After a lengthy hiatus, Camp Canyon is back.
The Camp Canyon Centre for Stewardship is based in Waterton Lakes National Park.
Board of directors president Christina Whittmire said the camp has been offering youth programming since the 1940s but had to temporarily close because of the 2017 Kenow wildfire, which burned over 19,000 hectares of the national park.
This summer though, the camp has risen from the ashes and will hold a grand reopening event on July 4. Whittmire said the event will include snacks, crafts, and speeches.
“The main point is to get people out there and realize that we’re opening, so we’ll be doing some camp tours. You can come and see the facility and see our new building. We lost about half of the camp with the fire, so we rebuilt what we lost with the addition of just one other building,” she remarked.
“We’ve kept it pretty simple yet, we don’t want to be a big, fancy place [as] we’re still a summer camp, but it’s a pretty neat place to be.”
SUMMER & FALL 2026
Registration is open for camps this summer, with Whittmire noting they have six weeks of overnight camps available for youth ages six to 19.
“We are an outdoor-based camp. [Campers] hike and [do] crafts and all sorts of things, mostly outdoors, weather permitting,” she said.
Camp Canyon also offers three all-ages weekend family camps and other opportunities for growth and nature-based recreation.
Additionally, in the fall, the camp will host a women’s retreat weekend, and an alumni and reunion gathering for past attendees. Also, the camp offers limited facility rentals for community groups and special events.
IMPACT
Whittmire said camp is a great place, especially for youth, to “be yourself [and] to get away from all your stressors”.
“Kids, we know, they shouldn’t be stressed, but they are stressed,” she added.
“They have a lot of stuff going on so they can just go and relax and try new things. Camp is well known for building leaders, and you’re accepted for who you are. We’re an inclusive camp; everyone is welcome. There’s just no better place to be.”
The Camp Canyon reopening event is from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on July 4. The camp can be found along Red Rock Canyon Road in Waterton Lakes National Park.
More details are available on the camp website or by emailing info@campcanyon.ca.
