Kids paddle canoes on Lake Colby in August 2016 at Camp Colby in Saranac Lake. (Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

The state Department of Environmental Conservation announced this week that registration for its 2019 summer camps will begin next year on Jan. 23 at 10 a.m.

The DEC’s conservation camps are for boys and girls ages 11 to 17. There are four camps around the state, including Camp Colby in Saranac Lake and Pack Forest in Warren County.

“Campers will have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of outdoor adventures and are encouraged to try new things,” DEC said in a press release. “Activities may include fishing, bird watching, fly-tying, archery, canoeing, hiking, camping, orienteering, and hunter safety education.

“One hunter education program for either gun, bow, or trapping is offered at each camp each week. Class size is limited for hunter education programs and campers must sign up for it during registration and complete the homework in advance.

“Along with adventure experiences, DEC campers engage in fun, hands-on activities and outdoor exploration focused on field, forest, stream, and pond ecological principles. Campers might collect insects in a field, use nets in a stream, investigate soil composition, measure tree sizes, or practice taking field notes and writing in journals. Trips to nearby state lands might include kettle bogs, state parks, fish hatcheries, or nature museums.”

The camps cost $350 per week, which includes lodging and meals. Many groups, such as hunting and fishing clubs, offer scholarships.

For more information on how to register and a full schedule for all four camps, go to www.dec.ny.gov/education/29.html.