What the Alaska 4-H Experience Camp Is
The Alaska 4-H Experience Camp is a five-day residential summer camp for youth ages 11 to 18, held at the Echo Ranch facility in Haines, across from Rainbow Glacier. Campers sleep in rustic cabins overlooking the Chilkat River and the surrounding mountains. It is run by 4-H with trained adult mentors, with support from local organizations and businesses, and it is funded in part by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Darren Snyder, a 4-H agent with the UAF Cooperative Extension Service, hosts it.
The camp spent eight years in Juneau before moving to Haines. Its focus is teaching young people to harvest wild Alaskan resources safely and sustainably, and it is timed to coincide with Haines' fair week.
What Campers Do
- Swimming, hiking, ziplining, kayaking, foraging and fishing
- Outdoor skills such as building shelters and starting and cooking on campfires
- Wild harvest learning that has included salmon, wild mushrooms and shoreline foods
- Preparing artistic and culinary entries for the Southeast Alaska State Fair
- Spending a day at the fair enjoying exhibits and performers and helping with its recycling program
Who Can Attend
Youth ages 11 to 18.
How It Works: The Timeline
- July 15: registration deadline for the 2026 camp. Register early to assure a spot.
- Monday, July 20, 2026: Juneau campers leave by ferry early in the morning.
- July 20-24: five days at Echo Ranch, including the day at the Southeast Alaska State Fair.
- Friday, July 24: campers return by ferry in the evening.
Fees
| Option | Cost |
|---|---|
| Camp with ferry travel | $500 |
| Camp without ferry travel | $400 |
How to Register
Register online at bit.ly/AKexperience.
Where
Echo Ranch, Haines, Alaska, across from Rainbow Glacier. Campers from Juneau travel by ferry; the ferry-inclusive price covers that trip.
Questions
How long is the camp?
Five days, July 20-24 in 2026.
What does it cost?
$500 including ferry or $400 without it.
Will my child enter the fair?
Campers prepare artistic and culinary entries for the Southeast Alaska State Fair and spend a day there.
Who do I call?
For general information, Darren Snyder at the UAF Cooperative Extension Service: 907-523-7734. For disability accommodations or free language access (ask at least five business days ahead), call 907-474-7120.
Official Links
- UAF: Five-day 4-H camp in Haines
- KHNS: Harvest-focused summer camp moving from Juneau to Haines
- Tanana District 4-H News, June-August 2026
UAF Cooperative Extension in Alaska: The Essentials
The UAF Cooperative Extension Service has provided research-based, practical education to Alaskans since 1930 and serves about 50,000 Alaskans a year. Faculty and staff work in 11 locations: Anchorage, Bethel, Delta Junction, Dillingham, Fairbanks, Juneau, Kodiak, Nome, Palmer, Sitka and Soldotna, per the UAF catalog. Major issue areas include food safety and security, natural resources, and youth, families and communities.
4-H
Alaska 4-H runs in ten districts. Participation runs from age 5 through 19, with age figured on or before August 15. Cloverbuds cannot enroll in large animal projects, and fair participation is optional, per the procedure guidelines. Fee waivers are available through your district.
Livestock
Auction registration and meetings are set by district. The Mat-Su 2026 calendar had an April 14 auction registration deadline, and missing it meant no auction that year, per the district calendar.
Next steps
Call the state office in Fairbanks at 907-474-5211 (877-520-5211 toll-free in Alaska) to find your district.
Dates and fees change each year.
Read the full guide: UAF Cooperative Extension in Alaska: Offices, 4-H and Help for Producers
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- Delta Harvest Wrap-Up
Held each year after harvest; the most recent was Nov. 20, 2025, a dinner prepared by the Delta Greely culinary class with talks on soil health, small grain cultivars and weed management.
1696 N. Clearwater Ave, Delta Junction, AK | Organizer: UAF Cooperative Extension Service Official event details - Mat-Su 4-H Mandatory Livestock Information Meeting at Palmer High
Fourth of four required spring meetings where Mat-Su 4-H and FFA families learn market-livestock rules before the fair, held in the Palmer High School ag building. Held each year; the 2026 session was March 19.
Palmer, AK | Organizer: UAF Cooperative Extension Service 4-H Mat-Su Copper River District Official event details - Mat-Su 4-H Livestock Rally Days
Large-livestock weigh-in, paperwork and small-livestock sign-ups for Mat-Su Copper River 4-H members heading to the Alaska State Fair; an alternate session ran June 5 at the Palmer High ag building. Held each year.
- Fairbanks 4-H Wildlife and Wildfire Day Camp
One-day $25 camp with lunch at the UAF Large Animal Research Station teaching youth about wildlife and wildfire. Held each year; the most recent date was June 16, 2026.
2220 Yankovich Road, Fairbanks, AK | Organizer: UAF Cooperative Extension Service 4-H Tanana District Official event details - Rodeo Alaska
RAM Championship Rodeo weekend in Fairbanks with a David Lee Murphy concert on the Saturday night. Held each year; the most recent dates were July 11-12, 2026.
Fairbanks, AK | Organizer: Tanana Valley State Fair Association Official event details
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.