FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

When you complete your camper’s Health Profile on CampDoc you will have the opportunity to request that your child be placed (or not placed) with siblings, or with any other specific campers you may know who are registering for the same session. After accommodating any such special requests, we will group campers by age. Due to our child care license, 5-6 year old campers are kept separate from the older groups, though we have some flexibility for special requests. Please contact ben@blufflake.org with questions.

Address: 11255 E M.L.K. Jr Blvd Denver, CO 80238

Standard drop off is at 9:00am. On Monday you may arrive anytime between 8:30-9:00am, but on Tuesday through Friday please do NOT arrive prior to 9:00am unless you are registered for pre-care. Pre-care campers can be dropped off anytime between 8-9am. Standard pickup is at 3pm. Post-care campers can be picked up anytime between 3-5pm. Late fees will be assessed for tardy pickups: $20 if you are 20-25 minutes late, $30 if you are 26-30 minutes late, $50 if you are more than 30 minutes late. If you are running late for drop off or pick up, or if you need to pick up your camper early, please let us know as soon as possible (call or text Ben at 413.896.1507). You may be asked to meet at the current location of your camper's group rather than in the parking lot.

Junior Counselors will be asked to arrive at 8:30am and stay until 3:30pm. If the Junior Counselor has younger siblings, they can stay for the extra 30 minutes with our pre/post-camp care counselor for free. Please let us know if you would like to take advantage of this service.

Only people listed as “Trusted Contacts” on your camper’s CampDoc Health Profile can sign them out of camp. Staff are required to check ID every time a camper is signed out of camp. This requirement is part of our child care licensing and ensures campers get home safely.

Junior Counselor families may opt out of this requirement, allowing their JC to sign themselves out of camp at 3:30pm each day. There is a question on the JC Health Profile about this.

In special circumstances we may be able to accommodate campers who live locally and walk themselves to and from camp, though this must be arranged beforehand with the Camp Director.

Rain and heat are part of the outdoor experience, so we plan to hold camp regardless of weather. We will take appropriate shelter in the event of severe weather. Please make sure your camper is prepared for the weather each camp day with layers, a rain jacket, a hat, sunscreen, and plenty of food.

Yes, except during high water.

Sand Creek starts in Aurora and ends in Commerce City. Suncor (a company that has polluted Sand Creek multiple times) is six miles downstream of our site and therefore does not impact our water quality. Sand Creek is monitored by Denver Water who test its health both on and upstream of our property. We take these precautions to keep campers safe in this urban creek:

Campers can wade up to their knees.

No water near eyes, ears, or noses.

Counselors sweep area before campers enter for hazards.

Camp Director checks water level daily and closes it if too high.

Two adults monitor campers while they are in the creek.

Bluff Lake takes safety around water seriously, and also appreciates the wonderful opportunities our creek provides campers to cool off and explore. If you have any concerns or questions about creek use please email our Summer Camp Director Ben Jacques (ben@blufflake.org).

• Comfortable, closed-toed shoes for hiking

• Water shoes for wading, flip flops and bare feet are not allowed. We have water shoes to borrow.

• T-shirt, long sleeved shirt, shorts, long pants. These layers allow campers to adjust to changing temperatures and protect against scrapes, bugs, and sun. Sun shirts are popular with campers!

• All clothing will come home with dirt, paint, sweat, and various plants attached to it! Play clothes encouraged.

• Please write your child’s name on everything they bring to camp!

• Backpack

• Water Bottle

• Snack (Campers in post-care should also bring a second snack.)

• Lunch (Please pack an extra-large lunch for our extra-active days! No refrigeration is available.)

• Sunscreen and hat

• Water shoes (No flip flops or bare feet, please!) We will provide water shoes if your child does not have any. Some campers also like to bring a small towel and plastic bag for changing out of wet water shoes after creek time.

• Rain Jacket

• Bug spray

• Campers may bring their own field tools (binoculars, bug nets, etc.) if they wish, but we will also provide these items to use during camp.

• Campers should not bring any valuables or electronic devices to camp! Lost or broken phones, smart watches, and money can ruin a camp experience.

JCs should wear their camp shirt on Mondays during their session.

Campers will go home with their shirt on the first day of camp. They do not have to wear it.

Campers will have access to single occupancy, accessible, lockable bathrooms that are reserved for program use throughout their camp day.

When camp groups hike out further from our building we currently have regularly serviced accessible portable toilets that are checked daily for cleanliness.

Both of these options may be used by campers for changing purposes, we do not have changing areas.

