OMSI Summer Science and Adventure Camps mimic the traditional camp experience with themes of science and adventure woven throughout. Summer camp at OMSI is a remarkable blend of community and science, where campers make life-long friends and have unforgettable experiences. We are a safe and inclusive program for everyone, where people of all ages can learn and grow.
If you are signed up for an overnight summer camp at Camp Hancock, this page is for you!
Quick Link:
You Are Welcome Here
OMSI respects, values and celebrates the unique attributes, characteristics and perspectives that make each person who they are. We believe that we will be successful in accomplishing our mission and vision when we seek out and respond to diversity of participation, thought and action. We will work to dismantle barriers to equity and access to the experiences OMSI provides and to create welcoming environments and conditions where all people can reach their full potential. We lead with race.
In keeping with this opening line of OMSI’s equity statement, OMSI Outdoors uses and supports inclusive pronouns. OMSI Outdoors staff will introduce themselves using their pronouns (they, she, he, etc.) and will invite all participants to do the same. Every individual will have the opportunity to be true to themselves.
Overnight Summer Camp FAQ
We are eager to answer your questions! Here are a few very common questions. Keep scrolling to find links to facility information with photos, and more specific information in the FAQ’s below.
Our landlines are reserved for business use and emergencies.
If you need to contact us to communicate dietary or behavioral support, you urgently need to reach your camper, or if you have any questions concerning the staff, the facilities, or the program, contact the camp directly. Campers are not permitted to have cell phones during any program.
- Camp Gray office: (541) 819-0030
- Camp Hancock office: (541) 489-3233
One of the many benefits of sleep-away camp is the independence campers gain from being away from home and developing self-reliance in a safe, welcoming environment. To support your campers in this growth, we discourage parents/guardians from calling their campers at camp and ask that you do not encourage them to call you. Camps who are homesick seldom feel better after calling home – speaking with family usually makes homesickness worse.
Typically our program staff assign cabins based on gender identity and age. If your camper is attending with a friend or family member and they want to be in the same cabin, there’s a place to enter that info on the registration form. You can also reach out to us and we’ll do our best to make it happen!
We recognize that sleeping and hygiene areas can present obstacles for those who do not identify within the gender binary, and we are committed to respectfully minimizing those obstacles. Since each individual is different, please reach out if you have any specific questions or concerns.
Please do not send cell phones, tablets, or other devices.
An important part of the camp experience is for each camper to gain independence, develop greater resilience, and enjoy the unique opportunities offered by OMSI Outdoors without technological distractions. Digital cameras are OK, however we urge you not to send anything that you cannot be replaced.
We do not allow students to use personal electronic devices during the OMSI-led activities and programs. Please reach out to discuss potential accommodations, as we understand that electronic devices may be part of a behavioral management plan or family emergency procedure.
Prevention is key! Please label everything your child brings, as labeling will result in fewer lost items. OMSI is not responsible for lost articles. Any items left behind will be held at OMSI for two weeks. Call OMSI at (503) 797-4000 to arrange for their return. Any unclaimed items will be donated.
We can accommodate mild to severe tree nut, peanut, egg, soy, wheat, and other food allergies.
Our kitchen is not allergen free, but promise to clean and sanitize all surfaces and kitchen equipment to avoid cross-contamination. We’re open to inquiries and problem-solving in advance. Please contact us to discuss your food concerns, and we will be happy to help ease any worries.
Absolutely! Working from information provided at the time of registration, we build menus to meet all food needs.
Typically, we create variations on the main meal cooking gluten-free pasta or vegetarian sausage to provide a similar meal for our vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free participants. We’re open to inquiries and problem-solving in advance. Please contact us to discuss your food concerns, and we will be happy to help ease any worries.
Explore Camp
No two weeks at Summer Camp are the same, but there are some similar patterns to each session. Learn more about the facility and what happens each day.
Camp Check-in
Every summer camp starts with check-in. It’s a busy place with lots of people, so we do our best to keep the system moving. OMSI Instructors will collect all the paperwork and medications. Counselors will help you load your luggage and play games while we wait for everyone to arrive. When everyone has arrived, OMSI Instructors will conduct a quick health check on all campers as the Counselors ensure everyone has a full water bottle and an empty bladder. Then it’s on to the buses and vans for the drive to Camp Hancock!
