Mary “Skeet” Anderson passed away peacefully on Friday, January 5th at the age of 97. She was a beloved story-teller, star-gazer, protector of nature, and leader of young women. She made her impact as a member of so many communities; Girl Scouts, the U.S. Navy, the camping industry, and a treasured member of Wimberley, TX. For us here at RRR, her legacy is seen and felt in the wildlife, the sound of her voice echos in the grubstake walls, and most importantly in the people she loved and mentored as leaders along side Sandy and her niece Rue. We know you join us in feeling thankful and blessed for the way she was trailblazer and visionary for all of us. Skeet’s obituary can be found here and a memorial dedication at camp is being planned for October 2024. More details to come.
We have spent the weeks since camp ended reading your evaluations and doing our own reflecting on Summer 2023 (and taking a few extra naps and vacations). Our big takeaways are that we are so thankful that we are able to do this amazing work, and we feel extra thankful we had a very 'normal' summer.
Mark your calendars!!! Online registration for our Summer 2024 programs (Resident and Day Camp) opens on October 15th at 9:00 am, CST. Online regisration for our 2024 Weekend Programs (Mother Daughter and Great Escape) opens on November 1st at 9:00 am, CST.
Check out the dates and rates for all of our 2024 Programs here.
Here are a few tips to make the morning of October 15th as easy as possible:
*We have found it is easiest to log in and make a reservation on a computer, rather than a phone. You can definitely do it on a phone, a computer is just easier.
*Be sure that your biographical information is correct ahead of time and that you have the correct login information.
*You can enter medications and other things like that later, so you can skip any optional screens. Talk with your camper about her class preferences ahead of time and have several options as classes fill up quickly. You can also edit the class choices later, so if you are unsure about the exact classes your camper prefers, choose something now and you can edit it later but keep in mind some classes have limited capacity.
*Be sure to complete screens all the way to the end and pay the non-refundable deposit. You can enter your credit card or e-check information ahead of time to make it easier.
*If you find that the session or class you want is full, we highly encourage you to get on a waiting list as those are time stamped and we monitor them very closely. We will contact you right away if a spot opens up, and that does happen often!
We are here to answer any questions you may have. Please contact us anytime!
RRR Team
Plans for Summer 2023 are well underway and we CANNOT WAIT! This spring we will be busy training staff, planning activities, ordering supplies and day dreaming about warm days spend with friends on the Blanco River. We hope you are as excited as we are! Check out our updated Frequently Asked Questions and know we are happy to answer any questions you may have, call us anytime. If you have never been to Rocky River before (or even if you have) we encourage you to set up a tour and come on out to Wimberley. We would love to show you around the campsite and answer any questions in person.
Summer sessions are all full, however we encourage you to put your camper on a wait list and we will contact you right away if a spot opens up for her. See you soon!
We just wrapped up our 70th summer of ‘Growing Independent Girls’ and we’d love for you to help us celebrate!
We are planning an alumni weekend October 7-9, 2022. The weekend will be open to all RRR alumni aged 24 years and up. We would love to see folks from all decades, so round up your friends!
We will also be hosting an 70th Anniversary OPEN HOUSE style celebration on Saturday, October 8th from 1:00-4:00. This event inside the alumni weekend will be open to all friends of RRR and we hope to have lots of people to help us celebrate the past and look toward the future!Contact info@rockyriverranch.com for more details about both events and to register!
Can’t make it but still want to be part of the fun? Order an anniversary shirt from our online store (available in lots of sizes, even onsies!)
We are so excited for summer 2022. In addition to celebrating our 70th summer, we are thrilled to be hosting camp in our traditional format again. We cannot wait to welcome all of our camp families through the front gate! We, like so many of you at home, are craving the mental and physical health benefits of friendship, fun, learning new skills, and playing outside in the beautiful Texas hill country. Please take time to read through all the information under Pointers to Parents and FAQ's 2022 as it will help prepare you (and your camper) for the best possible experience. A few big questions are answered below:
Will there be special requirements this year before my child comes to camp?
Proof of a Negative Covid-19 PCR Test is required for each overnight camper’s participation (antigen tests will not be accepted). The test must be taken no earlier than the Wednesday before the camper’s session check-in day, so please make sure your testing site can provide the results in time. Results can be emailed to info@rockyriverranch.com and must include test date and camper’s full name. Results can also be shown at the front gate if necessary, but please understand that no exceptions will be made. Campers will not be allowed to attend their session without providing proof of negative test results taken in the correct time frame. After taking the test we ask that campers limit their exposure in order remain healthy for their camp session.
