Missouri River Adventure Camp
Five Summer Days That Change Everything
Some kids spend their summer inside. Our campers spend theirs discovering they live alongside one of the world's great rivers.
For five unforgettable days, 9-13 year-olds trade screens for stream exploration, classrooms for cottonwood forests, and textbooks for the real-life adventure happening right in their backyard. By Friday afternoon, they're not just kids who went to camp—they're young people who have explored the Missouri River and learned to call it home.
Camp Details:
- July 5-9, 2027
- Base Location: Waters-Moss Memorial Wildlife Area
- Ages: 9-13 years old
- Pricing: $200 per camper
- Registration opens Spring 2027 (see below for details)
Field trips will be around Columbia, Missouri, and include the Missouri River Center, Flat Branch Creek, the river town of Lupus, Como Rocks Rock Climbing Gym, and, of course, plenty of time on the Missouri River! Campers will gather at Waters-Moss Memorial Wildlife Area for a new adventure each day.
Read on for more details and be sure to check out our 2026 Missouri River Adventure Camp Reflection.
Learn More about Missouri River Adventure Camp
Want to know what a typical day is like at Missouri River Adventure Camp? The schedule below outlines the variety of activities and experiences that range from motorboat rides, water coloring, stream exploration and a river clean-up.
Monday: Welcome to Missouri River Adventure Camp
- Field Trip Location: Missouri River - Missouri River Center
- Activities: Get to Know You Activities, On-the-River Experience on Motorboats, and Missouri River Olympics.
Tuesday: Connecting to the Missouri River
- Field Trip Location: Missouri River - Missouri River Center and Lupus
- Activities: On-the-River Experience on Motorboats, Visiting the river town of Lupus, and Missouri River Olympics.
Wednesday: Behind the Scenes of the Missouri River
- Field Trip Location: Missouri River - Missouri River Center
- Activities: Birding, Fishing, Hiking, and Missouri River Olympics.
Thursday: Forces that Shape the Missouri River
- Field Trip Location: Flat Branch Creek
- Activities: Local Creek Cleanup, Honeysuckle Removal, and Missouri River Olympics.
Friday: Connecting Others to the Missouri River
- Field Trip Location: Como Rocks Rock Climbing Gym
- Activities: Creative Art Project, Indoor Rock Climbing, Missouri River Olympics, Student Closing Celebration
This schedule could be subject to change due to weather and the availability of resources during the program.
Missouri River Adventure Camp partners with the University of Missouri's Sinclair School of Nursing to provide Registered Nurses with the opportunity to earn clinical hours towards their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. A Registered Nurse spends the week with Adventure Camp staff and campers and helps address medical maintenance or concerns. While Adventure Camp staff are already Wilderness First Responder and Wilderness First Aid certified, having a dedicated "camp nurse" is an excellent addition to our camp team.
Registration Process
If you are applying for financial aid, please refer to the "Financial Aid" section below.
Tuition is $200 per camper and includes all activities plus two snacks. Students will be required to pack a lunch.
- Registration opens Spring 2027 through Columbia Parks & Recreation.
- You will register online through Columbia Parks & Recreation's website by creating a WebTrac account.
- Once in the WebTrac system, click "Activities" and search for "Missouri River Adventure Camp."
- After completing the enrollment/payment process through Columbia Parks & Recreation, you will receive an email from Missouri River Relief by the end of May. The email will include important camp information and a registration packet. The registration packet will include the following forms: camper information, camper medical, and general risk release forms.
Please note Columbia Parks & Recreation's Activity and Program Refund Policy.
Financial aid is awarded based on the family's financial need, level of interest in the outdoors, and ability to get to and from the camp each day. We have 10 financial aid awards, and applying does not guarantee a spot at camp. Often, by the time we award financial aid, our summer camp program is filled.
The Financial Aid application for Missouri River Adventure Camp 2027 will open the same day as camp registration.
Commitment to Equity, Inclusion, and Cultural Relevancy
At Missouri River Adventure Camp, we are dedicated to fostering an environment where everyone feels welcome and valued. Our commitment to equity, inclusion, and cultural relevancy guides everything we do, ensuring that all participants and families—regardless of abilities, races, ethnicities, socio-economic backgrounds, gender identities and expressions, sexual orientations, cultural beliefs and religions, citizenship statuses, and other defining identities—are respected and supported.
Our Commitment Includes:
- Diverse Representation: We celebrate and uplift a wide range of identities, striving to reflect this diversity in our programs and staff.
- Inclusive Practices: We implement practices that accommodate and respect all identities, ensuring that facilities and activities are accessible and inclusive.
- Safe and Supportive Environment: We work to create a space where everyone can engage in a safe, enriching, and meaningful experience, free from discrimination or bias.
By integrating these principles into our mission and practices, we aim to build a camp culture of curiosity, care, and respect for all--so that every person can experience an authentic, meaningful, and lasting connection to the Missouri River, and to each other.
Questions
If you have any questions, please contact our Education Director, Kristen Schulte at kristen@riverrelief.org or call 573-443-0292.
Thank You to Our Partners
We would like to extend a Big Muddy thank you to our partners who help make running the Missouri River Adventure Camp possible.
