View printable version of camp offerings here.

2015 Summer Nature Camp
Spend a week
on the wild side!
Camp Sessions are Monday – Friday
Morning session 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Afternoon session 12:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Members receive a 10% discount.
UPDATED 7/3/15
PreK, must be 4 years old by June 1
Fee $80, $72 members
Take a walk on the wild side this summer and
discover more about the exciting world of animals at
Quarry Hill. Daily puppet shows, songs, art activities,
stories and of course lots of time exploring the great
outdoors will add up to a week of wild animal fun
for your 4 or 5 year old.
Offered:
AM
PM
June 22-26
AD-5
AD-6
July 6-10
AD-7
AD-8
July 13-17
AD-9
AD-10
July 20-24
AD-11
AD-12
July 27-31
AD-13
AD-14
Entering grades 1 & 2
Fee $80, $72 members
Can birds see in color? How does a spider know that
something is in its web? Do snakes really smell with
their tongues? How well do bats hear? Join us as we
explore these questions, how our own 5 senses
work and how they compare to animal senses. Each
day will be a new adventure filled with plenty of
time outdoors exploring, hiking, and playing nature
games to bring the senses into sharper focus. We
sense you’ll have a great time!
Offered:
AM
PM
June 22-26
SA5
SA6
July 6-10
SA7
SA8
July 13-17
SA9
SA10
July 20-24
SA11
SA12
July 27-31
SA13
SA14
Aug 3-7
SA15
SA16
Aug 10-14
SA17
SA18
Quarry Hill Nature Center
WWW.QHNC.ORG (507) 328-3950
Entering grades 1 & 2
Entering grades 5 & 6
Fee $80, $72 members
Calling all whiz kids who like to build things that
float, fly and even explode! Think like a scientist and
design like a real engineer as we set out on daily
excursions in the park to conduct fun experiments.
Building boats, engineering rockets and making
things glow in the dark are just a few examples of
the fun that awaits! The great outdoors will be our
laboratory as we discover how nature puts science
to cool use. Goggle up whiz kid... it’s going to be
fun!
Offered:
AM
PM
June 8-12
WK1
WK2
June 15-19
WK3
WK4
Fee $100, $90 members
Trilobites, gastropods and crinoids, OH MY!
Campers will learn about local geology as we travel
in the Quarry Hill ‘Critter Coach’ to nearby fossil
sites in search of ancient treasures! We’ll also spend
some time rock climbing at Quarry Hill’s natural
limestone climbing wall. Be ready for a rockin’ good
time! Wear shoes that you can hike in.
Offered:
AM
PM
June 22-26
GR5
-July 27-31
GR13
--
Entering grades 3 & 4
Fee $80, $72 members
Do you love nature and art? You will find a perfect
combination of both in this class. Projects may
include painting with nature objects, crafting your
own unique walking stick, sand art and much more!
Offered:
AM
PM
July 6-10
NA7
-July 13-17
NA10
Fee $80, $72 members
Enjoy solving mysteries? Become one of our digging
detectives uncovering clues to Quarry Hill’s
historical past. What people once lived here…how
did they use the land…and what did they leave
behind? Get ready for excavations, explorations,
and plenty of downright dirty fun as we examine
artifacts throughout the park!
Offered:
AM
PM
June 8-12
AA1
-June 15-19
AA3
AA4
Aug 10-14
AA17
AA18
Entering grades 3 & 4
Fee $80, $72 members
Dung beetles, monarchs, stink bugs, damselflies,
wolf spiders -there are so many critters to catch and
get to know! This week is filled with a variety of
outdoor activities & hands-on discoveries
emphasizing the world of creepy crawly
invertebrates. Plus, campers will canoe, fish, hike
and explore the cave!
Offered:
AM
PM
June 8-12
CC1
CC2
June 15-19
CC3
CC4
June 22-26
CC5
CC6
July 6-10
CC7
CC8
July 13-17
CC9
CC10
July 20-24
CC11
CC12
July 27-31
CC13
CC14
Aug 3-7
CC15
CC16
Aug 10-14
CC17
CC18
Entering grades 5 & 6
Fee $100, $90 members
Exercise, fresh air, adventure! Ride on city bike trails
to study animals and plants as we explore local
waterways and other natural areas. Campers must