Day campers will not be required to do a screening test. Instead, we ask day camp families monitor their campers health daily, keep them home if they are exposed to anyone with a postive COVID test, and to let us know right away if they are sick with a fever, or any other contagious symptoms.
Will my camper be required to wear a mask? What other COVID protocols will be followed?
All campers and staff must provide a negative COVID-19 PCR test at the beginning of their overnight camp session. We feel that is the best way to ensure everyone arrives at camp healthy and can then participate freely in the camp program (mixing cabin groups for all activities and meals). We will not require campers to wear masks, but they are welcome to bring and wear a mask anytime they choose. Our staff will be wearing them while indoors on closing day with parents/families around, but campers will not be required to wear a mask at any point during their session.
Day campers will do all of their activties outdoors and will not be required to wear a mask at camp.
We certainly learned a lot over the last two summers and will continue to encourage lots of hand washing, cabin disinfecting, and personal space in order to keep all of the campers as healthy as possible during their time at camp.
We will continue to monitor the pandemic and notify you of any changes to these policies.
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.
Summer 2021, and our fall weekend events such as Mother/Daughter and Great Escape, were a huge success! As we gear up to open online registration for all 2022 programs on October 15th, we want to let you know what we are thinking things will look like. We know things may change, and we will all have to continue to be flexible and creative, but we are currently planning the following (based on feedback from campers and parents, and being mindful of the current climate surrounding the pandemic):
*We will keep mitigating strategies in place as feasible, and plan on requiring ALL program participants to show a negative COVID-19 PCR test prior to arrival (test must be taken 24-48 hours before arrival).
*Mother/Daughter weekends will go back to full weekend events, Friday 6:00 pm - Sunday 10:00 am.
*Summer camp program will have a new daily schedule format! Morning classes will be individualized and 5:00 class will be done with cabin groups. Campers will make their own choices at 9:00, 10:00 and 11:00 and cabins will rotate through special activities at the 5:00 hour. We are excited about this new format - girls will get to choose their own classes, as well as spend a little extra time with their cabin group. We feel comfortable moving away from the "cabin cohort" model since a vaccination or negative PCR test will be required of every participant.
Decisions about opening and closing day format, off-camp trips such as Blue Hole and High Ropes, and other logistical details still need to be made. In the meantime, lots of your questions will be answered by reading through the information on the website and as always, please reach out to us anytime with questions or concerns. We are here for you and look forward to seeing you at camp soon!
Even though the temperatures are freezing here today, our thoughts are of warm and sunny summer days! We have been in constant conversation and, while we are still gathering information and will continue to work out the details, we wanted to give you a quick update from RRR about what we do know for Summer 2021:
*Even though we are all ready to be on the other side of this pandemic, we know it will still be with us through the summer of 2021. We will be putting protocols and procedures into place in order to have a safe, meaningful and fun summer experience for all of our campers, camp families and staff. We hope to be back to “camp as usual” soon, but we know we will have to take some precautions this summer.
*Activities will be done in cabin groups versus individualized activity schedules. We know this is different and we understand there will be some disappointed campers. However, all of the guidance and mandates we are receiving indicate the best way to mitigate the spread of the virus through the whole camp is to stay in smaller groups. This will limit exposure as well as allow us to contact trace when needed. Our hope is that by staying in smaller groups, we will be able to keep the program on track easier and avoid having to cancel an entire session, or an entire summer!
You can let your camper know that she will get to do a variety of activities throughout her session (we will take classes previously offered and adapt them to this new format) and that there are lots of pros to this type of program, ie: developing deeper relationships with the girls in her cabin group and her counselors, participating in a wide variety of activities that she may not have chosen herself and developing new skills in lots of different areas. She will still get to swim in the pool and Blanco River every day, she will still have choices within each activity and she will still gain independence and new friends each day of her session!
*Some of the changes and procedures we will be following include: Spending the majority of the day outdoors in cabin groups; physical distancing and and wearing masks when cabin groups are mixed; pre-camp testing and screening; modified drop-off and pick-up day procedures; staggered mealtimes in the Grubstake; and possible new air filtration systems inside the cabins. More details on each of these aspects will be emailed in early March, but we wanted to let you know our current thinking. Of course, we all know things may change between now and June so we will adjust as necessary.
