We are so excited for summer 2024. We cannot wait to welcome all of our camp families through the front gate! We are looking forward to enjoying the mental and physical health benefits of friendship, fun, learning new skills, and playing outside in the beautiful Texas hill country.
Camp is so very important, and it will be here soon! Please take time to read through this information as it will help prepare you (and your camper) for the best possible experience. Lots of questions will be answered below, but please let us know if you need any additional information. You can reach us by phone, 512-847-2513, or by email at info@rockyriverranch.com.
Classes are a huge part of the RRR tradition and one of the ways we encourage girls to express their individuality and develop new skills and interests. This summer campers will take three morning classes at 9:00, 10:00 and 11:00. These individual classes are chosen before they arrive for their camp session through their online account. Class selections can be edited online up to one week before their camp session begins. Waiting lists will be managed automatically, and we encourage campers to get on the waiting list for any classes they prefer. Once the camp session begins, girls will have the opportunity to change their classes until Tuesday at noon.
They will also do an activity at 5:00 with their cabin group. These activities will be assigned to the cabin as a whole, and each day they will rotate together through classes that are different than the morning offerings. See more information about the all the classes offered here.
DAILY SCHEDULE
7:15 am Wake up Call
7:45 am Flag Raising Ceremony
7:55 am Breakfast, Cabin Capers, All Camp Capers
9:00 am First Class
10:00 am Second Class
11:00 am Third Class
12:15 pm Mail Call
12:30 pm Lunch, Songs, Care Packages
1:30 pm Rest
2:30 pm Canteen snack time and all camp Gaga/9 Square
3:45 pm Free Swim at Pool or River
4:45 pm Free Swim Ends
5:00 pm Cabin Activity
6:20 pm Dinner begins
6:55 pm Sing Song Practice
7:15 pm Evening Program, Friendship Circle, Showers
8:45 pm Lights out begins, rotates by cabin
Additional details will be emailed to you, but please note these forms are needed for each camper:
These form can be completed online via your RRR account. Just log-in, clock on the three lines in the top left corner of the page. Next click "Document Center". You will see a list of required forms in red. Click on the link to complete each form for each of your campers and save as complete when done.
Immunization Records
Immunization Records are required for all campers, or an exemption may be filed instead. Upload the current records in the Document Center by following the same instructions as the Medical Rec above.
There is a suggested packing list for camp. We recommend packing in a trunk, small stacking plastic drawers, a suitcase, or duffel bag. Campers place their luggage under or at the foot of their bunk. It’s a good idea to include your camper in selecting her clothes and packing. Please don’t go purchase new items for camp - we suggest sending old or inexpensive items. We also highly recommend labeling each item she brings with her name. Labels or permanent markers work great for this! We have clocks, ceiling fans, and air conditioners in each cabin. Battery-operated personal fans are allowed.
If found, these items will be confiscated and kept in the office until the end of the session. Furthermore, bringing any of these items could result in dismissal from camp without refund, so please pack with your camper. *Cell phones are NOT ALLOWED. If you have any questions regarding this policy, please contact the camp director prior to arrival.
Camp is all about unplugging from the digital world and plugging into real conversations, experiences and skill development. Because we cannot properly supervise the sharing of content or monitor communications, and to help campers focus on the camp experience, we do not allow electronic devices, e.g. cell phones, smartwatches, iPod Touches, Kindles, laptops, tablets, electronic games, CD players, DVD players, iPods or MP3 players. Digital cameras are allowed, but not permitted for use inside cabins. Each cabin is equipped with approved music for campers to enjoy. If you have questions or concerns about this policy, please contact the camp director.
If a camper wishes to bring a musical instrument (which we love), it can be stored in the office for safe-keeping, for your child’s use only and not shared with anyone else.
We hope you understand that we cannot assume liability for any camper’s personal property. For this reason, please leave articles of value (monetary or sentimental) at home.
Please send a laundry bag with your camper’s name printed in large letters on the outside of the bag. Please label all items with your camper’s name.
