Portland Summer Camps

Day & Overnight Paddling Camps in Oregon City

Summer Camp kids paddle boarding on the Willamette River
Quick
Book
female kayaker surfing on the Santiam River in a Jackson kayak
Program
Summary
See
Camps
Oregon Rafting Trip On the Clackamas River
Our
FAQs
summer camp kids in an inflatable white water kayak
Contact
Us

Youth Programs for Portland Since 2000

Our day and overnight summer camps in Oregon City help kids enjoy the outdoors through kayaking, paddle boarding, rafting. Located 30 minutes from downtown Portland, our camps provide invaluable leadership, swimming comfort, and river safety skills. We are paddlers at heart, so all camps are focused on river stewardship and paddlesport instruction while engaging them with various themed activities. 

Split into three levels, our PDX summer camps are separated by age and ability to ensure all campers feel like they belong and can progress their paddling skills at their own pace.  In fact, we encourage participants to take as many camps at their current level as needed before moving to the next one. 

Please contact us for special requests as we are open to having some flexibility regarding age, experience level, and more.

Early Bird Summer Camp Discount

$45 OFF each camp using Promo Code: BIRD24. Valid on any 5 day summer camp. Promotion ends March 31.

Our Summer Camp Offerings

PADDLER'S DISCOVERY DAY CAMP - Learn paddling skills & build water comfort

  • Difficulty: Level 1
  • Type: Day Camp
  • Ages: 8 - 12
  • Duration: 5 Days (9AM - 4PM)
  • Price: $450 - $545

This summer day camp is a great introduction to water comfort and the great outdoors! We rotate through themed games and activities each week while teaching campers how to kayak, paddleboard, raft and more on both flat water and white water. Join us for pirates, nature crafts, river skills and more – no experience required.

LEARN MORE »     QUICK BOOK »

WHITEWATER ADVENTURE DAY CAMP - Refine kayaking and river safety concepts

  • Difficulty: Level 2
  • Type: Day Camp
  • Ages: 10 - 15
  • Duration: 5 Days (9AM - 4PM)
  • Price: $545

The next step up from Paddler’s Discovery Camp for those with the desire and determination to learn how to kayak. On this day camp, Kids will become prolific paddlers while learning leadership and risk assessment skills. Summer camp activities may include hardshell or inflatable kayaking on white water and drills for rescue, leadership, and risk management skills. Prior paddling or camp experience recommended.

LEARN MORE »     QUICK BOOK»

WILDERNESS OVERNIGHT CAMP - Build outdoor survival skills while on the river

  • Difficulty: Level 2
  • Type: Overnight Camp
  • Ages: 10 - 15
  • Duration: 5 Days (9AM - 4PM)
  • Price: $995

For those who enjoyed Paddler’s Discovery Camp, sleep under the stars on this outdoor experience. Our immersive adventure will connect campers to friends and the nature around them. Summer camp activities may include kayaking, paddle boarding, rafting, hiking, cooking, camping, and building wilderness survival and leadership skills. Prior camp or paddling experience recommended.

LEARN MORE »     QUICK BOOK »

YEAR ROUND LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS - For road trips, racing, and internships

  • Difficulty: Level 3
  • Type: Day & Overnight
  • Ages: 8 - 17
  • Duration: Year-round
  • Price: Varies

Students with prior paddling experience and a determined desire to learn can try out for the team and turn kayaking into a lifelong hobby. Our youth team practices all year round, using kayaking as the foundation to nurture personal life skills while connecting with the environment, the community, and oneself. In addition, parents can even join your kids on their adventures. Start training to become a summer camp counselor, shop staff, and/or tour guide by joining our internship program.

eNRG KAYAKING CLUB     INTERNSHIPS     FAMILY ACTIVITIES

PORTLAND SUMMER CAMP CALENDAR

WHY OUR SUMMER CAMPS?

Summer Camp Class Sizes

eNRG Kayaking prioritizes smaller summer camp sizes (In general, 1 instructor for every 5 students). As a result, we offer more personalized attention to individual camper needs and interests while creating time for teachable moments throughout the day.

Summer Camp Activities

Our focus has always been in paddlesports! Therefore, summer camp counselors have a genuine love for paddling and the outdoors, and cannot wait to share their knowledge with their campers. Try kayaking, rafting, paddle boarding, tubing, and more in a dynamic outdoor environment! 

Close To Portland. Close To Nature.

We are located in Oregon City on the confluence of the Willamette and Clackamas Rivers – 30 minutes from downtown PDX. This gives our summer camps great flat water and white water paddling opportunities while also being close enough for the Portland, West Linn, and Lake Oswego communities. Explore the islands, historical locks, and the great Willamette Falls!

