The Legacy of the High Desert

75 Years of Hancock Field Station

For many children, a week at camp opens a door to the unknown, offering a new place far from the routines and familiarity of home. It may be their first time sleeping away from family, their first experience in a new landscape, or their first opportunity to bond with peers from different backgrounds. In each of these moments, the world expands. New questions emerge. New possibilities come into view. At OMSI, we call that expansion curiosity, and for decades, it has flourished at Hancock Field Station, or as it is colloquially called, Camp Hancock.

2026 marks the 75^th anniversary of the high desert camp founded by Lon and Berrie Hancock in 1951. What began as a tent camp has evolved into one of Oregon’s most enduring centers for outdoor science education, serving over 3,000 participants each year through Outdoor School, summer camps, and group retreats. Across generations, campers have traveled to Camp Hancock to explore fossil beds, search for wildlife beneath rocks, and experience the wonder of a truly dark night sky.

Then & Now: Friendship Set in Fossil Beds

In April 2026, a group of former campers and counselors returned to the field station, this time with with their families in tow. Throughout the weekend, the friends shared stories of discovery, belonging, and the confidence gained from finding your place in the world. For many, their experiences as campers and counselors sparked lifelong interests that shaped their education, careers, and sense of potential. As Annelisa Smith reflected, “Camp Hancock is where I learned I was smart.”

Beyond the Familiar

While the former campers and counselors relived experiences from decades in the past, a group of 20 middle school students from Eddyville Charter School experienced Camp Hancock for the first time, supported by OMSI’s access funding. Coming from a small, forested community, many encountered the high desert landscape for the first time.

For Alysia Downs, Hancock Field Station Manager, this change in perspective is what makes camp so powerful. “There is just so much learning that can happen when you’re taken out of a place that you’re familiar with and put in a different kind of environment,” she shared.

The lessons extend far beyond science. Camp offers unique opportunities for young people to discover new interests, challenge themselves, and dream big. “It’s sort of limitless what you can do at camp. Sometimes people don’t know what they need until they come here, and then they find it,” reflected Downs.

In a single week at Camp Hancock, past and future converged. Watch as former campers and counselors return to the place that shaped their lives, while a new generation of Outdoor School students discover the magic of the high desert for the very first time.

Fuel the Next 75 Years of Discovery

The transformative power of Camp Hancock relies on community support to keep outdoor science accessible to all children, regardless of their financial circumstances. You can help ensure that the magic of the high desert continues to inspire future generations of campers, scientists, and leaders.