Spruce Lake’s overnight summer camp program is called “Wilderness Camp” and is situated in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. Here, kids ages 8-17 are out in the midst of God’s creation for 6 exciting days of fun, Bible teaching and adventure!
Daily activities take advantage of Spruce Lake’s 888 acres of woodlands, waterfalls, and mountain streams. Campers love the 500-foot zip line, the 3-person climbing tower, archery range, kayaking, power swing, swimming at the pool, adventure programming, outdoor explorations, and daily Fireside worship and Bible teaching.
All camp activities are age-appropriate. Team members and counselors are carefully selected, screened and trained to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of campers.
WILDERNESS CAMP 2024
There’s hardly an experience a child or young adult can have that has the life-changing power of Summer Camp! At Spruce Lake, we add it together: No tech + new friends + challenging speakers + time in the Bible + awesomely fun outdoor activities! All combines into the perfect mix for building a young person’s character and shaping their walk with Jesus.
Where else can you find such an incredible combo of fun and spiritual growth?! Come join us; sign up early for discounts.
Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength; they shall SOAR on wings like eagles. (Isaiah 40:31)
Programs runs from Sunday at 3:15 pm through Friday 3:30 pm
- DISCOVERERS (AGES 7-10)
Introduces younger campers to all the fun outdoor activities and to being away from home.
Not that they will have much time to think about missing home! We keep them active as their tent groups participate in games, the mini-zipline, swimming, kayaking, nature activities, sports, the 300-foot water slide, daily devotionals, lively evening Fireside worship and more!
Two counselors per tent group will look after campers’ daily needs and be fun-loving Christian role models. We make sure to have earlier bedtimes so there is always a new supply of energy for the next day. Campers also stay with their tent groups for stability and continuity.
- EXPLORERS (AGES 8-11)
Explorers week serves as a stepping stone between Discoverers and Trekkers.
Campers will meet new friends in their tent group, explore creation, and enjoy many fun activities such as slingshots, tie-dye, swimming, kayaks, and more!
Quality counselors will guide their campers in fun and in growing in their faith. We watch God work every day through messages from the camp pastor, passionate worship during Fireside, and relationships built.
- TREKKERS (AGES 9-12)
Trekkers focuses on the uniqueness of the preteen age group. This week provides campers with opportunities to explore new interests, try new skills, and enjoy more activity options. Activity choices will be made within the tent group unit, with many choices for fun throughout the day.
Tent group activities include morning devotionals, kayaking, mini-golf, swimming, the big water slide, group games, power swing, sports, and a fun late-night event.
Tent group activity options enable campers to experience a variety of activities or learn a new skill while entering into opportunities to bond with their tent mates.
Each day ends by playing hard during Rec Hour, then enjoying lively Fireside worship with lots of music, singing, and relevant messages by the week’s camp pastor.
- TRAILBLAZERS (AGES 10-13)
Trailblazers will enjoy the Power Swing and a special evening activity. Bridge the gap with this new camp designed for ages 11-13.
Compete in tent challenges and make connections with counselors and tent mates!
New activity options added for this age group are archery and escape room. Campers will also enjoy camp favorites and have the option to choose from a variety of activities within their tent groups.
- ADVENTURERS (AGES 12-15)
Adventurers will have a wider variety of activities from which to choose within their tent groups. The camp day will generally end later than the younger camps.
Counselors and speakers purposefully engage campers in conversations about relevant spiritual and relational issues, with a focus on developing healthy relationships with others and with God their Creator.
Tent group activities offer a wide range of outdoor, adventure and creative activities from which to choose. Campers will ride the Zipline and play the “Mission Impossible” night game for the first time this week!
- NAVIGATORS (AGES 14-18)
Navigators Camp (youth week) provides a unique atmosphere for senior high-age campers to enjoy positive relationships with peers and counselors while exploring issues of life, relationships and faith.
Along with all the fun and adventure will be a casual-dress theme dinner with entertainment to make this week extra special.
As always, this week will include the ever-popular game, Mission Impossible, active Rec Hour and Fireside, with relevant messages and lively worship.
SUMMER WILDERNESS EXPEDITIONS
Our Wilderness Expeditions program offers unique, fulfilling adventures with trained guides. You’ll experience awe-inspiring sights and the thrill of mastering a challenge! Most of all, there are daily opportunities for growing your relationship with God, including daily devotions and reflections, structured solo time with God, and supportive leaders who are passionate about this ministry.
These life-changing expeditions will test you physically, while helping you build relationships, gain self-confidence, and grow closer with God. Sign up for a summer expedition today!
- VOYAGERS (Age 11-13)
Expeditions & Wilderness Camp combo!
Daily off-site adventures include hiking, biking and canoeing.
Evenings @ Spruce Lake: active Rec Hour games, special late-night activity & awesome Fireside worship.
Overnight: sleep in Spruce Lake’s rustic Adirondack lean-tos.
- OUTPOST - NEW!GIRLS OR GUYS
Spend a week on top of Spruce Mountain!
