Teen Tree Climbing Camp
at
Silver Falls State Park
One of the most unique teen camps in Oregon and probably the only teen summer camp in nation where teens learn to safely climb giant 100-300ft tall old-growth trees. Campers also have the option to include lodging, food, and camp the whole week overnight in the trees. This age appropriate teen camp is ideally located close to both Salem, Portland, and Eugene. The personal growth, unique problem skills learned, and opportunities participants experience during this adventure camp are incomparable to any other camp.
If you are looking for a 5 star camp that you know they will be talking about for years and also exposes them to development opportunities and nature, you found it!
Three Day Camp:
July 1-3
Five Day Camp:
July 29 - August 2
Full-Day Workshop:
July 12th or July 26th
Ages 12-17
Teen Tree Camp Details
Day Camp Price
Three Day Camp: July 1-3
$399
Five Day Camp: July 29 - August 2
$599
Full-Day Workshop: July 12th or 26th
$249
Overnight Camp Price
$2200 per person + tax & fees
To book sleepover camp, add $1600 upgrade in optional add-on section of booking. Food is included too.
Duration and Time
Day Camp - 5 days - M-F - 9am to 4pm
Overnight Option M-F, Monday 9am Start, Friday 4pm end.
Meeting/End Location
Tree Climbing at Silver Falls Silver Falls State Park 20024, Silver Falls Hwy SE, Sublimity, OR 97385
Apple Maps is not reliable, do not use.
Cap Size & Ratios
Small and personalized 5-12 participants
Instructor to participant ratios 1:4 - 1:6 max depending on activity.
Age & Requirements
7-13
No experience necessary
Reservations required
Cancellation Policy
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Three week cancelation required for %100 refund
Important
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Reservations are required
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Limited Space
ACTIVITIES
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Climb some of the tallest trees in the world 100-300ft/60-90meters high.
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Rappelling and ascending rope
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Set lines in trees.
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Build anchors
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Learn about various tree climbing techniques
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Exploring climbing equipment and uses
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Team bonding, cooperation, and social skills
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Setting up tree hammock and tents to take naps
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Explore unique old-growth ecosystems
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Flying drones
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Shoot/set lines in trees with a giant sling shot
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Basic slacklining
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Knot, anchor, and equipment building
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Hiking and exploring waterfalls
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Unique tree climbing games
What’s Not Included
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Food (for day campers)
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Proper clothes
Overnight Upgrade
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Includes all food and drinks
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Gender appropriate counselors
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All sleeping equipment included
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Personal hammock or tree tent, pillow
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State Parks Showers
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Not Include: Personal hygiene products, towels, clothes.
Weather Issues
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In the event of high winds (20mph+), lightning, or supper heavy rain, alternative activities will be provided. No refunds for weather events.
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Our team will contact you if cancellation is necessary for weather reasons.
Optional Add-On's
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Photography $75
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Drone Photography $125
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Overnight Upgrade $1600, 4 nights
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5 day Lunch & Snacks Plan for Day Camp $125
Overview -Tree Climbing Camp at Silver Falls State Park
We bet before you found this page, you didn't know this type of camp existed, or that this activity was possible. Teens that attend this unique camp are in for an amazing time and they will create memories and skills that will last a lifetime. The only camp in the nation where teens get to learn the skills to climb some of the largest old-growth trees in the world and explore the upper canopy of ancient old-growth forest. Your search for an amazing outdoor camp or wilderness camp ends here, don't just trust, trust the reviews.
Growth, Learning, and a Personal Journey
One of the best things about this camp is seeing the personal growth of the teens. By the end of the camp they all are climbing to the top of our highest tree around 300ft and setting up their own hammocks to naps at the top of the canopy. The personal growth and development in this camp is as amazing as their climbing accomplishments.
Participants especially develop creative problem solving skills, to overcome unique challenges associated with using equipment and environmental climbing challenges. While always under the supervision of instructors, by the end of the camp participants learn how to set up, use their own equipment, and employ safety partner checks. This camp will definitely create a lot of roots for a strong foundation of a wide variety of invaluable skills that the teens will take into the future.
A Whole New World
From a 200-300 ft (90 meters) high tree, the world looks very different, like an alien planet. The perspective from some of the largest trees in the world, will open eyes to see the forest and wildlife in new powerful ways. This is the chance to experience something that almost nobody else has done before, less than .00001% of the population will have experienced this.
