We are a residential sleep-away camp.
We are located in Wardensville, WV, which is just over the Virginia/West Virginia line. We are about 2 hours from the Baltimore – Washington area.
Our summer programs are single-sex. We offer boys’ camp in July and girls’ camp in August. We do have a family camp retreat weekend in late August. Co-ed groups can rent Camp Hemlock when we are not in summer session.
We have monthly Volunteer and Family Work Days each month. You are welcome to come, take a tour, and even help if you like. Just email info@camphemlock.org for weekend details.
You may want to combine the trip with some exploration of the nearby quaint town of Wardensville.
Our main camp programs include swimming, archery, riflery, sling shot, ax throwing, hiking, low ropes course, high ropes course, zip line, canoeing, group games, crayfish hunting, wilderness skills like fire building, gaga ball, Nine Square in the Air, human foosball, basketball, crafts, evening campfire, daily study of God’s word. Some of our specialty camps for older campers include paintball, caving, overnight backpack trips, river canoe trips, and more.
Rise and Shine is at 7am. We have a flag raising followed by breakfast. During the morning campers rotate through exciting activities. About 30-45 minutes is scheduled each morning for a cabin Bible study. Lunch is at noon. The afternoon continues with cabins rotating through activities. After dinner we have a whole camp game followed by pool time to cool off. Flag lowering follows and our day ends around the campfire ring with a big production of songs, skits, a testimony from one of the teenage staff and a message from God’s Word. Lights out is at 10pm.
Camp Hemlock is blessed to be located among some great natural attractions. We neighbor the George Washington National Forest. Different programs explore Big Schloss Mountain, Trout Pond State Park, a local cave, or canoe on the Potomac River. These are a small part of our program in addition to all the quality programming we have on-site.
Absolutely! Our low camper-to-staff ratio means your child will get the attention needed. We have all the traditional camp activities starting at an introductory level and the camp layout is very conveniently spaced out. We are a smaller camp and foster a family atmosphere. However, we also have a lot of returning campers as well because of the great experience they had. Our close and personal atmosphere make us a great choice for first-time OR veteran campers.
We have father & son as well as dad & daughter programs for those who want a parent along to help the transition.
Yes, many children attend camp without knowing anyone and make fast friends with others in their group. Children bond quickly at camp and our caring counselors help facilitate that and look out for the relationships.
“It’s great!” says our campers and counselors. Our nourishing and creative meals are served buffet-style. The kitchen staff provides three well-balanced meals each day. Campers are encouraged to try new foods. We always have pitchers of water on the tables for all three meals along with juice. Parents should NOT send food packages because they discourage appetites and can cause friction.
Our kitchen staff prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals each day. We have options for gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, tree nut-free, and more. Tell us your needs and we will make sure your camper is well fed.
Campers stay inside rustic traditional summer camp cabins. The cabins have bunkbeds, screened windows, and wood floors. Campers spend little time inside their cabin except when sleeping because they are busy having unique adventures around camp. The cabins do not have air conditioning or bathrooms. There is a bathhouse a few steps away.
Some older groups will go on trips that include sleeping in tents. The boys’ Explorer Camp sleeps in tents all week at their campsite nestled next to Trout Run stream.
Yes, all of our cabins have an adult counselor along with a teenage counselor who directly supervises the cabins. We practice Two-Deep Supervision meaning there are always two staff members with your child at all times.
Dads sleep in the cabins with their son. There are usually about 8 people to a cabin.
Dads sleep in a dad cabin. The girls sleep in a girls cabin supervised by an adult woman and members of the girls’ junior staff.
Children are assigned based on age and cabinmate preference, if indicated on the registration form. If your child is coming and wants to be with a friend, please make sure it is noted on the registration form.
They’re just a few steps away from the cabin areas. They have private toilet stalls and private showers with a changing area.
All adult staff and volunteers are background checked and receive extensive training from Ministry Safe. Junior staff receive extensive training in safety and abuse prevention. Your child will have a teenage and adult counselor along with counselors at various activity rotations. We have a low camper-to-staff ratio.
