Mountain Ranch Living at Northern California Summer Camp!
For over 80 years the Bar 717 Ranch has welcomed children and families to 450 acres in the beautiful mountains of Trinity County to experience nature, form deep friendships and have big fun. Life on the Ranch is rustic and unplugged: we spend our days swimming, hiking, riding, caring for animals, gardening, and making music and art.
The Bar 717 Ranch is located on 450 acres of beautiful wilderness deep in the mountains of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest in Northern California.
About Bar 717 Ranch
Camp Trinity on the Bar 717 Ranch is a residential summer camp for kids ages 8-16 on a working ranch in Northern California. Our mission is to provide an outdoor camp experience where children have daily opportunities to have fun, develop friendships, challenge themselves, learn new skills, gain a sense of community, and make their own choices. Campers choose freely from activities that range from horseback riding, animal care, gardening, crafting, ceramics, and woodworking to backpacking trips, campfires, singing, and much more.
For more than 90 years, the Bar 717 Ranch has welcomed children to the beautiful mountains of Trinity County in Northern California to experience nature, form deep friendships, and have big fun. At Camp, nature is our constant companion. By taking time to appreciate the beauty of the land, by swimming in rivers and climbing mountains, by growing gardens, raising our own food, and making compost, we foster in campers a deep understanding and appreciation of the environment.
We pride ourselves on fostering an environment where every kid can create a magical camp experience based on their interests and passions. We believe that children thrive in an atmosphere where both individuality and community are nurtured with warm, seasoned leadership. Campers return home with a newfound sense of self-reliance and a deep connection to the community.
The Employee Experience
The staff experience is best captured by our recent staff themselves. Here are a few of the things they had to say about working at Bar 717 Ranch:
"This summer was my first on the ranch, although I know now it will be far from my last. Arriving as a new counselor I was apprehensive at first, but from the moment I stepped foot on the beautiful property and took a deep breath of the fresh air, I knew I had arrived somewhere very special. As I got to know my new Bar 717 family of counselors and staff, I soon came to know the true meaning and feeling of community that so many have come to love and appreciate about the ranch."
- Alyssa W.
“Last summer was the best summer of my life. I’ve never connected with a group of people, a place, and a way of living so quickly and so deeply. Camp was such a unique, immersive experience – so much more than just a ranch and the people on it. Living a philosophy of simplicity and collaboration was amazing and deeply satisfying, and I walked out of the gate a different person than I was when I entered.” - Sam M.
“I loved my summer at The Bar 717. I was in such a unique environment, with immense support towards creativity, outdoor engagement, and overall joy. It is a one of a kind place that fosters your relationships with others and the world around you. I had never been in a place like this, and it is a blessing to be apart of such a family." - Ceili O.
"The time spent away from the modern-day demands of a fast-paced world gave me the chance to dig my hands down into the soil every day, share a living space with interesting people from around the world who I can now call my friends, listen to the sounds of the birds and crickets, and—quite literally—smell the roses. Bar 717 Ranch and the gardens within it hold a warm place in my heart, and I am forever grateful to have had the opportunity to spend my summer as part of such a lovely community." - Hollyn H.
"The summer that I spent at the Bar 717 Ranch has definitely been one of the best of my life. Having grown up in a fairly built-up area in the UK the scale and sheer beauty of the ranch took my breath away from day one, and that was just the start of it. As someone training for a career in education, the ranch changed my perspective on a lot of things. I saw children learn more through the enjoyment of the wonderful environment here than in many classrooms I have been in. It has certainly made a big impact on how I plan to approach my life as a teacher. More than that, the experiences here changed my outlook on life in general and I have taken the attitude of pitching in and working together as a big family to make things the best they can be back to my home life." - Alex K.
Ideal Candidate
Our staff are the most important part of Camp. We are eager to hire people who will thrive in a child-oriented, remote outdoor environment. In our small community, people are interdependent and each individual contributes in a meaningful way. Our staff creates a mature and strong, responsible and reliable, sensitive and thoughtful community of adults who are willing and able to work in a way that serves the best interests of the children and the Ranch.
Qualifications:
- Passion for working with youth
- Quick learner with strong problem-solving skills
- Strong interpersonal skills and collaborative attitude
- Accepting of diversity in culture, race, sexual orientation, religion, gender identity, and ethnicity
- Ability to seek and accept supervision and guidance
- Enthusiasm, good judgment, patience, adaptability and self-control
- Minimum age 18 (19 for counseling staff) by June 9, 2024
- Counselors must complete Lifeguard Training/CPR and Wilderness First Aid Training (courses are offered at camp prior to staff orientation)
- Able to be a resident at camp from June 9, 2024, to at least August 11, 2024*
* We have several options for end dates. The earliest end date is August 11th.
Room and Board
Room and board are included for counselors and support staff. Our campers and staff live on a ‘platform’ that has a floor, back wall, and roof but is otherwise open to the woods. Each platform has cots, shelves, a sink, and a bathroom. Showers are near platforms. Meals are sit-down and served family-style. The food is excellent, with much of what we eat grown or produced right here on the Ranch.
Support staff are not required to live on-site, but housing in the area is limited.
Employee Perks
- Housing, meals, and laundry service provided
- Subsidized Lifeguard and Wilderness First Aid training for counseling staff
- Training and professional development on working with youth, leadership, and outdoor skills
- Supportive community of peers and supervisors
Getting Here and Getting Around
We are located in a fairly remote area of Northern California. If you have a car, we recommend bringing it as we have staff parking areas and that enables you to travel freely on your time off. Initial transportation to the ranch can be arranged through carpooling or airport pickup.
For Fun
The Bar 717 Ranch is on 450 acres of beautiful wilderness within the Shasta-Trinity National Forest at an elevation of 2,000 feet. The days are warm, and the nights are cool. We are located seventeen miles west of Hayfork, California and are seven miles from the small town of Hyampom. We are surrounded by forests of pine, fir, oak, and madrone. The ranch is comprised of mountains, meadows, pristine creeks, and pastureland.
Trinity County offers beautiful hiking and wilderness experiences and we are just a few hours drive from the coast of Humboldt County. Our staff members spend their days off relaxing by the river, exploring nearby hiking and climbing spots, getting to know the rural communities around us, and yes--resting.
How to Apply
Apply online or contact Emma Bundy, Staff Director, with questions at emma@bar717.com or 530-628-5992.