One-week campers should bring the amount of clothes needed for their entire session.
Ten-day campers can choose to pack for the entire session or have laundry done once for an additional fee of $20.
Two-week campers will have laundry done once over the weekend while at camp, included in tuition.
Parents will need to provide transportation to and from camp.
Expect an efficient “drive through” drop off process when you arrive at your scheduled time on Sunday. We have found this system is extremely helpful in fostering our mission of ‘Growing Independent Girls’, and easier for the campers to say goodbye to their parents in the car and jump right into camp life. This helps them establish independence from the start - unloading and setting up their stuff, making their bed, meeting their bunkmates and counselors, is all much easier to do on their own. They quickly find the support and encouragement of their counselors and other cabin mates, and all help each other - creating the unique cabin bond right away.
Of course we understand that staying in the car might be hard for some parents! You might want to see their cabin, meet their counselors and make sure their bunk is all set up. We want drop off to be a positive experience for parents as well. To this end we have the following solutions:
*If you have never been to RRR, or haven’t been in a while, we encourage you and your camper to schedule a camp tour sometime between now and June 2nd (before our first camp session begins). Our leadership team would love to meet you, show you and your camper around camp, answer any questions you may have and give you a chance to see the facilities. Our schedule is flexible and we will make every effort to schedule a time that works for your family. Just email or call the camp office to set up a tour.
*We will be emailing you photos and biographies of each of the counselors prior to check-in (generally the day before camp session begins). This will help you get to know the staff and have a better idea of who your daughter will be spending her session with. The staff will also be outside the cabin, greeting you and helping the girls grab their stuff. Feel free to chat with them, ask questions and pass along any vital information at that time.
*On the first day of camp we will send a camp photographer to each cabin to snap a photo of each girl on her bunk. The photos of each girl by her bunk will be uploaded for purchase/viewing with all the other snapshots taken throughout the session, giving parents the opportunity to visualize her cabin and bunk area.
We will give more instructions upon arrival, directing you to each drive through stations. All can easily be done without exiting your vehicle. Stations will include a place to:
•Drop off your camper’s medication and talk to the nurse
•Drop off any letters and/or your max of two care packages per week
•Counselors will be at the cabins to assist your camper in unloading her items. It would be ideal if all items were packed so that it's easy to grab and go!
We will also be staggering drop off times. It is very important to follow these times as closely as possible to ease overcrowding on our narrow road ways and prevent traffic jams. We appreciate your patience and understanding throughout this process!
Cabin assignments will be emailed before arrival - see below for specific drop off times. If you have multiple campers to check in, please get the camper in the earlier time slot settled first and then check in your second daughter.
1:30 Western Empress and All Wagons
2:15 All sections of Circle B
2:45 Bar Nada and Bar K
3:15 Lazy D
Check out day is such a fun opportunity to see the campsite, visit with the staff and let your camper show off!
The format is an “open house” style so that families can participate in the Drama Show, shop in the Canteen and have the opportunity to visit the barn and other areas around camp. Exact details will be emailed specific for your camp session as we get closer, but the layout will be something like this:
1:30 Front Gate Opens - Be sure to bring your photo ID and have it ready as we will check it at the front gate and have you sign out your camper. If someone other than you is picking up your camper, please make sure they are listed as an “authorized pickup” in your online account.
You will be directed to park near your camper’s cabin and all of the girls will be waiting in their cabins. You can go inside, meet her counselors and friends, and help her get all her belongings. If you have multiple campers, we suggest parking between the cabins to make it easier to carry their stuff.
At that point you are free to head out or walk around camp with your daughter. There will be watermelon and Gatorade at the Grubstake, the Canteen Store will be open for shopping, the barn will be open for 'Meet and Greet' with the animals, and of course you can take a peek at other class locations at your own pace.
As you know, our roadways are narrow and we have limited parking spaces. Please be aware of parking so you don’t block in others (or block the flow of traffic) and also please DRIVE SLOWLY as the campers are used to running around camp freely without the concern of cars.