Overnight Camp and Sleepover Upgrade
Want an even more incredible camp experience, make it an overnight camp, sleep in the trees! All food and drink is included in the sleepover camp upgrade option. Participants will sleep in a personal hammock or a tree tent. Campers will learn how to cook hot meals in the tree and set up their own sleeping equipment.
Ecotour of the Ecology of Ancient Old-Growth Forest
In the continental United States most of our original forests are gone. It is estimated that we only have 5% or less of our old-growth forests, maybe even as little as 1%. While we are up in the canopy, we are excited to share with you the unique ecology of old-growth trees, plants, and wildlife that depend on this kind of environment. Old-growth forests play a critical role in Earth’s ecology that make it necessary to protect and promote the growth of new old-growth forests for future generations.
Optional Add-On's
Photography Package $75
This climbing activity is very difficult to photograph and capture. Let one of our experienced staff do it for you so you can enjoy the experience and not worry about dropping your phone/camera from the canopy! We will provide pictures to you after the experience on a customized USB drive. We do not edit the pictures or remove any blurry photos so you will get a large amount of pictures that will need to be sorted. Participants are allowed to bring their own camera, GoPro, or other video devices, however there is the possibility you might drop/break your equipment during the climb, which we are not liable for. ( warning, people have dropped and broken camera equipment in the past)
Drone Video and Photography $125
Drone Video is the best and only way to truly capture the perspective of this experience. We have specialized permits to fly drones in the area. Let us worry about capturing the video and photography so you all can enjoy the experience. This climbing activity is very difficult to capture and best done with a drone. We will provide video to you right after your experience. Participants are allowed to bring their own camera, GoPro, or other video devices, but not drones. There is also the possibility you might drop/break your own video equipment during the climb, which we are not liable for.
Sleep Away Upgrade $1600
Upgrade the day camp to be an overnight camp to be a remarkable experience. $600 base price for the camp + $1600 for the overnight upgrade, total $2200. Food, snacks, and drinks are included in the sleepaway camp upgrade option. Participants will sleep in a personal hammock or a tree tent, supervised by gender appropriate camp instructors. Campers will learn how to cook hot meals in the tree and set up their own sleeping equipment. Nothing compares to this sleepaway camp.
5 day Lunch & Snack & Drink Plan $125
For the day camp option, let us worry about the lunch and snacks everyday for the camp! We will provide hearty backpacking meals and snacks appropriate for the activity. We will even show and teach them how to help prepare the meals, so they can become expert backpacking cookers! This option is not necessary for participants with the overnight upgrade.
Lodging Options
Lodging and accommodations are not provided as part of the camp, unless you get the overnight upgrade for each person. You will have the option to add on accommodations with us when making you reservation or you can reserve your own accommodations nearby. We have provided a list of local lodging options for your convenience.
Tree Camping, Sleep in the Trees, by Tree Climbing at Silver Falls
Why pay to sleep somewhere else, when you can sleep comfortably in the trees. For the experience and views nobody can beat our views! Upgrade the camp to be a sleepover camp and overnight camp for four nights! Also why should the teens have all the fun too, parents can also book their own separate tree camping accommodations and activities.
Smith Creek Village
Located inside silver falls state park, this a business operation managed separately from the state park. Comes with the best amenities for lodging inside Silver Falls State Park. Mix of 2 person cabins and up to12 person personal cabins. Starting at $150 a night, two night stay is minimum.
Book Here: https://www.smithcreekvillage.com/
Silver Falls State Park, Public Camping and Cabins
This is the state park lodging options run by the park. They have primitive camping spaces, RV spots, and small cabins. These are generally very competitive spots and in high demand. Book as soon as possible they are available now.
Camp Sites starting at $21 a night, cabins starting at $53 a night, and RV spots starting at $31 at Night.
Book Here: https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=151
Oregon Garden Resort
About 30 minutes from Silver Falls State Park, located in the nearby town of Silverton. The highest rated and closest option for hotel accommodations outside the park!
Book Here: https://www.oregongardenresort.com/rooms
Options for Parents too!
We offer separate adult specific activities, courses, and accommodations for parents while the teens are at camp! Or maybe you would like your kid to tree camp with you after the day camp, that option is also available too!
