How We Work
Behind the Adventure: Our People-First Blueprint For Growth
How We Work
From Roughing It to Running It, We Know the Ropes
Canyonlands combines the heart and soul of summer camp with modern strategies and operational excellence.
Our premier youth development platform brings together unique day camps, overnight camps, and adventure camps under centralized operations to create best-in-class experiences and sustainable growth. Our strategic proprietary playbooks and shared services allow each camp to eliminate administrative hassles and focus on the unique experience that generations have grown to love.
How We WORK
The Canyonlands Advantage
Built on Integrity
This isn’t just a business, this is our passion with a purpose.
Integrity is at the foundation of everything that we do, and we’ve built systems to reflect that. Our cash controls and governance processes ensure fiscal responsibility and transparency in all aspects of our business. We hold ourselves and our partners to the utmost of ethical standards.
Our Proprietary “Camp Trunk” Playbooks
Every purpose-driven business needs a strategy and structure that can scale and deliver great customer results.
Our leadership team has developed a comprehensive suite of proven playbooks and operating systems based on decades of experience in business, education, and hospitality.
Culture and Community
We are a people-first company, and are committed to attracting, developing, and retaining top talent.
Whether it’s in the off-season planning sessions or celebrating around an ice cream sundae bar, we’ve created a culture of entrepreneurial excellence, curiosity and growth, and supportive friendships. Canyonlands is a place where every employee is developed and valued.
Reliable and Sustainable Growth
The summer camp industry is more than childhood nostalgia – it’s a gateway to outdoor adventures and personal connections that no screen can replicate.
Our camps have stood the test of time, proudly serving families for decades (for a few a century!), even weathering the challenges of recessions and pandemics. We’re investing in this resilient model to ensure that summer camps not only endure but thrive for generations to come.
Stewards of the Environment
Our future relies on the preservation of natural environments and beloved cultural traditions, and we take this stewardship seriously.
With the right systems in place, our platform protects and enhances these special outdoor spaces for all to enjoy.
The Canyonlands Advantage
Highest Levels of Safety Standards
All of our overnight programs are accredited by the American Camp Association (ACA), and our day camps are certified by local city and state agencies. But we go beyond the basics. We partner with Cornerstone Safety Group to regularly audit and strengthen our safety protocols, and with AM Skier to vet and train our staff in best practices for working with children.
Our commitment to safety extends to every team member:
All staff undergo comprehensive background and reference checks, plus multi-stage training that covers everything from child development to misconduct prevention.
Team members are also certified in CPR, First Aid, Lifeguarding, and Wilderness First Response, based on their roles—ensuring every camper is supported and safe throughout their entire experience.
The Canyonlands Advantage
Centralized Year-Round Team of Operations Experts
Every Canyonlands Camp has shared access to an exceptional team of business operations experts. With an extensive library of blueprints and summer-camp specific materials, camp directors are free to focus on creating their own exceptional camper experiences.
Our year-round centralized operations teams provide everything each camp needs for:
Risk & Safety Management
Sales & Marketing
Recruiting & Training
Finance & Accounting
General & Administrative
What Makes Canyonlands Different?
We’re a Team of Originals
We are a carefully curated portfolio of premier camps that cultivates unique programming and retains multi-generational brand loyalty. Our shared operations, resources, and community allow us to strengthen each camp's culture and community while offering the highest standards in safety and programming.
Our Proprietary Operations Models Are Centralized and Scalable
At Canyonlands, each camp enhances its distinctive character while leveraging our centralized year-round business infrastructure for operational excellence and inspirational ideas.
We Cultivate for Long-Term Growth
We invest in the country’s best summer camps that align with our company values and will yield predictable results. At Canyonlands, we act like entrepreneurs and invest in our team. Our vision is to continually grow and improve, consistently achieve excellence, and deliver joy in the great outdoors.