2:30ish Drama Show begins in the 49er - all are welcome to come watch the dance class perform a short routine (and any other classes that want to perform, each session is a little different) and watch the drama class put on their performance.
Please contact us with any specific questions about Check Out Day.
During the session, a photographer will take each camper’s photo and a group photo of the entire cabin and counselors. Purchase of photos is optional and can be done through your account at rockyriverranch.com. We will upload snapshots of activities during each session ─ these may be purchased as well. Packing an inexpensive disposable camera or inexpensive digital camera will allow your camper to record her own special memories of camp too.
Camp life strives to teach your child to be responsible for and take care of her belongings. It helps for her to be involved in labeling and packing her own clothes, towels, and bedding so she will be aware that they belong to her if they show up in the Lost & Found. Please label all items with your child’s name. We will make every attempt to reunite lost items with the rightful owner before the session ends. If items are left at camp, please contact us and describe (in detail) the missing item, and we will let you know shipping cost.
Note that the sooner you contact us the more likely it is we will be able to locate the missing item. In September leftover items are donated.
You will need to let us know what medications your camper will take while she is at camp. You can do this through your online account. Please enter the name and dosage for each medication. This information can be edited on your account until 5 days prior to your session. Please email if any changes occur after this time.
Your camper’s health is very important to us and we will follow the special recommendations of your doctor and your suggestions while she is at camp. Please note that all medications (including vitamins) must be in the original bottle or container from the pharmacy. By state law, the nurse will not distribute medications that are not in the original containers. Prescriptions must have the camper's name and dosing instructions on the label. They must be turned into the camp nurse upon your camper's arrival. The information will be entered in the nurse's ledger to ensure that the meds are given to your camper as required. If necessary, these forms also serve as permission to treat your camper in the event of an emergency.
MEDICAL TREATMENT
Our camp nurse or directors will notify parents if 1) a camper exhibits symptoms that are deemed worthy of off-camp medical treatment or 2) a camper has any illness that prohibits participation in the majority of camp and cabin activities for more than 6 hours, or if your camper needs to spend the night in the health center with the nurse.
Please do not send your child to camp if she is running a fever or is in poor health. The chances of making a speedy recovery while in the physically demanding environment of camp are very slim. We try to provide the safest and healthiest environment for all campers. In an effort to keep everyone in good health, we ask that you consult a doctor before bringing your child to camp if she has recently suffered or been exposed to an illness. We also ask that you check your child for lice several times in the weeks leading up to camp.
Sometimes a camper has a touch of homesickness the first night or two. Almost all children have some feelings of homesickness when they are away. You might receive a “come and get me” letter, but usually this feeling has passed by the time you receive it. Please resist that tug at your heart, as well as the parental urge to rush to Wimberley. If you have concerns, you are encouraged to contact the office. Campers soon understand that they have the sympathy, respect, and friendship of the entire staff. If we are unable to foster a child’s adjustment to camp life, be assured ─ we will not hesitate to contact you.
If you are anxious about camp please talk to the camp directors; it’s important to avoid exposing your camper to your own anxiety. If you are feeling anxious, we recommend the following books written for parents: Homesick and Happy: How Time Away from Parents Can Help a Child Grow by Michael Thompson, and The Summer Camp Handbook by Christopher Thurber and Jen C. Malinowski. These are great resources to read before your camper comes to camp.
Please do not allow your child to bring a cell phone, as she will not be permitted to use it, or even keep it in her cabin. Furthermore, bringing a cell phone may result in dismissal from camp with no refund. A phone call or text might reassure you of her well-being, but it could easily bring on a twinge of homesickness for your camper, as well as others. Given the opportunity, most campers will want to use the available phone to call home or a friend too.
One of the reasons they are in camp is to experience living independently for a short while. Tell your child that you are proud that she is becoming more independent and able to take care of herself. If you are concerned about something specific or your child writes you about something you feel we should know, please call our office.
