Educating youth about Vermont’s wild habitats to inspire meaningful relationships with the environment and foster genuine connections with their peers.
Due to COVID-19 and the requirements necessary to keep staff and campers safe and healthy, please be aware that although registration will open with all camp weeks available to the full number of campers as in past years, we will be following any guidance relating to summer camps released by the Vermont Department of Health and the Governor’s office. There is an inherent risk of contracting COVID-19 in any place where people gather, including at GMCC. If at any point we deem that it is no longer safe for campers and staff to be present at camp due to COVID-19, we will cancel the session and send all campers home immediately. In this event a full refund will be issued.
Green Mountain Conservation Camp (GMCC) offers hands-on learning experiences about fish, wildlife, ecology, botany, forestry, hunter firearm safety, outdoor first aid, and so much more.
GMCC offers opportunities for hiking, canoeing, fishing, archery, .22 rifle and shotgun shooting, orienteering, and other fun activities. Campers have a unique opportunity to meet Vermont State Game Wardens, foresters, fisheries and wildlife biologists, and others who work in the outdoors.
Wildlife education and outdoor skills are the focus of GMCC and the program’s goal is to cultivate a caring attitude among our youth for Vermont’s fish and wildlife resources.
A GMCC Summer: Life Through the Eyes of a Camper
Camp Locations
Buck Lake Camp
1051 Buck Lake Road
Woodbury, VT 05681
Map | Directions
Buck Lake Camp in Woodbury, Vermont is pleasantly nestled in the woods alongside Buck Lake.
Edward F. Kehoe Camp
636 Point of Pines Road
Castleton, VT 05735
Map | Directions
Kehoe Camp is located on Lake Bomoseen in Castleton, Vermont and features a particularly beautiful mountain view.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can attend GMCC?
GMCC offers separate weeks for boys and girls. Any youth can choose what week they would prefer to attend based on their desire and comfort.
Basic Week Session:
Youths ages 12-14 (Children must be 12 years old before or during the week they attend camp.)
Advanced Week Session:
Youths ages 12-16 whom have completed the basic week.
Campers cannot attend both a basic week session and an advanced week session in the same summer.
Is your child 15-17? Check out our Teen Conservation Weekend
What do campers do at GMCC?
We focus on activities about natural resource conservation and outdoor recreation skills, with topics including:
- Vermont's fish and wildlife
- Wetland ecology
- First aid and outdoor safety
- Fly-fishing and spin casting
- Fly-tying
- Archery
- Hiking and camping
- Canoeing
- Hunter and Bowhunter Education
- Safe firearms handling
- Forests and forestry
How do I register my child for GMCC?
Cost: $250 for a fun-filled week of learning in Vermont's great outdoors!
Applications will be available in January
Are scholarships available?
Yes, GMCC offers a limited number of scholarships on a first come, first served basis thanks to donations from various community members. To request a full or partial scholarship, please reach out to the GMCC office at 802-522-2925 or FWGMCC@vermont.gov before you submit your child’s application.
GMCC Sponsors
Many civic organizations and fish and game clubs throughout Vermont happily sponsor campers to attend GMCC each year. In order to receive a sponsorship, applicants must reach out to the organization of their choice directly. If they agree to sponsor your camper, they will provide you with a completed Sponsorship Agreement Form. This form must list the current year and be attached to your application as proof of sponsorship in order for the application to be accepted.
IMPORTANT: Campers receiving a scholarship or sponsorship to attend GMCC and wish to cancel their registration are required to notify the GMCC office via email at least two weeks prior to the start of the session. Failing to submit notice of cancelation by the two-week deadline will result in the camper being billed for the full amount of the scholarship or sponsorship they received.
If you have any questions regarding scholarships or sponsorships, please contact the GMCC office at (802)- 522-2925 or e-mail us at FWGMCC@vermont.gov.
What else should parents know?
- Arrival Time: Drop off on the Sunday before the session begins and will be staggered by the camper’s last name. Campers with a last name starting with the letters A-M will be dropped off between 2:00pm – 3:00pm, and campers with last names starting with N-Z should be dropped off between 3:00pm - 4:00pm
- Basic Week-Check List of What to Bring
- Advanced Week-Trapper Education-Check List of What to Bring
- Advanced Week-Waterfowl-Check List of What to Bring
- Advanced Week-Backpacking-Check List of What to Bring
- Hunter Education Registration Form
- Medical Certificate Form (Please Note:This is the only acceptable medical form.)
- Camp Addresses and Phone Numbers
If your child is a basic week camper, please remember to complete the pre-camp reading of the hunter education and bow hunting education study guides. Use the links below to access the online study guides.
Online Hunter Education Study Guide
Online Bowhunter Education Study Guide
For those participating in the advanced week trapping course, please read the pre-camp trapper course guide. Use the link below to access the online study guide.
How do I sponsor one or more youth to attend GMCC?
There are several different ways to become a sponsor, and we have options to accommodate as many needs as possible. Learn more about becoming a sponsor.
Questions regarding camp availability and registration:
- Call (802)-522-2925 or email us at FWGMCC@vermont.gov
See also:
- GMCC Junior Counselor Program
- Teen Conservation Weekend
- GMCC Seasonal Positions
- Camp Phone Numbers (Monitored only during camp sessions)
- Green Mountain Conservation Camp Newsletters:
Fall 2021, Fall, 2020, Fall 2019, Fall 2018, Fall 2017,
Fall 2016, Fall 2015, Fall 2014, Fall 2013, Fall 2011, Fall 2010