Traveling by Plane
Arriving at Camp
With campers from over 45 states and 15 countries, over half of our campers fly into Denver International Airport. From there, campers will be welcomed at their gate by Cheley staff, wearing their red staff shirt, a name tag, and blue kerchief, who will then accompany them through the terminal and train, at the baggage claim, and on the private bus or shuttle to camp in Estes Park, CO. It’s a great way for campers to jump-start their camp experience and make friends with other campers before even arriving at camp!
Alternatively, campers may also arrive at Cheley by driving/drop off.
Arrival Information
Please have your camper’s flight arrive at Denver International Airport (airport code: DEN, colloquially: DIA) between 9:00 am MT and 1:00 pm MT. If you need to schedule a flight outside of our arrival window, please let us know prior to booking your flight so that we can work out other arrangements. Those arriving outside of this timeframe may be subject to additional fees.
The Arrival Days for Summer 2025 are listed below:
1st Term: Tuesday, June 10th, 2025
2nd Term: Tuesday, July 8th, 2025
Quarter B-4: Tuesday, August 5th, 2025
Important Travel Information
Bus from DIA to Camp
The bus ride from DIA to camp takes about an hour and 45 minutes. There is a $45 charge per way for the bus/shuttle between Denver International Airport and Cheley. This charge will be added to your account.
Baggage Instructions
All baggage (duffels, suitcases, carry-ons, personal items, backpacks, daypacks) and miscellaneous items, such as fishing poles and guitars, must have YELLOW CHELEY BAGGAGE TAGS on them, which you will receive in the mail. This helps our baggage crew at DIA grab bags off the baggage carousel.
Our baggage crew at DIA will bring all yellow-tagged baggage to “home base.” Once campers arrive at home base, they will confirm we grabbed all of their bags. Then, our baggage crew will put their bags on the bus to camp. Once the bus arrives at camp, our baggage crew will deliver their bags to their unit.
Unaccompanied Minors
This is a mandatory service for young flyers traveling alone for an additional cost (age requirements are specific to each airline). This fee is in addition to the ticket price you’ll see when selecting your flights. Please ensure that this fee was paid upon booking. It is often a fee each way, not a round-trip fee.
If your camper is flying as an unaccompanied minor, please write “Brooke Cheley Klebe” as the authorized person to pick up your camper. If a relationship is needed, you can write “Cheley Colorado Camps Representative.” Brooke’s phone number is 303-880-0094. The email is office@cheley.com and, if needed, please call our office for her address.
Cell Phones
We recommend campers travel with their cell phone. Whether they have one or not, we will help campers contact you to let you know they have arrived at DIA safely. Once they arrive at camp, campers will turn in their cell phones for safekeeping during the summer.
Communication on Arrival Day
You will receive an email from our office when your camper has arrived at camp.
Late Arrivals
The Cheley Experience has a distinct beginning, middle, and end, and it is difficult for us to accommodate campers who need to arrive at camp after our start date. If your camper needs to arrive late, please contact our office as soon as possible. There is a $175 fee for special trips to and from the airport to cover fuel and staff time.
Shipping Bags
Ship Your Bags Ahead with Ship Camps!
We have teamed up with Ship Camps to make baggage delivery to and from camp easier for everyone. Ship Camps offers round-trip, door-to-door service with outstanding customer support and an experienced operations team that ensures on-time delivery, continuous baggage monitoring and tracking as well as detailed coordination with our camp staff. For these reasons, we strongly recommend that you use Ship Camps, our preferred baggage handling solution, if you are planning to ship your bags.
Setup with Ship Camps is quick, taking just a few minutes. Starting February 1st, you can visit our website or call 855.540.2267 to book the service.
Once setup is complete, Ship Camps will mail you your shipping labels, pick your bags up from home prior to the camp session AND drop off at your desired location after camp. Through this partnership, Ship Camps has guaranteed the best flat rate pricing for our families. We strongly encourage getting orders booked with Ship Camps by or before April 15th, 2024!
Leaving Camp
While many of our campers are picked up on the last day of camp by family and friends, some fly out of Denver International Airport. We leave for the airport at least four hours prior to your camper’s departure time. Cheley staff helps campers check baggage and check-in for flights, escorts them through security, accompanies them on the train to the terminal, and waits at the gate with them until their flight boards.
Departure Information
Please have your camper’s flight depart Denver International Airport between 9:00 am MT and 1:00 pm MT. If you need to schedule a flight outside of our departure window, please let us know prior to booking your flight so that we can work out other arrangements. Those departing outside of this timeframe may be subject to additional fees.
The Departure Days for Summer 2025 are listed below:
1st Term: Sunday, July 6th, 2025
2nd Term: Sunday, August 3rd, 2025
Quarter B-4: We cannot accommodate Quarter B-4 campers who are flying home. Instead, consider picking them up by car or meeting them at Cherry Hills Village Elementary.
Important Travel Information
Bus from Camp to DIA
The bus ride from camp to DIA takes about an hour and 45 minutes. There is a $45 charge per way for the bus/shuttle between Denver International Airport and Cheley. This charge will be added to your account.
Travel Money
Campers will be given $20 cash for snacks and travel. This charge will be added to your account.
Unaccompanied Minors
This is a mandatory service for young flyers traveling alone for an additional cost (age requirements are specific to each airline). This fee is in addition to the ticket price you’ll see when selecting your flights. Please ensure that this fee was paid upon booking. It is often a fee each way, not a round-trip fee.
Leaving Early
The Cheley Experience has a distinct beginning, middle, and end, and it is difficult for us to accommodate campers who need to leave camp early. If your camper needs to leave early, please contact our office as soon as possible. There is a $175 fee for special trips to and from the airport to cover fuel and staff time.