discovering all the delicious foods you can cook over an open flame. Hands-on cooking fun and tasty experiments will spark your imagination and appetite.
Cost: $285 ($5 materials fee included)
Location: Main Property in West St. Paul
July 13–16: Storybook Squad
Step into adventures straight from your favorite books! Revisit beloved stories and meet brand-new storybook friends along the way. Bring your imagination as we encounter a most unusual squirrel, learn why dragons don’t eat salsa, follow two mischievous ants on an incredible journey, and so much more.
Please note: campers will be in contact with and offered foods containing wheat, eggs, peanuts, and milk.
Cost: $282 ($2 materials fee included)
Location: Main Property in West St. Paul
July 13–16: Farm Fun
Step into a week of farmyard fun at Shepard Farm! Taste fresh foods straight from the garden, meet resident farm animals like cows and chickens, and lend a hand with barnyard chores. Discover the sights, sounds, and smells that make life on the farm so special.
Cost: $280
Location: Shepard Farm in Cottage Grove
July 20–23: Bloom and Wander
The greenspaces and gardens of Dodge are bursting with blooms! Spend the week exploring the magical world of plants through hands-on, plant-inspired activities, nature walks, and art projects. Along the way, meet the insects and wildlife that depend on plants and discover how everything grows together.
Cost: $280
Location: Main Property in West St. Paul
July 20–23: Campfire Chefs
Do you have what it takes to be a campfire chef? Learn the basics of cooking over open flame as you build your own log stovetop and chop, cook, and create classic campfire recipes. Head home with your very own campfire recipe book!
Cost: $290 ($10 materials fee included)
Location: Shepard Farm in Cottage Grove
July 27–30: Sticks and Sparks
The woods are calling! Search the forest for the perfect walking stick, then hit the trails through Dodge’s prairies, woods, and wetlands. Scout a campsite and work together to build a cozy shelter with sticks and tarps. Practice fire safety as you start mini campfires, gather fuel, and keep the flames going. Wrap up each day with a fire-roasted snack and silly campfire stories.
Cost: $280
Location: Main Property in West St. Paul
July 27–30: Catch 'Em All!
Calling all Pokémon fans—an adventure awaits at Shepard Farm! Search high and low for the real-life inspirations behind your favorite Pokémon as you investigate fields, gardens, and trails. With games, art, snacks, and plenty of outdoor adventures, dive into the world of Pokémon—just keep an eye out in case Team Rocket tries to crash the fun!
Cost: $280
Location: Shepard Farm in Cottage Grove
August 3–6: Best of Dodge
Nature will be your playground as you hide in the prairie grasses, climb trees in the woods, and explore the ponds. You’ll hold chickens, catch frogs, and build shelters—there is so much to do at Dodge. Bring your sense of adventure!
Cost: $280
Location: Main Property in West St. Paul
For kids entering Grades 3–5
June 15–18: Forts and Flames
Build, explore, and ignite your imagination! Spend four days in the great outdoors, mastering campfire skills, testing survival techniques, and crafting epic woodland forts.
Cost: $280
Location: Main Property in West St. Paul
June 22–25: Dragons: Fire and Flight
Dragons may be mythical, but fire and flight are very real! Learn how to make and maintain fire safely, discover the secrets of flight as you explore the skills of birds and other flying creatures, and meet some of the scaly, dragon-like residents that call Dodge home.
Cost: $280
Location: Main Property in West St. Paul
July 6–9: Dodgewarts
Attention wizards and muggles—you’ve been accepted to Dodgewarts! Meet magical beasts, mix potions, discover herbology, compete for the Quidditch Cup, and so much more. It’s sure to be a spellbinding week!
Cost: $290 ($10 materials fee included)
Location: Main Property in West St. Paul
July 13–16: Mouse Trap
Discover the amazing world of mice through games, exploration, and even dissections! Build a cozy mouse house, test your taste buds with a cheese tasting, and experiment with snap trap machines (no mice harmed). It will be a squeak-tacular time!
Cost: $280
Location: Main Property in West St. Paul
July 13–16: Pathfinders
Blaze your own trail in a week full of outdoor adventures! Build fires, make shelters, test your aim at the archery range, and practice safe tool skills. Discover just how exciting it is to thrive in the wild.
Cost: $280
Location: Shepard Farm in Cottage Grove
July 20–23: Marvelous Minerals and Radical Rocks
Discover the power of rocks! Play rock games, build your own rock collection, and experiment with how rocks and fossils are formed. Use rocks and minerals to create art, make fires, and explore how people long ago used rocks as tools.
Cost: $280
Location: Main Property in West St. Paul
July 20–23: Dodge Quest
Adventure waits for no one! Are you ready? Sharpen the skills you’ll need to succeed as you build camps, level up your fire-building and cooking abilities, and prepare for friendly combat challenges along the way. Come take on the quest!
Cost: $288 ($8 materials fee included)
Location: Shepard Farm in Cottage Grove
July 27–30: CSI: Critter Sighting Investigators
Tracks in the mud, feathers in the woods, unusual odors in the air—animal mysteries are all around the nature center! Who are these mystery critters and what have they been doing? It’s time to become a C.S.I. – Critter Sighting Investigator. Practice your observation skills as we explore the nature center, looking for clues and investigating the signs animals leave behind.
Cost: $280
Location: Main Property in West St. Paul
July 27–30: Wildwood Explorers
The forest is full of secrets, waiting for curious explorers! Wander winding trails, meet animals that call the woods home, and practice woodland skills like building shelters and sparking small fires.
Cost: $280
Location: Shepard Farm in Cottage Grove
August 3–6: Dodge's Greatest Hits
Let’s play all the greatest hits of summer camp at Dodge! Build forts, make fires and cook food over them, and forage for wild foods to eat. Come ready to rock and roll in the woods, wetlands, and prairies of Dodge.
Cost: $280
Location: Main Property in West St. Paul
For kids entering Grades 6–8
June 22–25: Fish and Swim
Grab your fishing rod, swimsuit, and sunscreen! Travel to nearby fishing spots and try to catch “the big one”. Weather permitting, you’ll spend the afternoon splashing at swimming beaches and inventing stories about “the one that got away”.
Cost: $370 ($90 transportation fee included)
Location: Main Property in West St. Paul
July 6–9: Girls Explore Science
Do you see yourself becoming a scientist someday? Whether your dream is wildlife biology, chemical engineering, or even professional baking, science is all around you! Explore the wonders of science at Dodge with live animals, hands-on chemistry experiments, campfire cooking, and more. Hike through prairies, forests, and wetlands to discover the diversity of life through birdwatching, pond dipping, and insect catching. Make new friends, try new hobbies, and uncover the excitement of science at every turn!
Cost: $280
Location: Main Property in West St. Paul