a CampPage Summer Camp Guide
Midwest Summer Camps > Hiking and Backpacking Summer Camps
YMCA Day Camp Christmas Tree
Coed Day Camp
YMCA Camp Christmas Tree is a wonderful place for your child to experience fun, outdoor adventures this summer! YMCA Camp Christmas Tree provides a week packed full of exciting and structured activities for the new and returning camper. Located on beautiful Dutch Lake near Mound, campers age 4-14 participate in small, age-appropriate groups as they build self-esteem, learn new skills, and practice the YMCA's values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.
Traditional camp activities include lake swimming, canoeing, archery, games, environmental education, cookouts, camp crafts and more. For the older campers, our 50-foot climbing tower adds further challenges and excitement. On hot days, campers cool off under our umbrella tree spray mister. And Wee Backpackers will love our low-to-the-ground tree houses.
YMCA Camp Christmas Tree also offers a variety of specialty camps including water skiing, horseback riding, climbing, canoeing/kayaking, arts and crafts, fishing, archery, farm, princess fairies and dragons, and outdoor living skills camp.
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St. Francis Camp on the Lake
Coed residential camp for the cognitively impairedSt. Francis Camp is a 19 acre specialty camp for cognitively impaired children and adults. We encourage our campers' use of daily living skills while at camp, and we also follow any special behavior or social plan they may have in place. Most daily activities at St. Francis Camp are camper led and cover one or more of these developmental skill areas: fine motor; gross motor, socialization; and, sensory integration. Examples of these activities are: swimming; boating; fishing; canoeing; paddle boating (all of these are supervised by certified waterfront staff); basketball; volleyball; ice cream socials; hiking; dances; sing-a-longs; arts and crafts; nature study; . . . all the usual summer camp fun plus much, much more!
RECENT ADDITIONS!!! Younger youth weeks and limited day camp. Call the camp office for more details. Camp licensed for children and adults 8 to 80. We accept all cognitively impaired children and adults.
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YMCA Camp Menogyn
Wilderness Adventure Camp
YMCA Camp Menogyn has a long tradition of high-quality wilderness adventures throughout North America! Exciting activities such as canoeing, backpacking and rock climbing, all with an emphasis on personal growth, skill development and relationships provide campers with transformational experiences and memories that will be treasured for a lifetime.
Menogyn's goal is to provide safe, fun and enriching wilderness adventures in an environment of Caring, Honesty, Responsibility, and Respect.
YMCA Camp du Nord
YMCA Family Camp
Du Nord is the perfect destination to gather your family and spend time together without having to be concerned over preparing meals or wonder how to entertain the variety of ages and interests in any family. Du Nord has it all: meal service, programs, age group activities, and wonderful recreational opportunities.
The mission of Camp du Nord is to strengthen families by providing opportunities for individual and family growth, supporting spiritual development and enhancing environmental awareness in a wilderness setting. Guided by this mission, our program seeks to: Enrich family life and inter-family relationships; Develop new insights and understanding between family members; Encourage awareness of the natural world and strengthen appreciation for wilderness; Encourage spiritual growth and renewal in a wilderness setting.
Camp Olson YMCA
Coed Camp with Residential & Day Camp Sessions
For more than 55 years, Camp Olson has been providing unforgettable and life changing experiences for youth and young leaders through quality camp programs. The Spirit of the Northwoods is the legacy of superior staff and facilities including over 1250 acres of pristine forests lakes and fields. Traditional Summer Camp is available as well as specialty programs in Sailing, Horseback Riding, and Nature Study.
A range of Leadership Development Programs are available to teens both on site and in outbound trips to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and Isle Royale National Park. Our skilled leaders nurture teen-aged campers through intense curricula that challenge the mind, body, and spirit of all participants.
Everyone deserves Camp! Scholarship Assistance applications are easy to complete and are available upon request. Contact us for more information.
Birch Trail Camp for girls
Residential girls' summer camp
Make memories to last a lifetime! Birch Trail Camp is a traditional summer camp for girls ages 7-15 located in northern Wisconsin. We provide a safe, fun, and non-competitive camp environment for almost 200 campers and close to 100 staff. Our campers come from all over the world to form ever-lasting friendships and participate in an endless number of programs.