Your group decides when to cook meals over the fire, go on a hike, shoot archery, and make many other daily decisions – all with the freedom of no phones or schedules.
Caring, fun-loving counselors facilitate choices and help you notice God moving among you every day.
- DELAWARE CANOE (Ages: 14-18)
Experience the thrill of the open river!
Guide your canoe through Class II & III rapids! Safety instructions are provided and protocol followed for everyone’s safety and enjoyment.
Relax and worship around the campfire every night as you listen to the night sounds.
- PARENT/CHILD MINI-WEEK
Our Parent-Child mini-week camp is designed for parents, grandparents, or other significant adult with one or more children of the same gender. These three days will help build a strong, healthy bond between campers and their special adults. Kids and adults will stay together, share daily devotionals and enjoy activities together – zipline rides, pool, snack shop, games, devotions, Firesides and more. Wilderness Camp hosts will prepare breakfast, guide the daily schedule, provide breaks for adults, and befriend campers.
If you do not find the date/time you are looking for or have a question, click above button to contact the provider.
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$75 deposit is non-refundable; 50% refund 2 weeks before the camp starting date;
Payment is not refundable after camp starting date.
The overnight summer camps at Spruce Lake put kids in the midst of God’s creation for a week of fun, Bible teaching, and adventure set in the beautiful Pocono Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania.
Mission/Philosophy
Spruce Lake Summer Camp is dedicated to Christian service in the Anabaptist tradition. The foundational belief of Spruce Lake is that the life and teachings of Jesus are central to our lives. We believe that Jesus is the complete revelation of who God is, and he becomes the Holy Light that guides our thoughts and actions. We believe that Jesus is the Creator, Savior, Lord, and Sustainer of our lives, declared to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead.
Our Staff
Each summer Spruce Lake employs over 30 team members from ages 16 and older. A quality team is our number one asset. We seek to find solid Christian men and women who are living their faith authentically and with integrity, who possess the skills and gifting for the roles they are seeking.
Most Senior Counselors are at least 18 ½ and at least one year out of high school. Most Expedition Guides are at least 21. Occasionally younger persons may hold these positions if they have prior experience and proven maturity. All of our team members profess a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Most of our counselors and guides are college students, although there are some that leave full-time employment or are employed otherwise as teachers. Most of our counselors and guides have been campers at Spruce Lake and desire to give back to a ministry that impacted their lives. Our counselors and guides choose to work at camp because they love young people and the atmosphere.
Screening – Each team member at Spruce Lake Summer Camp is carefully screened. We require each summer team member to go through the application process annually, even if previously hired. We review applications, screen at least three confidential references, review employment/education history, and conduct personal interviews. All potential team members are required to sign a voluntary disclosure statement giving us permission to complete background checks with the Pennsylvania Sexual Abuse Registry, Pennsylvania Criminal History, FBI fingerprinting, and Social Security address verification.
Training – All team members are required to attend a summer training event that covers both general subjects and subjects specific to their roles. Our general training involves sessions on Health and Safety, Risk Management, Age Group Characteristics, Organizational Mission, Supervision and more. More specific training is offered for persons working with campers, leading expeditions, serving in the kitchen or as a supervisor and so on, depending on the role.
Facilities
Large canvas tents are placed on a 16 x 16′ or 16 x 20’ raised wooden platform with 4’ tall side walls and an 8’ ridge in the center. We have two distinct sleeping areas for the genders and 20 raised platform tents total. Approximately eight campers sleep with their counselor(s) within the appropriate tenting area. Each campsite has a cooking ring, picnic table and seating area. There is no water or electric at any of the campsites. However, guys and girls each have access to two separate spacious bathhouses that are within a short walk of the tents.
There are plenty of sheltered areas around camp (pavilions, bathhouses, tents, snack shop, etc), but much of our program occurs outdoors or in open air buildings. Insects, weather and animals can impact any outdoor camping experience, so it is important that campers come prepared for outdoor activity. We take seriously our job to care for the physical needs of your child when at camp.
Because we are an outdoors camp, our activity areas are spread out and walking is a part of the daily routine. It is about ¼ mile from the tents to the Wilderness Camp Pavilion. The Retreat Center swimming pool and snack shop are ½ mile from the Pavilion. The terrain can be rough and uneven in some places, so it is important that all participants be fully mobile to participate.
History
What started with just a few family retreats and only 2 weeks of summer camp that first summer has now expanded to serving over 30,000 guests and campers each year. Over the years, as facilities have changed and programs expanded, the mission of Spruce Lake has remained the same: Pointing People Toward Christ.
God’s amazing work through Spruce Lake continues to this day. In 2017, God choreographed the purchase of Spruce Mountain, a major milestone, with payment in full! And in Spring 2018, a new Youth Activity Center, Mountain View, has been dedicated so the Summer Camp area can become a year-round youth ministry hub at Spruce Lake. In Fall of 2018, a historical camp was added to the Spruce Lake Family. Please click on link below to learn more about Pinebrook, located 16 miles from Spruce Lake.
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