provide a bike, helmet, and be able to sustain a
biking speed of 1 mile in 8 minutes, with daily
distances of 5-10 miles.
Offered:
AM
PM
June 15-19
NB3
-June 22-26
NB5
-July 6-10
NB7
-July 13-17
NB9
-July 20-24
NB11
-Aug 3-7
NB15
NB16
Aug 10-14
NB17
--
Entering grades 5 & 6
Entering grades 5 & 6
Fee $80, $72 members
Hang out with live birds including grosbeaks, blue
jays and woodpeckers! We will study, band and
then release birds that we catch using bird traps.
Learn to identify local birds and then test your “bird
brain” as you try to survive life as a bird during
various adventurous games. Campers will also rock
climb, canoe, fish, and more!
Offered:
AM
PM
June 8-12
HB1
HB2
June 15-19
HB3
HB4
June 22-26
HB5
HB6
July 6-10
HB7
HB8
July 13-17
HB9
HB10
July 20-24
HB11
HB12
July 27-31
HB13
HB14
Aug 3-7
HB15
HB16
Aug 10-14
HB17
HB18
Entering grades 5 & 6
Fee $100, $90 members
With camera in hand, explore the park with an
artist’s eye! Our subjects will include: snakes,
turtles, butterflies and flowers. Campers will use
Quarry Hill cameras and laptop computers to edit
and save their photos. Campers are provided with a
4G USB flash drive to take their photos home.
Offered:
AM
PM
June 8-12
-NP2
June 15-19
NP3
-June 22-26
-NP6
July 6-10
-NP8
July 13-17
NP9
-July 20-24
-NP12
July 27-31
NP13
-Aug 3-7
NP15
-Aug 10-14
NP17
--
For youth entering grade 7 and above
For youth entering grade 7 and above
For youth entering grade 7 and above
Fee $160, $144 members
Explore the “wilder” side of Rochester by bike. Enjoy
water and dry land adventures including fishing,
canoeing and fire starting. Bikers must provide a
bike with at least 24” wheels and 3 speeds, helmet
and sack lunch. To be up to the challenge, bikers
should be able to sustain a bike speed to cover 1
mile in less than 5 minutes, with daily distances of
10+ miles.
Offered: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
June 8-12
AB1
June 15-19
AB3
July 20-24
AB11
July 27-31
AB13
Aug 10-14
AB17
Fee $90, $81 members
Crayfish, crayfish, and more crayfish! If you like to
get wet, don’t mind possibly being pinched, and
love to catch these fun critters, this is your class!
We will be catching, learning how to handle,
marking, & studying crayfish at some of the local
hot spots. Participants should be prepared to walk
in water, use a dip net, and handle crayfish.
Offered:
AM
PM
June 22-26
-CF6
Aug 3-7
-CF16
Fee $50, $45 members
Are you ready to get muddy? Good! You provide a
sense of adventure; we’ll provide the helmet and
headlamp as we head underground. Stalactites and
cave bacon await us in the wild cave as we walk and
even belly crawl our way through it. We will start at
Quarry Hill where we will learn about caves and
southeast Minnesota geology, and then we’ll travel
by Quarry Hill Critter coach to the wild cave.
Participants will receive a packing list before the
first day of class.
Offered:
For youth entering grade 7 and above
June 30 9:00 am – 1:30 pm
For youth entering grade 7 and above
Fee $100, $90 members
Visit a local eagle’s nest by canoe, go road trapping to
try to catch and band kestrels and red-tailed hawks,
learn to tie the falconer’s knot, work with Quarry
Hill’s live raptors and more! We’ll spend the week
learning about the birds of prey of our region and the
basics of the ancient sport of falconry.
Offered:
AM
PM
June 8-12
FR1
-Aug 3-7
FR15 -For youth entering grade 7 and above
Fee $100, $90 members
Learn the basics of good photography technique
using Quarry Hill digital cameras. We’ll hunt for
special photos while hiking through the park. We’ll
also hope for some special wildlife views from photo
blinds as well as some overnight shots from a pair of
trail cameras. Students will edit their photos on
laptop computers provided by Quarry Hill and receive
a 4G USB flash drive for photo storage.
Offered:
AM
PM
June 15-19
-TNP4
June 22-26
TNP5
-July 13-17
-TNP10
July 20-24
TNP11
-July 27-31
TNP14
Registration Policy and Procedures

