Wilderness
Ramblers
Wilderness Ramblers · Jersey City

Out of the city,
into the wilderness.

A co-ed family outdoor and civic organization in Jersey City. We get girls and boys into nature, build outdoor skills over time, and have fun doing it. Families of all backgrounds are welcome.

Express Interest See the Program
🌲 Rambles & twice-monthly meetings 🏕️ Family camps, fall to spring 🧭 Outdoor skills year-round

A chartered group of Outdoor Service Guides
Member club of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference

Kids hiking a forest boardwalk trail
What we are about

Skills, nature, and time together.

Wilderness Ramblers is a co-ed family outdoor and civic organization in Jersey City. Here is what guides the program.

🔥

Fun comes first

Games, campfires, and play anchor every gathering.

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Run by trained parent volunteers

Every leader is an unpaid, trained, and vetted parent of a member.

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Skills and confidence

Youth build outdoor skills over time, from knots and fire to hiking and camping.

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Structure and free play

We balance skill-building with unstructured time for play and craft.

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New to camping

We support families who have never camped. We lend tents, sleeping pads, and bags, so you do not need to buy gear.

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Welcoming

We are a co-ed group for girls and boys, open to families of all backgrounds.

The Program

A rhythm you can plan around.

Over the year, youth build outdoor and life skills in areas including first aid, cycling, fishing, and nature study.

Joining for 2026-2027: our core program centers on a core age group, girls and boys born between July 2016 and June 2018 (about ages 8 to 10 this year). We are organized around one age group currently because each group needs its own parent leaders. If your child is a bit older or younger, talk to us. We have flexibility at the edges, and if enough families want a younger or older group, we can work with you to open one. Siblings are welcome to tag along to activities. More on ages and groups.
  • Rambles Third Sunday, 11amDay hikes and outdoor outings around the region.
  • Meetings First and third Wednesday, 6pmNear Van Vorst Park, Jersey City. Skills, activities, and ceremony.
  • Camps Fall, winter, and springFamily camps through the year, including a potential winter camp at Frost Valley in the Catskills, to be confirmed.

Where we go

Where we have been, and where we are headed.

Membership

What it costs, and what it covers.

Wilderness Ramblers is a membership organization. Families apply to become members for the program year and pay annual dues. Our main application period is in the spring, and we accept rolling applications through the year when there is room. When a year is full, we can make an exception for a family where a parent is willing to serve as a Rover leader, since we run on parent volunteers.

Dues, new family$500
Dues, returning family$400
Insurance, per family member$55

More on cost

Dues cover shared gear, uniforms and handbooks, space fees, and insurance. Food and some outings are extra. You never need to buy gear; we lend tents, pads, and bags. Leaders are unpaid volunteers, and no-questions-asked financial aid keeps cost from being a barrier.

Ready to start?

Tell us a little about your family with the interest form. We will reply by email with next steps and how to apply for membership.

Express Interest

New to us? Join a free online info session on Google Meet: Monday, June 15 at 7:30pm or Friday, June 19 at 11am.

Interest form

Tell us about your family.

No commitment. This starts a conversation. A group leader will get back to you by email.

Tell us about each child. The first child's name, date of birth, and gender are required; add a block for each additional child.

See what volunteering involves

Submitting shares this information with group leaders only.