While in camp, campers have the opportunity to do a wide variety of activities, including canoeing, sailing, swimming, water skiing, diving, fishing, rock climbing, land sports, tennis, horseback riding, biking, arts & crafts, gymnastics, aerobics, dance, yoga, and drama. Every camper has the opportunity to spend time camping in the upper-Midwest or Canada as part of Birch Trail's extensive wilderness trip program.
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YMCA Day Camp Ihduhapi
Coed Day Camp
Since 1930 YMCACamp Ihduhapi has been offering boys and girls the opportunity to experience the magic of camping. Camp Ihduhapi is located just 22 miles west of Minneapolis in Loretto, Minnesota. Camp Ihduhapi is the perfect camp for the beginning camper to experience the fun and excitement of camp while offering the returning campers their favorite activities, renewed friendships, and a place they can call their own.
YMCA Camp Ihduhapi fosters physical, mental and spiritual growth by providing a fun-filled, challenging and supportive environment in which to learn about nature, others and oneself.
Wellspring Wisconsin
Residential Coed Fitness and Weight Loss Camp
Wellspring Wisconsin combines Wellspring's unparalleled weight loss program with exciting activities on our campus and in the surrounding region. We are located on the beautiful 820-acre campus of University of Wisconsin-Platteville, boys and girls ages 11-18 enjoy state-of-the-art facilities for swimming, fitness, personal training and team sports. Wellspring is a proven, remarkably effective fitness and weight loss program based on decades of scientific research on what actually works for dramatic weight loss and long-term weight control.
Nutrition and culinary classes paired with the delicious food served in the dining hall guarantee knowledge of and love for new foods. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with a "BC" (Behavioral Coach) in group and individual sessions knits these elements together into comprehensive lifestyle change for rapid weight loss and long-term weight control.
Wellspring Family Camp
Residential Family Fitness and Weight Loss Camp
Wellspring Family Camp is the world's leading program for family weight loss, designed for parents with children ages 5-15. Located at the five-star Pinehurst Resort families attend Wellspring for a one- or two-week weight loss vacation and transformation.
Taking advantage of all the amenities that Pinehurst has to offer, Wellspring Family Camp activities include personal training, hiking, fitness classes, swimming, and a wide variety of sports, games and other fun and energizing activities designed to motivate parents and children to continue a much higher level of activity after returning home. Parents may participate in Wellspring activities with their children, or enjoy their time on the golf course or in the spa. At the end of the session, all family members will have the skills, knowledge, and support necessary for transforming the home environment into a place where everyone has the motivation and mindset necessary for continued weight loss and a permanent healthy lifestyle.
Wellspring Family Camp is the best option for a fantastic family vacation, and to help start family members on the path to a healthy weight.
Camp Jump Start
Residential coed summer camp
Your success starts here. Camp Jump Start is the FIRST health professional owned and operated weight loss camp in the nation-- we revolutionized the industry in 2003! Come to the camp that others try to copy but cannot. The weight loss is amazing under health professionals who guide campers to weight loss success through fitness activities, behavior modification, and nutritional education along with well-balanced, portion-controlled meals. The gain in self-esteem is incredible: Campers leave feeling empowered to make healthier choices in order to maintain weight loss. We offer lifestyle emphasis and FREE follow-up.
We are open to kids and teens and offer traditional camp activities with non-competitive sports, as well as many adventure experiences in mountain biking and hiking. Pool and lake on property. See our website for session dates and prices.
We’re a weight loss camp, but weight loss is only one part of the awesome benefits you find here. CJS is FUN, and the campers are always part of our family-- even after the summer ends. See what a difference a summer can make!
YMCA Camp Pinewood
Residential coed summer camp
Since 1925 children from across the Midwest have come to Camp Pinewood and found their home away from home. Camp Pinewood serves campers from ages 5-17 with a wide variety of summer programs, ranging from canoeing and climbing, to digital photography and model rocketry.
We've made having a great summer as easy as possible with one and two week sessions available to meet your schedule, bus transportation from Chicago, Detroit, and Northern Indiana, and affordable pricing so that everyone can come to camp.
Our staff are well trained and caring individuals, most of whom have grown up coming to Camp Pinewood themselves!
Please check out our website, where we have posted upcoming camper information nights and on-site tour information for your convenience. We hope to see you soon at Camp Pinewood!