Fee $90, $81 members
What lurks beneath our macroscopic view of nature
in the microscopic world? Ant lion jaws, tiger
swallowtail scales and waterbears, (Oh My!), are
just a few of the amazing things participants in this
camp may discover on forays in the park. Back at
the nature center campers will use microscopes and
attached camera equipment to examine and record
their discoveries. A group photo cd of some of the
week’s highlights will be assembled and shared as
we explore, collect and view the microscopic world
of nature. Some popular camp activities including
rock climbing and canoeing or kayaking will also be
included.
Offered:
AM
PM
July 6-10
MM7
--
For youth entering grade 8 and above
Fee $50, $45 members
Discover SE Minnesota’s wild side from inside
a kayak. Spend the day looking for bald eagles,
turtles, great-blue herons and more as we
paddle our kayaks down the river. Lunch (and
maybe a little swimming) will be at the sand
bar of our choice. Campers will need to
provide a lunch. In case of high water, area
lakes will be explored instead. 9:00 a.m. to
3:00 p.m.
Offered:
June 29 9:00 am – 3:00 pm or
July 1 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
For youth entering grade 7 and above
Transportation for current
Kindergarten & up (no PreK)
Fee $90, $81 members
On your mark, get set, GO! The first four days of
camp we will be learning and practicing new skills,
such as navigating with a GPS, rock climbing,
kayaking, fire starting and more. Then on Friday,
participants will put those skills to the test as they
work as a team and try to finish Quarry Hill’s very
own race course!
Offered:
AM
PM
July 6-10
-AR8
July 13-17
AR9
-July 27-31
-AR14
Aug 3-7
AR15
-Aug 10-14
-AR18
Take a ride on the Quarry Hill 22 passenger
“Critter” coach bus! Optional transportation
is provided to and from the following
locations on the dates indicated only.
Registration for transportation is required at
the time of camp registration.
Transportation fee is $20.
From Stewartville:
June 8 – 12 a.m. sessions
June 22 – 26 p.m. sessions
Aug 10 – 14 a.m. sessions
From Byron:
June 15 – 19 a.m. sessions
From St. Charles:
July 20 – 24 p.m. sessions
From Dover – Eyota:
Aug 3 – 7 a.m. sessions
Public registration accepted beginning March 10. Priority registrations from Friends members
are accepted between February 25 and March 9. Member discount codes are needed to
register online. Contact the office if you did not receive your code via email.

Full payment is required at the time of registration. Mastercard & Visa are accepted online.
Other payment methods can be arranged by contacting the Nature Center office.

A registration fee of $2.50 per camper will be added to the total camp fee.

Parents wishing to sign campers up for more than one session should look into the variety of
classes within their child’s age group. Campers signing up for repeat sessions of camp will
have similar activities, but new discoveries and experiences with each week. Please be
aware that we do not provide supervision between sessions.

Friend requests can be made - both children must request each other to ensure placement in
the same camp session.
Cancellation Policy:
1. A full refund (less a $10 processing fee/per camper) will be given for registered campers if a
replacement is available from a waiting list and Quarry Hill is notified at least 10 days prior to
the start date of the registered camp session. This applies to camp registration and
transportation fees.
2. Without a replacement, a 75% refund will be given if the Nature Center is notified by May 15.
3. Campers withdrawing before the start of camp due to a medical emergency will receive a full
refund (less a $10 processing fee/per camper) only if we are unable to place in a different
session or they are unable to participate due to medical reasons.
Session Changes: Campers requesting a session change must call the Nature Center Office.
Requests after May 15 will incur a $10 fee per change/per camper. Session change requests will
only be considered if they are made 10 or more days before the start of your registered session.
Scholarships – Campers who qualify for the
free/reduced school lunch program are eligible for
one summer camp scholarship per child. A nonrefundable fee of $20 is required to attend any
camp with a regular fee of $90 or less (or ½ of the
listed fee for camps over $90). Scholarship fee
includes free transportation if available and
desired. A scholarship application will be mailed
to you and must be completed to confirm your
eligibility. Limit one scholarship per student/per
summer.
Campers eligible for a scholarship should call the
nature center for registration details:
(507)-328-3950.