Our focus continues to be ‘Growing Independent Girls’ and we remain dedicated to that mission. Resiliency, problem solving skills, communication, teamwork and leadership development will no doubt happen at camp this summer and we can’t wait! Please feel free to contact us anytime with questions or input.
Sincerely,
Rue, Shanna, Hannah and Kate
That's a wrap! Summer 2020 is over and will always be remembered for the lessons it taught us. Flexibility, humility and persaverance are our big take aways and our resolve to 'Grow Independent Girls' is stronger than ever. As we turn our attention to the fall, we will be having modified Mother/Daughter and Great Escape Weekends; adjusted to follow COVID-19 recommended guidelines. Registered participants of these events will recieve details by email from the camp office. Please note that we won't be adding any new reservations to these already full events. In addition, we have already begun planning for 2021 and will be ready to open online registration on October 15th at 9:00am CST like usual. Please mark your calendars and make plans to register for 2021 Mother/Daughter Weekends, Great Escape for Women Weekends and Day and Resident Camp on that day. Please contact us at info@rockyriverranch.com with any questions in the meantime.
Our goal for this summer was to make as many changes as possible and to follow all recommendations and guidelines and to lower the risks involved with group activities. We also committed to have open communication with all of our camp families. We value the trust our camp families put in us this year, and so we want to be as transparent as possible. We worked for months develeoping strategies and changing procedures, but even though we tried to put every possible precaution in place, the virus was still able to make its way into camp. It affected one of our cabin groups in the session that ended on Friday, July 10th. We had two complete sessions of camp and felt like we did everything we possibly could to avoid this from happening.
*We asked each family to self-quarantine for 14 days before arriving at camp
*We had parents stay in their vehicles during check in and check out
*We took the temperature of each person upon arrival and did daily temperature checks and health screenings for symptoms
*We reduced the capacity in each cabin, and of the overall camp, to less than half
*We stayed in our cabin groups for all of our activities and spent the majority of each day outside
*We eliminated activities that were at higher risk for potential transmission points (horseback riding, zipline, etc)
*We physically distanced
*We rotated meals in the Grubstake so that there were always a small number in at a time
*We only sang while outdoors
*We didn’t hug, high five, hold hands or play any games that involved physical touch
*We wore masks: while in the Grubstake and in the Wellness Center, and anytime we were indoors (during the second week we followed the Governor’s new mask order and even wore them while inside the cabin except while sleeping)
*We had all of the staff self quarantine before they arrived on June 17th and they did not leave camp for their time off, or mixed with the general public at all while at camp.
*We sanitized surfaces, washed hands and went through gallons of hand sanitizer
Even with all of the precautions in place, we could not keep the virus from coming though our gates. Because of this, and due to the the rise in cases across the state, we have made the difficult and heart breaking decision to cancel the remainder of our camp season. We know this is a huge disappointment for for all of our campers. It's shocking and unsettling. Especially since we had two weeks of amazing camp magic; in spite of all of these changes the campers enjoyed independence, made new friends, learned new skills and had a week of being unplugged and connected. We are beyond grateful for the two weeks we had and for the amazing staff that were here with us.
We don't want COVID-19 to define this summer. Instead, we will focus on the creative poblem solving that occured, steadfast leadership in the midst of adversity, giving our very best effort and role modeling courage and interigty - that is what Summer 2020 was all about for us. Over the last several months we have received overwhelming support and encouragement from our camp families. We cannot thank you enough for your understanding and continued support. Please feel free to call us to discuss further, anytime.
With love,
RRR Leadership Team
Thank you so much for your patience and understanding over the last few months. The current pandemic has really turned our “normal” upside down in so many ways, including our beloved summer camp sessions at Rocky River Ranch. At this time, we are keeping Sessions 3 - 6 available with limited capacity, new safety measures and other modifications.
If your daughter is currently registered, you have received a detailed email from the camp office. Please read this FAQ for additional information and contact us at info@rockyriverranch.com with any questions.
Like many of you, we have been listening to news reports on the current situation. We are trying our best to gain knowledge and perspective on what it all means for us at camp. We really want camp to happen this summer - we all know kids need it now more than ever! We will do everything in our power to make camp happen and at the same time, the safety of our camp community will always be our top priority.
The good news is that we are getting guidance from great sources.