Camp Kawaga for Boys
Residential boys' summer camp
Camp Kawaga offers a balanced, well-rounded program. Boys who are skilled athletes and those who are not both love Kawaga and find their own niche here. With endless opportunities, Kawaga offers an exciting array of more than 100 athletic and non-athletic activities! Established in 1915, Kawaga in one of the 25 oldest camps in North America. With an 85% camper return rate & a 90% staff return rate, Kawaga is like no other camp.
The following is a partial list of clubs that are offered at Kawaga: Archery, Baseball, Basketball, Bicycling, Boating & Canoeing, Boxing, Drama, Fishing, Fitness, Football, Frisbee, Golf, Journalism, Lacrosse, Music, Outdoor Adventure, Riflery, Roller-hockey, Rugby, Sailing, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Track & Field, Volleyball, Waterskiing, Wood Shop. Every camper has the opportunity to go on a 2-4 night camping trip. Camp sessions are 4 or 8 weeks.
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Camp Nicolet for Girls
Residential girls' summer camp
At Camp Nicolet, every camper is number one! Individual achievement, respect and support of one another, and the joy and enthusiasm of giving one's best effort are at the heart of Nicolet's traditional programs. Established in 1944, Nicolet is family owned and operated offering girls 8-15 a fun and safe adventure in Wisconsin's beautiful Northwoods. Our campers and staff join us from more than 20 states and internationally and enrollment is limited to 120 campers per session to provide individual attention and high-quality instruction. Leadership training and exciting tripping opportunities for all ages complete our American Camp Association accredited program. Join us and catch the Camp Nicolet spirit!
Exciting activities include: water skiing, wakeboarding, horseback riding, tennis, trampball, archery, soccer and most all team sports, sailing, boardsailing, crafts, yoga, in-line skating, theater arts, mountain biking, and backpacking, sea kayaking, and canoe tripping adventures! 2,4,6, & 8 week sessions, June - August.
YMCA Day Camp Kici Yapi
Coed Day Camp
Your child can have an amazing outdoor experience this summer and sleep at home, too. YMCA Camp Kici Yapi jam packs every week with exciting, structured activities for both new and returning campers. Nature's beauty is all around to explore at Camp Kici Yapi. The camp is spread out over 80 acres of spectacular wooded land located in Prior Lake.
Each day campers, ages 4 through 14, participate in small-group structured activities with other campers in their age group. They learn new skills and build self-esteem while being guided by the YMCA's core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.
Campers fill their days with traditional camp activities such as swimming, lakefront canoeing, kayaking and row boating, archery, games, environmental learning, cookouts, arts and crafts, hiking and more.
YMCA Camp Manitou-Lin
Coed Camp with Residential & Day Camp Sessions
Located on beautiful Barlow Lake in western Michigan. Core values of honesty, caring, respect and responsibility. Modern facilites include cabins with bathrooms.
Camp Birchwood for Boys
Residential boys' summer camp
Located on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) and within the Superior National Forest, Camp Birchwood for Boys rests amongst one of the nations most sought after areas to canoe, kayak, rock climb, backpack and fish.
With the perfect balance of outdoor adventure trips and traditional in-camp activities, boys ages 7 through 17 will gain valuable outdoor and interpersonal skills they will use throughout their lives. Since 1969, campers from all over the world have been listening to the call of the loons, watching the northern lights and breathing the fresh clean air at Birchwood for Boys. Click on the website address to explore our site and discover the experience that brings so many people back each summer for another adventure.
Camp Voyageur
Residential boys' summer camp
Camp Voyageur is a small private camp for boys 10-17 located next to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. We lead wilderness trips canoeing, hiking and sea kayaking; 3-16 days. 1 counselor to 4 campers.
In camp activities include waterskiing, soccer, basketball, volleyball, sailing, arts/crafts, and much more.
YMCA Day Camp Sacajawea
Coed Day Camp
YMCA Day Camp Sacajawea is a wonderful place for your child to experience fun, outdoor adventures this summer! YMCA Day Camp Sacajawea provides a week packed full of exciting and structured activities for the new and returning camper. Located at Dakota County's Lebanon Hills Regional Park, just a short bus ride from several communities, campers age 4 through 16 participate in small, age-appropriate groups as they build self-esteem, learn new skills, and practice the YMCA's core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. And each year, every child leaves with special beads to mark their accomplishments and treasured experiences.