Options for Parents/Adults/Guardians
Minimum Participant Requirement: 2 people
Five Day Adult Specific Course, 4 nights of Camping, and Food $2994 per person
2.5 Day Course $750 per person
5 Day Course, no camping, no food $1500 per person
Single Night of Camping $350 per person 3pm - 9am
Half-Day Climb, $149 per person, 4hr, 9am or 1pm
Sunset Climb $175 per person, 5pm - 10pm, Sunset Canopy Dinner options
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What happens if I need to use the bathroom while in the tree?If you are part of a half-day or sunset experience, its best to just use the bathroom before the experience or wait to go back down to use the bathroom. If you are tree camping, we have specialized equipment for men and women that we bring up the tree with us. Before the climb we will teach you how it works. We also practice preventative techniques so hopefully it becomes not necessary to use the bathroom while up in the tree over one night. Most people do not need to go #2 while up in the tree. Basically you are pooping into special bags and peeing into bottles. It works basically the same way in rock climbing, here is a video that does a good job covering it with some humor, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73aMK1dTCjY We carry everything out in something called poop tubes, and properly dispose of it after the experience.
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I do not have any climbing or rappelling experience, can i still join the tour?Yes, no experience is required. The tour is designed to be beginner friendly and there is a very safe training practice session before the main experience that is about 1.5 hours long.
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I am afraid of heights, can I still do this?Yes you can, we have techniques and exercises to help people overcome their fear of heights, a type of exposure therapy. We also suggest you do the intro half-day experience first before tree camping if you have a fear of heights that might prohibit your tree camping experience. You can also select your camping spot at any height in the tree. You don’t have to camp at the very top, you can sleep only 20 feet / 7 meters off the ground if you want to. Completely customizable to what is comfortable for you. Please let us know ahead of time, if you are afraid of heights and want to have a camp set up lower.
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What happens if it rains?Will be watching the weather for you. If it rains we have rain equipment for both our portaledges and hammocks. If you also give us three days notice you are allowed to reschedule free of charge.
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How do we sleep in the tree?You have two options. You can sleep in a two person portaledge, which is like a flat tent, or single person hammocks. Hammocks are included in the normal price and the portaledge is $199 extra.
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What is the most comfortable sleeping option?It depends on the person. If you want more personal space the hammock is the best option. But the portaledge will provide the most traditional flat sleeping experience that can be enjoyed comfortably with another person. Both are great options.
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Won't I be able to fall while sleeping at night?No, the portaledge and hammocks are made so it would be extremely difficult to accidentally fall out. But even if you did, people still wear a small comfy harness that is tied to a separate main safety rope. So there is no chance you would fall while sleeping.
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What happens if it is too difficult for me or I can’t climb up to the top of the tree?Some people cannot do our tree climbing experiences for various reasons. When that happens we a pretty generous and like to give pro-rated refunds based on the labor time we did not spend with the client. For tree camping with the help of your guide, you can set the sleeping equipment at almost any height in the tree, you don't have to climb to the very top or even that far if you don't want to or can't, we are happy to set a hammock only 20ft high. Please let us know ahead of time if you think that might be the case.
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Can I bring things up the tree with me?Yes, your guide can help you bring stuff up the tree. You can also climb with a small bag. Camera equipment, food, water, birthday cakes, presents, extra layers are all great things to bring.
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Can I bring my own food?Yes you can bring your own food instead of purchasing our food upgrade package, $30 a person. But you cannot bring your own cooking equipment unfortunately, for safety reasons.
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Where do we meet?Tree Climbing at Silver Falls Silver Falls State Park 20024, Silver Falls Hwy SE, Sublimity, OR 97385 The meeting location is inside Silver Falls State Park, about 30m from Salem and 1.5 hrs from Portland.
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How much hiking is there for the tree climbing experience?For the half-day climb, there is about 5-10 minutes of walking depending on the tree your group climbs. We even have a wheel chair accessible tree for the half-day experience. For the sunset climb and tree camping, there is about a two mile hike uphill to get to our giant secluded trees. The way back is all downhill, and round trip it is about 3.5 miles.
