Lightning Creek offers connections for communities, undistracted experiences, and personal growth through immersive programs and thoughtful stewardship of wild places.
 
 
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Explore and play in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

Camp Lightning Creek

Camp Lightning Creek offers middle schoolers an overnight experience in comfortable cabins in the Taylor Fork drainage near Big Sky, Montana. Join us to learn more about the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, explore and play in the outdoors, and cook group meals together while unplugging and connecting to nature. Participants will build self-confidence and a stronger sense place and belonging through individual and group activities. Camp will take place at the edge of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness within Crosscut’s beautiful 640-acre Lightning Creek property.

Camp Lightning Creek taps into our community resources by partnering with experts in various fields to offer a more engaging and complete experience to our participants. Participants will have a chance to connect with the landscape in different ways and learn new skills depending on our guest facilitator for each week.

Where: Camps take place at Crosscut’s Lightning Creek property in the Taylor Fork drainage in Big Sky, MT.

Who: Kids entering Grades 6-8

Dates, Cost & Partner: 4-day-long camps (4 days, 3 nights) are offered the following weeks:

  • August 5-8, $995, includes a trail ride day in partnership with Jake’s Horses

  • August 12-15, $700, includes a flyfishing day in partnership with Trout Unlimited

Transportation: Transportation is provided. Campers will have two pick-up and drop-off options – one in Bozeman and one in Big Sky (tentative pick-up time Monday at 10am; tentative drop-off time Thursday at 1pm).

Applications: In order to provide equitable access, we ask interested campers to fill out an application to attend. Applications for summer 2024 will be accepted through March 18th. Applicants will be informed of decisions by March 22nd.

 
 

Our 2024 Partners

We are excited to work with Jake’s Horses and Trout Unlimited this summer to enhance our Camp LC offerings!

 
 
 
 

Camp Eligibility

Camp Lightning Creek participants must be entering 6th-8th grade in the fall of 2024 and be residents of Gallatin or Madison county.

We believe that all local youth deserve to experience the outdoor activities that make our area great. Camp Lightning Creek was created as an avenue for all kids to access wilderness spaces, regardless of their previous outdoor experiences or opportunities. Our goal is to reduce barriers of inclusion in the outdoors by offering sliding scale registration fees for these programs — see our Financial Assistance Policy below. In order to provide equitable access, we ask interested campers to fill out an application to attend.

 

Financial Assistance Policy

Using the 2023 Department of Housing and Urban Development median household income for Gallatin County as $126,400 and median household income for Madison County as $75,700.

  • If a household’s income is 0-50% of the median household income in your county, you are eligible for a full scholarship.

  • If a household’s income is 50%-75% of the median household income in your county, are eligible for 50% off of the program.

  • If a household’s income is 75%-95% of the median household income in your county, you are eligible for 25% off of the program

  • If a household explains additional financial burdens in writing and requests more financial aid, they may be eligible for a lower income bracket scholarship percentage.

Please contact info@lightningcreek.org with questions.

Camp Application

Applications for summer 2024 are accepted on a rolling basis. Applications are regularly reviewed by Crosscut staff and applicants will be informed of decisions promptly.