The Allen/Graf Family of Blue Mountain Ranch is doing now what they’ve done for the last 78 years – preparing for another fun-filled summer at their exceptional camp located just west of Pikes Peak. An anomaly in today’s world, BMR remains a small, private coeducational summer camp attracting some of the finest families in America and throughout the world.
Though some aspects of camp life remain much as they were years ago, exciting innovations have brought the program into the future. A re-worked ropes course, technical climbing, a gymnasium, and special events each summer combine with horseback riding and hiking in the Pike National Forest, swimming, and sports to make this one of the most comprehensive programs in camping. Coach Bill Allen and his wife Dorothy wanted to create a summer fun camp free of competitiveness – their daughter and son-in-law, as well as their sons, continue in this fine family tradition.
Located just 35 miles south and west of Colorado Spring, Colorado, Blue Mountain Ranch is situated in an ideal setting for summer camping. Nestled in the foothills of Pikes Peak, surrounded by Pike National Forest, the camp is in a beautiful valley with a mountain stream that leads to a fishing and canoeing lake. Large open areas are used for sports fields, tennis courts, outdoor volleyball, and other activities. Staff members are carefully chosen for their enthusiasm, ability to work with children and their leadership abilities. Those who work with horses, swimming, canoeing and ropes and rappelling either have special training when they arrive or are trained by our staff during orientation.
A summer at Blue Mountain Ranch takes you back to an easier time; a time when kids could be kids doing what they do best – being active all day and then playing outdoors until dusk. On the first day of camp, each camper chooses 5 activities to participate in for the first week. There are five activity periods a day. At the end of that week, they may remain in those classes or switch to something else. They can even make a change in the middle of the week if necessary. There are also fun evening and weekend activities, including a Fourth of July Parade. The campers are busy doing what THEY enjoy doing – and most kids really like that!
Quieter activities include arts and crafts, nature crafts and drama during which the campers write and produce their own play for Parents’ Day. Rainy day activities include bingo or charades in the dining hall, or basketball or karaoke in the gym.
Come share with us the warmth and spirit of a summer at Blue Mountain Ranch where children of all ages participate in new and traditional activities and where they are led by a family and staff who have their best interest at heart. BMR is a fun safe place for kids to be kids by disconnecting with technology and reconnecting with childhood in the great Colorado outdoors! We are the camp you have been look for!
Blue Mountain Ranch
11227 Co Rd 98
Florissant, CO 80816
Contact – Director, Tim Graf – 719-748-3279
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A positive, life changing experience
I am a former camper and counselor at Blue Mountain Ranch (BMR) of 15 years, and I think you should take a chance with this summer camp because it could be a positive, life changing experience for your child as it was for me. BMR will not be the largest you’ll see or the one with the most modern amenities. There’s no A/C, no cellphones, and most importantly no internet. Instead of coming from REI, the bunks that the kids sleep on were meticulously handcrafted by Camp Director Tim Graf. The very buildings that kids slept in half a century ago, the foundations of the camp itself, were built by former campers, and are still dotted around with each telling a story of their own. No, the camp is not made for Hollywood, and perhaps it actually all sounds quite simple; but in a world where the simplest things are often the most difficult, Blue Mountain Ranch manages to get it all right. It’s a place where kids can have fun without the pressures and expectations of the modern world and social media. It is a place where they will learn life lessons that they will carry forever, such as the invaluable opportunity to learn the basics of how to live and operate independently at a young age. It is a place full of love like a familys’: fellow campers, counselors and administrators that are on the ground and really do care about the wellbeing and happiness of the kids (many of the counselors are former campers who know how much BMR is something to cherish!). And, it is an important chance for self-discovery for anyone who may feel lost, whether it’s a campfire story or a moment of reflection after some adversity or just being lost in a moment of competition on the athletic field. For me personally, I have met some of my best friends to this day, enjoyed some of my highest highs, overcome my lowest lows, and picked up a love of the outdoors and a sky full of all the stars that I carry everywhere I go. It has well and truly made me a better, more complete person. Blue Mountain Ranch is one of the special treasures I have been blessed with in my life, and I hope you and your child give it a chance.
Blue Mountain Ranch was my home away from home
I have had the privilege of experiencing B.M.R. as a daughter of a former camper, a camper, and later as a counselor. Very few places on this Earth can offer the scenery, the peace, the serenity, the team-building, and the life-long relationships that B.M.R. can. I feel very fortunate that I have so many fun-filled memories from my adolescence which for many can be awkward and difficult. Coach and Dorothy Allen created a haven at which each camper can enjoy a truly personal experience. Blue Mountain Ranch was my home away from home for many years, and I have always felt (even at 35 years old) that I am always welcome. In fact, I make it a point to visit Bob and Suzie at least once a year with my kids and my husband whom I couldn’t wait to show the place that he had heard so much about. Any child would be lucky to have the opportunity to experience what B.M.R. has to offer. I can honestly say that I am who I am today due to the experiences I had and lessons I learned at Blue Mountain Ranch. B.M.R is still a part of my everyday life. I sing the “Green Trees” goodnight song to my kids every night before they go to bed. “A friend is worth a mountain made of gold that cannot be bought or sold.”
I learned more than I can possibly describe
Blue Mountain Ranch is not just a camp to me, it's a family. You become part of the BMR family when you are there, and the feeling lasts. I had the priviledge of being a camper for 8 years, and a counselor for 3. It was not just the place where I learned to ride a horse and made friends that I still have today, it's the place that helped me find my smile again. I came to BMR fresh from a family tragedy and there was no better place to feel a sense of belonging, find my talents and rebuild my self-esteem.
I learned more than I can possibly describe - about life, friendships, giving, trusting and just being happy. There is such a sense of community and sharing at BMR, and it all centers around Coach Allen's two mottos: "A friend is worth a mountain made of gold", and "Always remember the golden rule". At BMR, you learn that these are both true, at camp and in life. The lessons learned at camp can last a lifetime. They sure have for me, and so have the amazing friends, once in a lifetime experiences and memories that I know changed my life.
At my house, Mommy always tells camp stories, sings camp songs and eagerly awaits the day our children are old enough to ride horseback to the Meadow, dance at the Rec hall, climb Alamo Hill and sing for their mail. Thank God for guiding the Allens and the Grafs to create and carry on this incredible camp where I spent the happiest times of my childhood.
She can't wait to go back next year
Last night Isabella came back home with the biggest smile we had ever seen on her little face, the happiest ever and thanking us a million times for sending her to BMR. We want to thank you back for making our daughter so happy and for letting her have the best summer ever (that's what she told us). This has been the best experience we could all give her. Thank you for all the love you gave her these past weeks, you made her feel so comfortable and happy all the time. She can't wait to go back next year and we hope we can send her again. Thank you again for giving our daughter so much joy and love.