We practice Two-Deep Supervision meaning there will always be at least two staff members supervising your child.
Our activities have written safety procedures that are communicated to staff during staff training and throughout the summer. We have certified lifeguards at our pool. We hire an outside company to inspect our low and high ropes equipment. Ropes course staff participate in a multi-day training session. Additionally, our directors go around to all activities to supervise and give feedback to the staff on a regular basis.
Problems will initially be addressed by the camper’s direct counselors. The camp director will call the parents immediately in case of any questionable situation or issue concerning their child.
Camp Hemlock has an assigned Health Assistant for each week. During camper check-in, all parents meet with the health assistant to discuss health concerns and medications. All medications must be in original bottles in writing, signed, and dated. We do not allow any medications of any type to be kept in the cabins by the campers. We always seek medical treatment if there is the slightest question as to whether or not a child is ill, or injured, and the parent will be contacted immediately. Children with fevers are sent home to recover.
Campers can write as often as they like; however, you will find that most camps discourage and do not allow phone calls as they tend to be counterproductive to the camp program (we have found that phone calls home actually encourage campers to focus more on home than on camp and can actually encourage homesickness). If there is ever a problem, illness, accident or any other questionable situation with any child, we immediately call the parents.
Letters can be written to [Camper Name], Camp Hemlock, General Delivery, Wardensville, WV 26851
Cell phones should be left at home. Camp Hemlock is located between two mountains and does not have cell coverage. We have a camp phone and you will be notified if there are any problems or concerns.
We believe that campers will connect better with each other when they disconnect. Therefore, we practice digital detox while at camp.
There are no times when campers can be visited during camper sessions. It causes too much of a distraction and produces unintended consequences for a child who may be feeling homesick.
We are a non-denominational Christian ministry. We have campers and guests from a variety of denominations as well as those who are not part of a church or a faith. You can find our Statement of Faith on our website. All people are welcome as campers.
We are a Christian camp, and therefore teach Christian values from the Bible in our camping programs and activities. We also hire mature Christian staff who we expect will model a Godly lifestyle that we hope campers will want to emulate. In each camp, we will give campers an opportunity to make a decision to follow Jesus Christ and His example. However, we recognize that it is a personal choice to become a Christian and fully respect each individual’s decision. We do not force nor use scare tactics to try and make someone do something they don’t want to do. Since we are a non-denominational Christian camp, we do not promote a particular denomination or church. This means it is our practice to present the simple message of the Gospel as found in the Bible and teach Christian values without promoting nor condemning any denomination or church. If you have any questions about who we are and the Christian messages and values we teach, please email us at info@camphemlock.org to schedule a phone call. You can also visit our About section on our website for information on our history and statement of faith.
Camp Hemlock’s boys camp has a decades-long partnership with Christian Service Brigade, but campers do not need to be members of any organization to attend. We welcome any camper who wants to have a great summer camp experience.
Packing lists are emailed out at the conclusion of the online registration. They can also be found on our website under About -> Packing Lists and Policies.
Summer Camp Refund Policy
Camp Hemlock maintains a refund policy because we need to know who will be participating in activities and what supplies need to be purchased. Many camps fill up and families that do not secure a slot make other plans for the summer.
January 1 until one week before a camper is to arrive: Camp Hemlock will provide a full refund minus a $50 registration deposit fee.
The week before a camper arrives, Camp Hemlock will offer refunds only in case of illness minus a $50 registration deposit fee to cover the cost of pre-purchased materials. Anyone with a positive case of COVID or COVID-like symptoms should not come to camp. We will try to place the camper in a later session. If that is not possible, we will refund you for the illness.
Retreat Group Refund Policy
The guest group may cancel at any time and will be refunded the money paid minus the reservation and meal deposit.
You can request financial aid during the registration process. Contact info@camphemlock.org for additional information.
We offer a multi-child discount for week-long camps.
Early Bird Registration ends May 21. A $35 late fee is applied to registrations afterward.