Camp families must provide their OWN snack, lunch, and water bottle each day.  Food should be non-perishable or in a lunch-bag cooler. We strongly recommend writing your child's name on their water bottle and lunch box. If your camper forgets a snack or lunch, we will call you to bring it. We can provide them with a small snack to eat while they wait for you to arrive. Campers will be required to wash their hands with soap and water prior to eating.

Sharing is NOT allowed between campers (except for siblings). Occasionally we will offer campers a small treat (e.g., s'mores for solar ovens, popsicles at the end of a very hot week). If your camper has any dietary restrictions, please remind your small-group counselor at the start of the week. We are happy to let you know ahead of time which specific day we are planning to provide the treat, so that you have the option to pack an alternative for your child.

When a camp week is full, you will have the option to join the waitlist for that week. Complete the registration process to be added to the waitlist. If a spot opens up, we will contact you to see whether you would still like to register. Though joining the waitlist is free, payment will be due upon acceptance. We will fill camp openings in the order campers are placed on the waitlist. You must join the waitlist for each camp session you are interested in.

Ages 5-6 and 7-12 campers can find their registration instructions here.

Junior Counselor applicants can find their registration instructions here.

Scholarship applicants can find their registration instructions here.

Junior Counselor applicants and scholarship applicants MUST submit an application and receive approval from Bluff Lake staff before registering. Registrations for Scholarships or Junior Counselors that did not receive prior authorization from Bluff Lake staff will be cancelled.

Once your camper is registered for camp, please complete their Health Profile on CampDoc. Health profiles need to be completed by May 1st, 2026.

If your child may or will need to take medications while at camp (including emergency life saving medications like epi pens/rescue inhalers) please see our medication policies.

Please contact Summer Camp Director, Ben Jacques, at ben@blufflake.org with any questions.

All medication (including over-the-counter medicine) requires specific medical forms to be completed and signed by the child’s physician. Please see full instructions here. Please note that we do not allow anyone under 18 to self-carry medications; they must be carried by counselors. Our counselors are trained and certified in Medication Administration prior to camp.

Here are the medication policies that most often catch families unprepared:

• No camper or junior counselor is allowed to carry their own medication.

• Medications must be signed in on a campers first day and signed out on their last.

• Only a parent or legal guardian can sign in or out medications.

• Medicated ointments, lip balm, cough drops etc. count as medication. These will be taken from campers and returned at pick up.

• If a child is prescribed a life saving emergency medication (rescue inhaler, epi pen etc.) it must be signed in on the first day of the session. Do not tell us your child is prescribed life saving medications, and then not plan on bringing them to camp!

• Plan to get any medication paperwork turned-in during April or May. The Camp Director will check all paperwork and let you know if anything needs correcting. The earlier you get paperwork in, the more time you have to fix anything.

• Check medication expiration dates. We will not accept expired medications.

• We only need paperwork for medications campers will or may need during camp hours. What you give your camper before or after camp is not our business.

Thanks for reviewing our full medication policies here if your camper will or may need medication during their time at camp.

Pre-camp care (8-9am), post-camp care (3-5pm), and the combination of both are all offered as add-on options when registering. You must sign up and pay for the entire week; it is not possible to purchase extended care for individual days.

Bluff Lake Summer Camp tries to accommodate youth with medical conditions, developmental disabilities, or physical disabilities. In order to ensure a fun and safe experience for all campers, please contact our Camp Director Ben Jacques (ben@blufflake.org) to discuss your child's unique needs before registration opens. We will do our best to accommodate your camper if it is possible for us to do so.

Our camp has specific medication policies that are part of our child care licensing requirements. If your camper has prescribed medications they will or may need to take at camp you need to read and follow these policies.

We encourage you to learn more about our scholarship program here!

You pay a deposit of camp fees during the online registration process, with the option to set up a payment plan. The full amount is due by May 20, 2026. If you are registered and have not paid your full camp fees by the end of May 20th, your credit card will automatically be charged for the remainder. If this charge is rejected, you will be removed from the registration list. No refunds will be given for failure to make full payment by the deadline.

If you have any questions about payment methods, please contact our Education Director Chira (chira@blufflake.org).

You can view our full Refund & Cancellation policy here.

www.blufflake.org/privacy

All Bluff Lake Nature Center Summer Camp staff have passed background checks through the State of Colorado and are trained in First Aid and CPR. In addition, our Camp Director is also trained in Universal Precautions and Medication Administration. Once we hire our team for the summer you can learn more about them here.

Our Junior Counselor program is for teens ages 13-17. After going through an application process, they will be mentored by an adult counselor in assisting with the day-to-day activities of camp. Junior Counselor sessions are two weeks long, allowing them to build on their learning and work with different groups of campers. You can learn more about the program here.

Please feel free to contact our Summer Camp Director Ben Jacques (ben@blufflake.org).