SUMMER CAMP FAQs

Lunch, snacks, water, sunscreen, clothing that can get wet, wind/rain jacket, additional warmth layers, and a change of clothing. Please wear shoes that stay on.

We will meet at our shop in Oregon City (1701 Clackamette Dr. Oregon City OR 97045). You are welcome to arrive up to 15 minutes prior to camp start/end.

eNRG Kayaking Camps are a perfect fit for families and kids who are inspired by our educational principles. This includes using paddling as a platform for self-growth and river stewardship. Our camps may NOT be a good fit for families who do not meet our goals. Campers need to be prepared to build character and resilience in a wilderness environment. Our counselors are facilitators in their experiences but campers must hold some responsibility when it comes to respecting others, their surroundings, and themselves. 

eNRG Camps Are Great For Those Who Can:

● Adhere to safety instructions

● Follow group dynamics

● Take an active role in minimizing risks

● Open to cultivate outdoor curiosity

● Embrace challenges and adapt to adversity

● Engage in a world outside of phones and electronics

● Connecting with nature and fellow campers

Our Camps May Not Be The Best Fit With Kids Who:

● Are afraid of water or can’t swim

● Have short attention spans regarding coaching & instruction

● Lack interest in outdoor recreation

● Unable to handle physical and weather related issues

● Unable to communicate with peers and staff effectively when problems arise.

 Be Active. Be Outdoors.

Our staff enjoy engaging with students who can share the same passion we have with paddling and have a continued desire to learn across the multiple years that they are with us. We provide stepping stones for campers with a furthered interest in sports, internships, employment opportunities, and a hobby that can last well into adulthood.

Youth Responsibilities

We hold a high standard for youth at eNRG Kayaking because of the immersive and active experiences they participate in. Children must understand that there is inherent risk to paddling, as with any activity, and thus trust is placed upon them to act responsibly. Any rules we have in place are to minimize said risk and to ensure all campers have a fair share of attention. This is essential for children to build their own risk awareness and leadership skills with our guidance.

It's A Team Experience

Engaging behavior is critical to creating a constructive learning environment. As such, we ask for each child and parent to acknowledge our “Code of Conduct”. Camper actions that don’t adhere to our group can be at a minimum distracting and at a maximum put the rest of the group participating in an activity at higher risk. We appreciate camper and parent participation to help kids explore the results of real world choices and experiences. 

Camper participation includes:

●  Being respectful to others, the equipment, and the environment

●  Staying attentive to follow rules and boundaries

●  Actively applying my skills to keep myself safe

●  Notifying instructors or staff as soon as possible if I see something wrong, someone that is hurt, or a dangerous situation.

●  Acknowledging that, while paddling is mostly an individual sport, there are team elements required to maintain a safe environment.

Before rules are broken, counselors will:

● Have daily group meetings at the beginning/end of camp to provide positive and constructive feedback

● Communicate with parents during pickup regarding summarizing the day.

● Be proactive using conversations and redirection to prevent rules from being broken in the first place.

If rules are broken:

●  Minor offense: If a camper exhibits behavior disruptive to camp function, then a verbal warning and timeout may be issued.

●  Repeated minor offenses: In the event that this behavior continues, then a guardian will be notified at the end of the day.

●  Major offense: After a participant exhibits disruptive behavior that puts the safety of themselves or others at risk, then a guardian may have to swiftly respond for early pickup.

●  Repeated major offenses: If this behavior continues or poses a severe safety risk (Regardless of if prior offenses were noted), then this camper will be removed from the rest of camp (No refunds/credit).

While we rarely kick people out of camp, these guidelines will help us have a great week together, and set campers up for success in paddling and in life! Thank you!

Trips run rain or shine, except during extreme conditions including lightning, high winds, and excessive smoke onsite.

It is difficult to fill a spot vacated at the last moment. For this reason, we offer a 75% refund with 21+ days notice or voucher with credit for the paid amount. Less than 21-0 days notice means all refund/benefits will be forfeited. We do not prorate tuition for days missed due to illness, injury, or inappropriate behavior.

eNRG Kayaking reserves the right to postpone or cancel any trip due to inclement weather, under enrollment, or other unforeseen circumstances, and will issue a full refund in this instance.

We pride ourselves in offering high quality instruction. For this reason, our lead guides have ACA instructor certifications, First Aid, CPR, and Swift Rescue skills.

Every child needs a waiver signed by a parent/guardian prior to the start of camp (One for each camp if they are attending multiple). You can fill on out here.