As we near the end of winter we'd like to reminisce on our winter adventures. In February we welcomed multiple Boy Scouts of America Groups, World Flags AFS, hosted our winter day camps, and visited school Baraboo 4K & K classrooms with our educational animals. We continue to prepare for our upcoming peak season where we look forward to seeing all of our upcoming groups and welcoming our seasonal staff on site in just a few months.

Our spring is loaded with many returning and new groups; stay tuned for more updates in the coming months!

Spend time at Upham Woods canoeing, exploring Blackhawk Island, and making new friends. Registrations will open on March 4th!

Who: Any youth entering 4th-8th grade for the 2024-2025 school year.

When: July 7-10, 2024

View last year’s schedule here! This year’s schedule will have some changes to make camp exciting for returning youth but many camp favorites like swimming and water carnival will remain the same!

Who: Any youth entering 8th-10th grade for the 2024-2025 school year.

When: August 3-6, 2024

Outpost Camp is an exciting camp experience where youth with spend time canoeing and camping. Camp will start at Upham Woods as everyone learns the basics of camping and canoeing before heading out to paddle the Wisconsin river and spend the next few nights camping on Blackhawk Island. More details coming soon.

Adult Chaperones for Youth Camp and Outpost

Who: Anyone over the age of 18 who wants to facilitate a safe, inclusive camp experience.

Must be able to: Pass a background check, agree to camp policies, complete required UW-Madison trainings and attend a virtual training session the week before camp.

There is a need for specialized chaperones such as first aid coordinator (requires certifications), dining hall coordinator etc.

How: Application is now open. Involves an interview with a Program Coordinator Rachael. No experience is necessary. Apply Here: https://forms.gle/gmnhpHpL8zu7ZBgP8

We hosted two Winter Day Camps this year and are looking forward to hosting our Spring Break Day Camp for local communities (Wisconsin Dells, Mauston, Reedsburg, Baraboo)!

-Spring Break Day Camp March 25-29 for youth in 1st-6th grade.

-Outdoor Archery club on Saturdays in April for ages 8-Adult.

Nature's Navigators

Hosted in partnership with the Center for Climatic Research of the Nelson Institute; Nature's Navigators STEM Camp is open to autistic youth in grades 6–12, Nature’s Navigators embraces neurodivergence and the associated unique thinking and learning of autistic youth through flexible teaching strategies.

Attendees will participate in hands-on outdoor and indoor activities, such as learning to fly a drone, steering a remote-controlled TerraRover car, meeting live animals, collecting soil and water samples, and hiking through beautiful landscapes. This year’s camp will be held at Upham Woods, which is located along the famous Dells (Dalles) of the Wisconsin River, two miles northwest of Wisconsin Dells. Upham Woods consists of 320 acres of land on the banks of the Wisconsin River, including a 210-acre island called Blackhawk Island, which offers an excellent “river classroom” to study both the natural and cultural history of Wisconsin.

Nature’s Navigators is funded in part by a Wisconsin Idea Collaboration Grant. Please view the website for updates by early spring. 

Please keep in mind that we have the following community resources available at Upham Woods!

Access Ability Wisconsin (AAW) and Upham Woods are working together on “Outdoors Access 4 All!” ™ We are proud to promote access, inclusion, equity, and healthy living within our programs. As a partner, we work with AAW to increase access to the outdoors by planning inclusive, accessible events and being a host location for their all-terrain outdoor wheelchair (OWC) to use on-site at our location and off-site in the community. 

If you care deeply for the work and mission of Upham Woods and want to help provide a sustaining source of support in the future, consider creating a legacy gift by including the University of Wisconsin Foundation and specifying a restricted gift to Upham Woods in your estate plans. You may prefer to include in your will or trust a sum of money, a percentage of your estate, a specific asset, a work of art, or a piece of real estate that you wish to give.