Traditional camp activities include swimming, canoeing, archery, games, environmental education, cookouts, arts and crafts, hiking, and more. Specialty camps include arts, fishing, challenge course, outdoor living skills, outdoor cooking and wild about nature. YMCA Day Camp Sacajawea is accredited by the American Camp Association.
Camp Helen Brachman
Residential coed summer campSince 1906, the COA Youth and Family Center has provided summer camping programs for children. Today we continue this strong tradition with the special experiences we offer to campers at Camp Helen Brachman. 11 days of learning and fun for girls and boys ages 8 through 13. Also offers Teen Explorer Program designed to meet the needs of more experienced, veteran campers (ages 14 and 15).
The opportunities for growth and adventure are endless at Camp Helen Brachman. Campers will enjoy athletics, arts and crafts, swimming, boating, camp outs, overnight trips, hiking, biking, fishing, drama, music, and campfires, while also building their self-esteem, developing valuable personal and social skills, and creating memories that will last a lifetime!
YMCA DayCroix
Coed Day Camp
DayCroix at YMCA Camp St. Croix is a wonderful place for your child to experience fun, outdoor adventures this summer! DayCroix at YMCA Camp St. Croix provides a week packed full of exciting and structured activities for the new and returning camper. Located two miles south of Hudson and 30 miles east of the Twin Cities, campers age 4-15 participate in small, age-appropriate groups as they build self-esteem, learn new skills, and practice the YMCA's core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. And each year, every child leaves with special beads to mark their accomplishments and treasured experiences.
Activities include swimming, boating, archery, games, environmental education, cookouts and more. DayCroix at YMCA Camp St. Croix also offers specialty programs such as horseback riding, creative arts, science and nature, outdoor sports, and teen adventures.
Other DayCroix highlights include Pioneer Village, where campers experience a trip back in time as they explore crafts such as leatherwork, basket weaving, Voyager games, and make candles, butter, and ice cream! In the Oasis Waterplay Area, campers have loads of fun building sandcastles and staying cool splashing in the water. And DayCroix's music program is incorporated into daily activity rotations, and emphasizes rhythm using percussion instruments.
YMCA Camp St. Croix
Residential Coed Camp
The rich camp traditions of over 100 years influence current overnight camp programming at Camp St. Croix. Once campers arrive, they realize they are part of a community linked together by common experiences, lifelong friendships, an appreciation for nature and spirit, mind, body and personal growth and enrichment through challenging and fun activities.
YMCA Camp St. Croix offers a wide variety of exciting activities that build confidence, cooperation, and care--making new friends, building on renewed friendships, and having a caring environment where your child can be themselves are high points of the camping experience.
The one and two-week and one month sessions are divided into units for different age levels. Younger campers are guided through a variety of experiences; older campers choose between specialized canoeing, sailing, rock climbing, horseback riding and backpacking units which offer progressive challenges. Each time your child comes back to Camp St. Croix they can achieve a new level of achievement by progressing into a new, longer trail program! All of our activities at Camp St. Croix nurture character development and encourage all campers to step outside their comfort zones to have new experiences, increase self-confidence and care for others.
YMCA Camp Widjiwagan
Wilderness Adventure Program
Widjiwagan was founded in 1929 as a wilderness adventure program in the wilds of northeastern Minnesota. Throughout this colorful 79-year history, young people have been inspired by the Widji wilderness experience.
The real magic of a Widji experience happens in the wilderness. For canoe groups, this might mean paddling out of camp or getting dropped off on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness or Quetico Provincial Park. For backpack groups, this means driving west to the mountains or east to the Isle Royale or the Superior Hiking Trail. Once groups go 'on trail' they spend the rest of their session in the wilderness. They move most days and camp in different places most nights. Free from distractions of civilization, groups get to know each other and come together to accomplish their goals. On trail is where friendships form and memories are made!
Camp Anokijig
Residential coed summer camp
Camp Anokijig has been recognized for excellence in camping since 1926, with a rich tradition of offering youth an experience that will last a lifetime. Anokijig is synonymous with new friends, personal growth, positive values, great adventures, and outrageous fun! Couple this with our dedication to offer an experience with emphasis on values like caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility and you have a combination that can't be beat!
