Range Camp
Range Camp in 2024 will be held July 8th- July 12th.
Evening lectures and dinners will be at the Moab USU Campus and we will camp at Warner Lake Campground in the La Sal Mountains.
Range Camp is an intensive 5-day camp. The cost of the camp is $200 per student, which includes meals and materials. The camp is open to 25 high school students ages 14-18. The top two individuals will receive and expense paid trip to the Annual Society for Range Management meeting, where they will have the opportunity to participate in the High School Youth Forum with other students from around the country. The winners for 2023 are Brooklin Goble and Sydney Bosh.
Range Camp offers students a background in ecological principles and the tools used to measure the health of our rangelands, as well as an understanding of the resource management process. A great deal of time is spent in learning discussing the roles of humans in natural resources with special attention given to the process of resolving conflict. Range camp includes a balance of outdoor activities, hikes, and classroom study. Instructors for the school are members of the Society for Range Management and include university faculty, agency professionals, and private consultants from around the state.
Sponsorships are available through various county and state agencies, such as Conservation District Boards, Farm Bureau, school districts, FFA chapters, and others involved in conservation of our natural resources. Some camp sponsors are STEM and Western SARE.
Location: Warner Lake Campground
Warner Lake campground is at an elevation of 9,400 feet among dense aspen trees with Warner Lake close by. There are 19 camp sites with picnic tables and campfire rings. A group area can accommodate up to 50 campers and a small cabin nearby sleeps up to 4 people. Views of the surrounding La Sal mountain peaks are stunning with Haystack mountain visible from a few of the campsites.
Activities nearby include fishing for rainbow trout in the lake and hiking on the extensive trail system accessed from trailheads a short walk away. No powerboats are allowed on Warner Lake but canoeing and kayaking are allowed. A fishing license is required per Utah state regulations.
Warner Lake is about 30 miles from Moab but it takes about an hour to reach the site from Moab and it is a 1.5 hours drive to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.
Instructors
Instructors come to Range Camp from Utah State University, Southern Utah University, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Bureau of Land Management, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, State Lands, U.S. Forest Service, and the private sector. All are professionals with a strong background in rangeland resources, wildlife, watersheds, forestry, or natural resources based education. Below is a list of last year’s camp leaders:
Cory Farnsworth, Camp Director
Extension Assistant Professor, Grand County, Utah State University
Dean Winward
Department of Agriculture and Nutrition Science, Southern Utah University
Eric Thacker
Rangeland Extension Specialist, Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University
Jeff Barnes
Range Conservationist (Retired), Natural Resources Conservation Service
Linden Greenalgh
Extension Associate Professor, Tooele County, Utah State University
Rebekah Esplin
Extension Assistant Professor, Iron County, Utah State University
Ashley Longmore
Extension Assistant Professor, Box Elder County, Utah State University
To Register
Register online or contact Cory Farnsworth 435-797-1485 or 435-210-0212, or cory.farnsworth@usu.edu