What is TVRC About?

Teton Valley Ranch Camp was established in 1939 to provide unique, challenging, and fun western and backcountry experiences to campers 11 to 16 years old.

Since then, through the generations and challenges that have arisen, we have continued this effort. TVRC instills passion and respect for the outdoors while building self-confidence, skills, and lasting friendships.

The Mission of Teton Valley Ranch Camp is to provide inspiring western adventure in the Jackson Hole and Yellowstone area. Many of the trips we take each summer into the backcountry of this beautiful and wild area are trails we have been hiking and riding for over 80 years. Some of our trips into the National Forests around Jackson Hole have been taking place since before Wilderness Areas were established!

Through this work and expertise we’ve built over the decades, TVRC has become a trusted partner with our families. We create future generations of leaders ready for challenges ahead.

Our Home

The 2,300 acres of land that comprise Teton Valley Ranch Camp have long been part of the working lifestyle of the American West. When our Campers tack their horses and head out on the trail to wrangle in the morning, they are following in the footsteps of cowboys and cowgirls who have worked this land for generations.

The ranch is bordered, on all sides, by National Forest and other state and federal lands. The trails we ride and hike on the ranch traverse the ridges and valleys offering miles of opportunity to take in the stunningly beautiful landscapes around us. Campers may catch a glimpse of some of the wildlife with which we share this ecosystem, including deer, elk, pronghorn antelope and moose, which are seen regularly, and yet still take our breath away.

Teton Valley Ranch Camp was founded in 1939 by Wendell (Weenie) Wilson in Kelly, Wyoming. Wilson’s own summer camp experience in Colorado inspired him to create an opportunity to share outdoor adventure with future generations. When traveling through Wyoming, Weenie decided that Jackson Hole was the spot for his camp, a perfect location to develop a camp full of activities centered around Western heritage and adventure. TVRC gives campers possibilities to hike through snow, catch trout in babbling rivers, practice target sports, and ride in a rodeo ring. These Western traditions serve as guideposts to lead campers towards stronger values, such as persistent dedication, an abiding sense of gratitude, and a deep love and respect for the natural world. The camp operated in Kelly for over six decades. During the fall of 2000, the founding family decided to hang up their hat and turn TVRC over to the next generation of Directors and families to carry on the mission. They worked with the newly formed TVRC Education Foundation Board to transfer over permits and help this group continue on the mission of TVRC.

This dedicated group of alumni and families formed The TVRC Education Foundation as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. The TVRC Education Foundation began operation in 2002 in Dubois, Wyoming at the Double Bar J Ranch and quickly realized the camp’s spirit continued on regardless of the location. In 2004, TVRC obtained the 2,300-acre Crooked Creek Ranch near Dubois and continued our long-established summer programs. At the time of this property’s purchase, the land was completely undeveloped; however, the Board and the Leadership Team set out to build cabins, bathhouses, staff housing, the barn, and the rodeo arena and corral system. TVRC opened in its current location in the summer of 2005 and a new chapter in the story of Teton Valley Ranch Camp began.

Today we strongly believe in the camp’s founding philosophy that began over 80 years ago. Teton Valley Ranch Camp continues to provide a journey of discovery for every camper, allowing a space for traditions, growth, and a chance to be connected to yourself and the wilderness that we adventure in. Here at TVRC, we believe in the importance of disconnecting from technology and enabling campers to be fully immersed in the community way of living that happens here at Camp. Our time is spent around campfires telling stories, practicing and learning the skills necessary to be stewards of the wilderness as we explore and discover in the backcountry. TVRC helps each and every camper strive towards their best selves and be ready to return to their world with perseverance and determination, though the trail may be steep and rocky on their way.

Accolades for TVRC

We’ve been fortunate enough to be listed as:

• One of the 50 Most Amazing Summer Camps in the U.S.
• Top 5 Best Overnight Camps in the U.S.