The CYC Outdoor Activities program is designed to provide youth with a rare opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors and all its benefits. The CYC aspires to give kids an appreciation for nature and teach them the importance of its conservation and further preservation. The CYC staff is able to accomplish these goals with the use of Rancho Esquon, the 'Flying A' Boat, Grizzly Island Property, Camp Concord and Camp Nejedly. All of these locations and entities are available to give boys and girls a natural environment in which to explore and learn.  

Rancho Esquon is a 6,771-acre, full-functioning farm, located in Durham, California, just outside of Chico. The Ranch is home to rice and almond fields, 1000+ acres of wildlife habitat, a rice drying and storage facility and a bird nesting hatchery. While at the Ranch, boys and girls get to participate in everything from duck-egg salvages to tree planting to fishing. It is possible to see many of the 165 different species of birds, learn about fish migration, egg incubation, farming processes, wildlife preservation and more.

The ‘Flying A’ is a 50-foot U.S. Coast Guard certified, 25-passenger vessel operated by Captain Art Roby, a U.S.C.G. licensed Master for Bays and Oceans. Captain Roby has vast knowledge of the entire San Francisco Bay, surrounding locations and historical sights. The boat provides CYC youth with a one-of-a-kind San Francisco Bay experience. The trips open the eyes of boys and girls who haven't been given the chance to see the Bay Area from the water and appreciate pieces of local history important to the United States. Trips on the 'Flying A' are day-long tours with destinations including Angel Island, Pier 39, Jack London Square and more. Trips are also designed for whale watching in migration season, fishing, wildlife, nature and all-around educational trips.

CYC Grizzly Island Campus is located in the Suisun City marsh, just 45 minutes from CYC-Concord Campus. The 1,100 acre property is complete with a wildlife reserve, boat docks, clubhouse, bunkhouse and an educational/art room. CYC is able to take advantage of the property by educating youth on local wildlife, bird identification, land conservation and further land preservation. Since teaming up with the California Wildlife Association (CWA), CYC has also had the opportunity to provide hunter safety courses and youth hunt days out at CYC-Grizzly Island. All activities at Grizzly Island are open to CYC members who wish to participate and enjoy the outdoor marshland environment.

Camp Concord located in South Lake Tahoe on 29 acres of the El Dorado Forest, is a week-long summer activities camp run by the City of Concord. The CYC has joined up with Camp Concord to allow CYC kids to participate in a wonderful program that has been helping local residents make great childhood memories since 1967. All kinds of outdoor adventures are offered including river rafting, canoeing, horseback riding, archery, arts & crafts, various sports and camp fires. This camp is open to all CYC members at a discounted rate each year.

Camp Nejedly is an 80-acre property that was donated to the Contra Costa Youth Council by Senator John A. Nejedly back in 1982. Located in the Northern Sierra Nevada Mountains, the camp is used by many private and public groups. The CYC has taken groups of campers to Camp Nejedly for years and campers continue to enjoy the remote camp ground which includes Hawley Lake, a collection of petroglyphs amongst the surrounding rock caves and miles of hiking trails.

The activities within the Outdoor Activities program take place at various times throughout the year and are available to all CYC members for a minimal fee or at no cost. CYC aims to give every child an opportunity to participate but those working especially hard and exhibiting the core values of the CYC are recognized and rewarded for their efforts by being invited on several of the excursions. In addition, many of the CYC teams do "team building" activities within the structure of the Outdoor Activities program. All activities are voluntary and by no means mandatory. There is always at least one male and one female responsible CYC staff member supervising every activity.