Moving In
The first hours at Camp Hancock are all about moving in and getting to know your fellow campers. Cabins have comfortable mattresses and provide a home away from home for all participants to sleep, rest, and make new friends. All cabins have twin mattresses, screens over the doors, and a fan for nighttime air circulation. Once we’ve arrived, you’ll take a tour of camp, lay your sleeping bag out on your bunk, and play some games with your bunk mates. We also always end the first night with a campfire.
Meal Time
Campers and staff eat “family-style” meals together in Berrie Hall. We take pride in serving meals that are nutritious and homemade. We offer a supplemental salad/cereal/fruit bar at each meal and can accommodate food allergies and dietary restrictions. After each meal, a cabin is assigned to run the “Kitchen Party.” Along with your counselor and bunkmates, you’ll help wash and sort the dishes, sweep the floors, and clean the tables. The OMSI staff plays music, so there’s usually a bit of singing and dancing too!
Restrooms and Showers
The restrooms are a short walk from the cabins. They have hot and cold running water, toilets, showers, heat, and electricity. Each cabin area has a restroom/shower facility nearby, and our new North Restroom is accessible and gender-inclusive, featuring individual lockable rooms.
Keeping Cool
Because it gets hot in the Oregon desert, campers will head to the river at least once a week to hang out and splash in the water. On other days, we set up a small pool and water toys to play games to keep everyone cool at camp! You’ll often hear OMSI staff encouraging water breaks and sunscreen application, too. We love it here, but we also need to stay hydrated to enjoy all the activities!
Recreation and Free Play
Every day also includes exploration of the amazing features at Camp Hancock. There will be active times, like hiking into the hills to see fossils, playing games on the basketball or volleyball court, and more restful times, like hanging out in your cabin, doing arts and crafts, and starting to watch.
Night time
Nights at Camp Hancock are awe-inspiring. Away from the city lights, the sky opens up for star watching. As we end our day, you will reflect around a campfire, singing songs and laughing at silly skills, then head to bed by moonlight. Some camps will also sleep under the stars, gazing at the Milky Way.
View the Camp Packets
View the Camp Packets
Each packet has all the information you need to be ready for summer camp! Packing lists, check-in & pick-up information, activity highlights, and more. Camps are five days (M-F) unless otherwise noted.
entering 2nd – 3rd Grade
Junior High Desert Adventure
Monday – Friday, July 13 – 17, 2026
Monday – Friday, August 3 – 7, 2026
entering 2nd – 3rd / 4th-5th Grade
High Desert Adventure Rookie Camp (4-day) 2-3 & 4-5
Monday – Thursday, June 29 – July 2, 2026
entering 4th – 5th Grade
High Desert Adventure 4-5
Monday – Friday, June 22-26, 2026
Monday – Friday, July 6-10, 2026
Monday – Friday, August 17-21, 2026
entering 4th – 5th Grade
Desert Survival
Monday – Friday, July 20-24, 2026
entering 4th – 5th Grade
Fossils and Geology
Monday – Friday, July 27 – 31, 2026
entering 4th – 5th Grade
Rookie Rafting
Monday – Friday, July 6-10, 2026
Monday – Friday, July 13-17, 2026
entering 4th – 5th Grade
Stargazers
Monday – Friday, August 10-14, 2026
entering 6th – 8th Grade
High Desert Adventure 6-8
Monday – Friday, June 22-26, 2026
Monday – Friday, August 3-7, 2026
Monday – Friday, August 17-21, 2026
entering 6th – 8th Grade
Wilderness Survival
Monday – Friday, July 20-24, 2026
entering 6th – 8th Grade
Paleontology Field Study
Monday – Friday, July 27 – 31, 2026
entering 6th – 8th Grade
Lower Deschutes Rafting
Monday – Friday, July 6-10, 2026
Monday – Friday, July 13-17, 2026
entering 6th – 8th Grade
Desert Documentary Explorers
Monday – Friday, July 6-10, 2026
entering 6th – 8th Grade
Galaxy Adventurers
Monday – Friday, August 10-14, 2026
entering 9th – 12th Grade
High Desert Expedition
Monday – Thursday, June 22 – July 2, 2026
(Two-week program)
entering 9th – 12th Grade
Master Astronomers
Monday – Friday, August 10-14, 2026
Looking for a different program?
Are you going to Summer Camp at Camp Gray, headed out on a backpacking trip with OMSI, or looking for information about Camp Hancock’s outdoor school? Explore some additional OMSI programs and experiences!