Meramec Adventure Ranch

Using the transformative power of the wilderness and adventure, Meramec Adventure Ranch is dedicated to serving individuals and families whom much of the world has given up on, including youth struggling with traumatic pasts, youth in residential treatment, youth on the Autism Spectrum, and Wounded Warriors.  Since 2006, the Ranch has grown to be one of the most extensive adventure bases in the Midwest and has served over 100,000 youth and families.

The ranch is a unique program; the only one of its kind in Missouri and one of the few therapeutic adventure programs left in the country that serve youth in the state system. Guides facilitate year-round programs with youth, families, and veterans. During these trips, adventure activities such as ropes courses, backpacking, team challenges, climbing, aquatic adventure activities, paddling, primitive skills, and many more are used as a catalyst to build relationships and produce victories that grow efficacy, connection, purpose, and hope.

 

Adventure experiences are not an escape from the daily grind. They are reality where, in an “off-balance” environment, the true self always eventually surfaces and must be faced, concrete victories are earned, natural consequences are plentiful, roles and gifts are discovered, and positive relationships are built. Evidence bears out that these experiences become defining moments for young men and young women as they grow, heal, and hope.

The Meramec Adventure Ranch specializes in providing therapeutic adventure and wilderness programs for people who want to redeem past trauma and build resilience to future traumatization.  Along with youth, since 2011, we have run many veteran’s programs for WWP, MWR, WTU, the VA, and even host Veteran's Family Adventure Weekends. We have one of the Midwest’s most extensive adventure bases located on 1200 acres in Steelville, MO (just 90 minutes from Jefferson Barracks) and have found adventure and wilderness to be an incredible environment to grow, heal, and hope.

If you have a passion for serving youth, Summer and Full-Time Jobs at the Ranch are available.

If you are interested in serving veterans, please consider a financial gift for Veterans' Family Weekends.

Thanks to our generous donors, Veteran Family Weekends are free of cost to Veterans and their families. Are you interested helping us provide more weekends programs for Veterans and their families?

Text “RANCH” to (855)958-6021 to make a donation (Every penny will go directly to funding a family in the program).

A weekend program costs $230/camper. Write “veterans’ weekend” in the comment section.