*The Texas Governor’s office is working specifically on day and resident camps regulations on how/when they can open. We are told that we will have details from them by May 18th.
*Our national governing body, The American Camp Association, has partnered with leading doctors and other health officials to put together a “Camp Operations Guide” pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic. This will be a very detailed guide including topics such as: disinfecting program equipment, running meals, suggested sleeping arrangements, limiting capacity, opening and closing day procedures, screening, testing, preventing spread, personal protective equipment and much more. We are told that we will have this resource in hand by May 18th.
*Our Medical Director, a local pediatrician, has been walking with us each step of the way. He is committed to helping us translate guidelines and will help us put together protocols and procedures.
*We have also been in constant conversation with other camps in the state of Texas and pooling our years of experience as we work together to make these difficult decisions. We will continue to be in discussion with them as we move forward.
Please know that you, your daughter, and your families are in our thoughts through all of this. The world around us is different in ways we could not have imagined, and the reality is that this summer at camp will look different as well. We will be making final decisions about what that will mean in the coming weeks and will communicate again with you before May 22nd.
A special note to the girls in the Leadership Program (rising 9th - 11th graders). We so appreciate your dedication to RRR and your continuation in the program is very important to us. While we don’t know exactly what it will look like, we want you to know that we will definitely provide you options of ways to continue your leadership training.
We understand what a big decision it is to entrust your daughter to us, even under normal circumstances. Thank you for your understanding and continued patience as we all work together to ‘grow independent girls’ this summer and beyond.
Sincerely,
Rue, Shanna and Hannah
After much consideration and countless conversations, we have made the difficult decision to shorten our summer. We will start our first session on Saturday, June 27th. As of now, we are cautiously optimistic that our July sessions can go on as scheduled and we are using all available resources to guide us. While this is a heartbreaking and devastating decision for us, we feel it is the best choice under the current circumstances. Our hope and constant prayer is that all of our camp families stay safe and healthy and that we see them at Rocky River in the future.
If your camper was in registered for Session 1, 2, 3 or either of the June Day Camp Sessions, you should have received an email from the camp office with options on how to stay connected to and support the future of Rocky River Ranch. Please contact us at info@rockyriveranch.com with any questions.
Right now we’re all doing a very new and unusual hard thing. The current COVID-19 situation is fluid, changing daily…sometimes even hourly. It is testing our adaptability and our patience, as we imagine it’s testing yours as well.
This summer may not look like all the summers that have come before or any of the summers that will come after. What we do know is that camp plays a vital role in the lives of our campers, counselors, staff and all of their families - at this time we are taking steps to determine how we can best serve our community this summer. We will let you know when we know what that looks like. In the meantime, we have extended our payment deadlines. Check for emails from the camp office with dates for your specific session.
We want to emphasize how much we appreciate your support and understanding as we tread these unfamiliar and unknown waters. We are tremendously encouraged by your kind words and feedback. We are thinking of you and your girls always, and encourage you to follow our Instagram and Facebook pages for fun from camp…until we can be at camp.
Greetings from Rocky River,
Just like all of you, we are watching the news change daily and our heads are spinning with a million questions. One of the hardest parts of all is that right now we can’t have all the answers. We wanted to reach out to you and let you know the few things that are certain.
First and foremost, the safety of our camp community (campers, staff, and parents) is our top priority. Each decision we make regarding our program will be based on this foundation. At this time we are planning for our Day and Resident Camp Sessions to happen on schedule. If we need to adjust some of our policies or procedures based on current guidelines, we are absolutely prepared to do that. If we need to make other changes for the safety of the camp community, we will let you know right away what those changes will look like.
The mission of Rocky River Ranch of “Growing Independent Girls” will remain our focus in all that we do. It is who we are, why we exist and carrying on that tradition is very important to us. As camp professionals, we are good at being flexible, creative and problem solving. These skills are literally what camp is all about!
Over the last 68 years, Rocky River has faced many challenges and our goal is to face this current challenge with the same grace and fortitude as the leaders before us did. We expect to have more information in the coming weeks and we will continue to keep you updated. We sincerely appreciate your support and encouragement and hope you will email or call us with questions, ideas or feedback.
We hope you, your families and you loved ones remain safe during this challenging time. Your daughters are precious to us and they are in our thoughts - please give them our love.
Much love,
Rue, Shanna, Hannah and all the RRR Staff
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.