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Directions to the meeting location?Directions to the meeting location will be included in your confirmation email :) We will meet in the parking lot of the Howard Creek Trail Head inside Silver Falls State Park. If you are using Google Maps you will need to put the name Tree Climbing at Silver Falls into Google Maps. Howard Creek Trail Head does not come up on Google maps, but inside the park, the signs will say Howard Creek Trail head. If you see a small tree with ropes in it behind the trail head sign, you know you are in the correct place. We will be practicing on that tiny tree for training.
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How early do we need to arrive?Your guide will arrive right on time at the designated start time. Please arrive at the designated meeting time too. Early arrival is not necessary.
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How difficult is this activity?This activity can be challenging or impossible for some. Most people find this activity a workout. Most kids and adults at normal weights will be able to do this activity great. Typically people who are classified as overweight or obese will have the most difficulty or be unable to do the activity without the assistance of a battery ascender. Even the use of a battery ascender does not guarantee being able to do the acitivity, some people have blood circulation issues and cannot sit in a harness comfortably. However, the oldest person to do this on their own without any assistance was 89 years old, 98 while using the battery ascender. Anyone who feels they cannot do this activity on their own can add the battery power ascender for an extra $75 per person. You only need to push a button to go up the tree and sit in your harness to use the battery ascender. Making this activity very accessible to most people.
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If I am overweight or obese, can I do this activity?Yes some people who are considered obese and overweight can do this activity, and some won't be able to do it. It depends a lot on your personal circumstances and fitness. Some people also have issues sitting in the harnesses because of blood circulation issues when they are overweight. People in these circumstances might want to consider using our battery power ascender. A device that lets you ascend the trees with only a push of a butoon. We will do our best to personal the equipment for you to succeed. You can definitely try the manual climbing technique first, then add-on the battery power ascender if you need it and if it is available. But we only have two battery ascenders, so it is better to reserve it to make sure we have it available. If you do not end up needing it, we will refund you for the battery ascender.
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What kind of clothes should I wear?Please wear athletic clothes and shoes. Bring extra layers in case you get cold. Long athletic stretchy pants are best. Do not wear non-flexible pants like jeans. Although you can wear shorts if you want, pants will be more comfortable. Long socks are most comfortable for this activity. Its best to wear clothes you do not mind getting dirty, sappy, scratched, or torn.
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Can I bring my own camera equipment or binoculars?Yes you can bring any camera equipment if you want, including GoPros. However we are not liable if you drop or break your equipment during our experience. You cannot bring your own drone unfortunately. If you are worried about getting the right photos/videos or breaking your equipment, let us do it for you. We have a normal photography package for $75 extra or Drone photography/video for $125 extra.
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Is there good bird watching at the top of the tree/canopy? Can I bring binoculars?Yes there is great bird watching, you should definitely bring binoculars if you are into bird watching. Especially for tree camping experience. You will have an amazing vantage point to see and watch birds.
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Is recreational tree climbing safe?Tree climbing has intrinsic risk factors, like any recreational activity, but it also offers great opportunity. Our track record for more than 10 years speaks for itself. Statistically, recreational tree climbing with a professional organization like Tree Climbing at Silver Falls, is safer than almost any other recreational sport or activities, like biking or driving a car. As far as we know, there have been no fatalities in the recreational tree climbing industry, while under the supervision of a professional organization like us.
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Does this activity hurt the trees?No it does not, all of our equipment is non-invasive. We do not use any equipment that goes inside the tree. All of our anchor systems are just webbing wrapped around the trunk. So they are flexible and do not dig into the tree. We have been climbing some of our trees for more than ten years, without endangering the health of any tree. We care very deeply about our trees, wildlife, and work hard to protect them.
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What exercises can I do to prepare for this activity?Going to a rock climbing gym and having fun climbing is a great way to practice for yourt tree climbing experience. It will imitate climbing on branches and work similar muscles. You can also do full body ankle touching squats, which imitates standing up in our leg straps to move the ascenders up the rope. Some other good exercises are pull-ups, toe squats, eastern squats, sissy squats, and pistol squats.
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Will there be a guide with us the whole time, even while sleeping?Yes, your guide will be with you the whole time. The guide will also sleep up in the tree nearby in case you need any help. This is a 100% guided experiences.
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Do you provide food during the camps?No, we do not provide food or snacks during the day camp. Kids will need to bring their own snacks and lunch. If you want food to be provided, you can either add that option on, or upgrade to the overnight camp.