Do not tell your camper that she can call home if she gets homesick. She will never forget it, and it will hinder her adaptation to camp life. Camp policy states that no child is allowed to use a phone. Discuss this with your camper and help her understand that she will not be able to call home. Please keep in mind that we will always contact you if there is a problem.
Finally, please don’t make any deals with your camper about early pickup, e.g. “If you don’t like it, I will come and get you.” It sets her up for disappointment and keeps her from focusing on solutions at camp. After discussing the many possibilities, if you decide to take your camper home because of homesickness, the camp fee will not be refunded. It’s important to note that most campers adjust and enjoy their summer camp experience. If your camper is struggling with homesickness, we will make every effort to help her cope and move forward so that she enjoys a positive RRR experience.
If your camper is very homesick (not participating in activities, not sleeping or eating, sad more often than happy), please know that we will contact you to make a plan together of the best way to help her.
You can leave letters/cards on check-in day (6x8 inch envelopes or smaller) or use the one-way email system (via your online account) and we will print and deliver your messages to your campers. We will mail out any letters or cards that your camper writes during her session.
You may also leave a max of two packaged envelopes (2 in the one week sessions, 4 in the two week sessions and 3 in the nine day session) to be delivered during her session. Packages must be in a sealed postal envelope (no bigger than 10.5x15). Packages not in sealed envelopes of the approved sizes will not be accepted! Be sure to put camper's name, cabin and the day you want delivered clearly on the outside of the envelope. You can purchase these envelopes at Target, Walmart, etc. or purchase one at drop off for a minimal fee.
You may also order through our online Canteen Store at rockyriverranch.com. There are lots of items to choose from including some pre-made care packages - look for a flyer with these options to be emailed in early April. You can easily purchase items ahead of time or during the session via your online account. If ordering during a session, your order must be placed by 8pm to be delivered the next day. Remember, no letters or packages will be delivered on Sundays or check out day!
FOR SUCCESSFUL SHIPPING. . .
Anything sent via US Postal Service must be sent to our P.O. box or it will not be delivered.
<Camper Name>
<Cabin Name>
P.O. Box 109
Wimberley, TX 78676
If you use another delivery service, i.e. UPS, FedEx, etc., you must use our physical address or it will not be delivered. Rocky River cannot be responsible for missing packages.
<Camper Name>
<Cabin Name>
100 Flite Acres Road
Wimberley, TX 78676
If you want to send care packages, we suggest sending a small package the first day or two, and saving a special one for the last couple of days at camp. For a child experiencing a little homesickness, a letter suggesting a surprise at the end of the session gives her something fun to look forward to.
We will print and deliver emails to your camper each day during Mail Call. Emails are sent via your account at rockyriverranch.com. Once you have logged in, click the three lines at the top left corner of the page and then choose "Message Center", then“Email a Camper”. Emails are purchased in $5 blocks, $1 per email. Emails are printed at 10:30 am daily. Note: there is no Mail Call on opening/closing days, or Sundays so emails cannot be delivered on those days. Remember: Your camper cannot send you emails while she attends camp, but we do encourage her to mail letters.
Campers enjoy canteen time each day after rest period. They can choose between an ice cream, candy or snack item. Cabins are able to shop for T-shirts and souvenirs once a week. Your camper’s canteen account is included in camp tuition and set up as a debit system. We will be able to give her an accurate accounting of funds available and any remaining funds may be spent on the last day of the camp session during check out, or donated to the camp scholarship fund. Campers have no need for money at camp, and are not allowed to have cash in their cabins.
The perfect summer is waiting for your daughter aged 5 to 14 at Rocky River— filled to the brim with new friendships, challenging activities and, most importantly, lots of fun! Check out our day camp and resident camp options.
In the hot summer months, we’re an all-girls camp, but the rest of the year, we offer year ‘round fun at our Great Escapes for women and Mother-Daughter weekends!
Rocky River Ranch is the perfect solution for your special event! We host family reunions, church retreats, teacher work days, company picnics, Girl Scout groups, and more with lodging for up to 135 guests.