Applications Now Open for Colorado Trout Unlimited’s 2026 River Conservation and Fly Fishing Youth Camp

Deadline is March 1 for a week of STEM-based conservation education and hands-on fly fishing in the Colorado high country. Photo courtesy of Colorado TU

Applications are officially open for the 2026 Colorado Trout Unlimited River Conservation and Fly Fishing Youth Camp, a weeklong immersion in coldwater conservation and angling skills for teenagers. The camp runs June 14–20 at AEI Basecamp in Almont, Colorado, nestled at the confluence of the East and Taylor rivers in the heart of the Gunnison Valley. The application deadline is March 1, 2026.

Open to youth ages 14–18—from incoming high school freshmen through outgoing seniors—the camp blends classroom instruction with extensive time on the water. The curriculum covers river ecology, aquatic entomology, hydrology, and what organizers describe as the “politics of conservation,” alongside practical skills including casting, fly tying, knot craft, and streamside ethics. No prior fishing experience is required.

The program is competitive: roughly 20 to 24 campers are selected each year based on their applications, which include an essay explaining their interest in conservation and fly fishing. Preference is given to first-time attendees. The camp is entirely volunteer-led, and Colorado TU is also accepting applications for full-time camp counselors and junior counselors (ages 18–20).

Tuition for 2026 is $700 plus a $50 registration fee, which covers meals and a rod-and-reel combo. Financial assistance is available—Colorado TU awarded over $12,000 in camp tuition scholarships last year, and local chapters actively sponsor students from their areas.

The Colorado camp is part of a broader national network of 25 Trout Unlimited youth camps and academies across the country. The model traces back to 1995, when Pennsylvania’s Cumberland Valley Chapter launched the original Rivers Conservation and Fly Fishing Youth Camp under the guidance of Dr. John R. “Jack” Beck and Enoch S. “Inky” Moore. That program has since inspired chapters nationwide to develop their own camps, drawing on professional resource managers, scientists, fishing guides, and experienced TU volunteers as instructors.

Camp graduates are encouraged to continue their involvement through Trout Unlimited Expeditions, a national conservation and leadership program. The 2026 Expeditions will take students into Wyoming for coldwater fisheries work in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management.

Parents and prospective campers can apply at coloradotu.org/youthcamp. For questions, contact Colorado TU’s Natalie Flowers at [email protected] or (720) 879-0271. Those seeking scholarship assistance should reach out to their local TU chapter as a first step.