Weekly sessions are offered to boys and girls ages 7 to 16, for up to nine weeks of summer fun. Anokijig is not just another place to go, it's a community; an experience, a spirit shared among all who visit. It is incredible magic that you will always cherish. Join us. You will love it!
Activities include: horseback riding, sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, archery, fishing, arts & crafts, drama, woodworking, riflery, music, digital photography, Teen Adventure Challenge, Adventure trips with whitewater rafting, rock climbing, and sea kayaking and more!
Bluestone Summer Camp
Residential coed summer camp
Bluestone offers four one week camping sessions in June and July. Our Resident Program will accomodate youth entering 3rd through 10th Grade, and our Trip Camps are for high school youth entering 10th through 12th Grades.
Our Summer Camping Program is based on a small group philosophy, which consists of one female and one male counselor to a group of around 10-12 kids. A week at Bluestone will provide campers with excellent opportunities for spiritual and personal growth, for meeting new friends, learning new skills, and challenging themselves.
In addition to daily arts and crafts, swim time and song time, Resident Campers have a daily bible study based on the theme of the summer. Hikes, creek walks, canoeing, sleeping out under the stars, nightly vespers, cookouts and s'mores are just some of the many other things to look forward to at Bluestone! Trip Campers can look forward as well to whitewater canoeing and rafting experiences, as well as other adventure activities depending upon which week they attend.
-Easter Seal Camp Kysoc
Coed special needs camp with residential and day camp optionsCamp KYSOC, located in Carrollton, KY provides a unique camping experience for children and adults who have physical, developmental and multiple disabilities, learning and behavioral disorders, eating disorders, spina bifida and autism.
Offering a wide range of traditional camping activities-hiking, swimming, crafts and campfires, KYSOC has accessible facilities and black-topped paths so everyone can enjoy its rustic setting. Camp KYSOC has both day camp and resident summer camp programs, as well as respite weekends and retreat opportunities throughout the year. Alpenglow Adventures is a fundraising adventure program for Kentucky Easter Seals Camp Kysoc in Carrollton, Kentucky. All net income from each and every trip goes to support children and young adults with disabilities to attend a six-day special needs session during the summertime at Easter Seals Camp Kysoc.
-Camp Tanager
Residential coed summer campEstablished in 1926 as a private, non-profit camp for children with health problems, Camp Tanager now serves over 600 children each summer. "Camperships" on a sliding fee scale permit all children to enjoy Camp Tanager regardless of income.
Children come to Camp Tanager to make friends, have fun, and learn through a camping experience. Campers may participate in the following variety of activities: Archery, Arts and Crafts, Badminton, Campfires, Carnivals, Dance, Educational Speakers, Fishing, Hayrack Rides, Hiking, Movies, Nature Study, Games, Roller-Skating, Skits, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, and Volleyball.
-Courage Center Camps
Coed Camp with Residential & Day Camp SessionsCourage Center Camps offer safe, accessible, natural environments where children and adults with physical disabilities, sensory and language impairments, and other disabilities or illnesses discover abilities they never knew they had or they thought they had lost.
Campers make new friends, and are often introduced to sports or hobbies they develop further at home or at school. Their self confidence grows and their attitudes improve. Speech/language services are available at Camp Courage for campers on the active caseload of a school Speech/Language Pathologist.
YMCA Day Camp Christmas Tree
Coed Day Camp
YMCA Camp Christmas Tree is a wonderful place for your child to experience fun, outdoor adventures this summer! YMCA Camp Christmas Tree provides a week packed full of exciting and structured activities for the new and returning camper. Located on beautiful Dutch Lake near Mound, campers age 4-14 participate in small, age-appropriate groups as they build self-esteem, learn new skills, and practice the YMCA's values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.
Traditional camp activities include lake swimming, canoeing, archery, games, environmental education, cookouts, camp crafts and more. For the older campers, our 50-foot climbing tower adds further challenges and excitement. On hot days, campers cool off under our umbrella tree spray mister. And Wee Backpackers will love our low-to-the-ground tree houses.
YMCA Camp Christmas Tree also offers a variety of specialty camps including water skiing, horseback riding, climbing, canoeing/kayaking, arts and crafts, fishing, archery, farm, princess fairies and dragons, and outdoor living skills camp.
