Why Summer Camp?: Healthy Risk Taking in the Wilderness

In the previous post in this series, we shared with you our philosophy that guides our Activity Program. We believe to feel confident in the world, campers need to feel comfortable living in the out-of-doors. Therefore, we ask each camper to attend Campcraft, Canoeing and Swimming until they achieve second level (of four). This also affords each camper the opportunity to participate in our Trips Program which is one of the best in the country.

Campers explore the rivers, lakes and mountains of Maine and New Hampshire. Canoeing and mountain trips are developmentally appropriate and are an optional part of our program starting with our youngest campers. 

Second and third grade hikers explore Rattlesnake Mountain (pictured right) for a day trip that has gorgeous views of the Lakes Region with Mount Washington in the distance. After enjoying lunch at the top of the mountain, campers hike down and stop at the ice cream store on their way back to camp.

As you get older the trips get longer and farther away from Camp. This group of 6th graders are climbing Cannon Mountain. Aren't the views breathtaking? This is a two day, 1 night trip in New Hampshire. Many of our mountain trips are on the Appalachian Trail and are maintained by the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC). The AMC has huts at the top of the mountains where you get delicious meals, running water, bathrooms and a bunk room. There is something magical about watching a sunrise or sunset from the top of a mountain and the stars are out of this world! This trip is a two day, one night adventure. Our oldest campers hike Mount Washington for three days and two nights; this is highest mountain in New England.

Arcadians are never afraid of an outdoor adventure. As you age through the Trips Program at Arcadia, opportunities to go on the Pack Trip become available. Campers bring everything on the trip with them - tents, sleeping bags, food, etc. Trips vary each year so that campers can go on multiple adventures. Recent trips have gone to Mount Katahdin, the highest peak in Maine and the northern terminus of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. This trip is five days and four nights.

Our canoe trips are structured very similarly to our mountain trips. Our youngest campers explore our lake and have an overnight stay at The Villa, our campsite about ¼ of a mile from our main campus. Fourth graders enjoy a trip to our neighboring lake after paddling through the tunnel shown in this picture. They then sleep overnight on Peanut Island where there is a great jumping rock for swimming. As you age through our canoeing program, you can go on Songo-Sebago where you paddle through the Songo Lock! Paddling Moose Pond in Bridgton is also a popular trip destination. 

The trips to Rangeley Lake and Lake Umbagog are our most advanced lake trips before campers get to experience the long awaited River Trip! In recent years, our oldest campers paddled the Allagash River in northern Maine and the St. Croix River which is the eastern border between Maine and Canada; both include whitewater canoeing.

All trips end with a trip to an ice cream store and the writing of a trip song to share with our friends back at camp!

What's a trip song you ask? Click the video below to learn more about this long-standing Arcadian tradition!

Memories from all trips are sure to last a lifetime!

Did you miss our previous post in this series? If so, click here.

The 2025 season will be the 109th summer our Camp family has gathered together for an unparalleled experience for girls aged 7-17. 

Click here for more information and here to register.

Why Summer Camp?: A True Sisterhood

At summer camp, bonds among friends grow stronger each and every summer. You have the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life, from all over the country and the world and from a variety of cultural, racial and religious backgrounds. Living together for the summer, you learn to collaborate to make your cabin your summer home; to make your camp, a family.

Our summer community becomes a true sisterhood for each Arcadian’s lifetime. We intentionally develop experiences across each day where older and younger campers learn from each other to develop our camp family. From how we sit in the Dining Room, to morning assembly, participation in activities and Saturday’s Campfire, we come together frequently as one camp; as one family. This provides older campers many opportunities for leadership development; it also allows our younger campers to learn about what their future at Arcadia holds as our program develops.

Let me delve deeper into one example - the Dining Room. For breakfast and dinner we eat in the Dining Room; lunch is outside on picnic tables with open seating. Tables are assigned each week with 6 campers, one from each age group, and two counselors. At meal time stories abound of adventures during the day’s activities, fun times with friends in the cabin, and the excitement of trips to the lakes, rivers and mountains of Maine and New Hampshire. At the end of the meal we sing lots of camp songs which is another shared point of joy in our day! Together this table group forms relationships that connect old and young and further strengthens our philosophy that we are one camp that is our summer family.

With five generations in our family's 109 year history, we are an ever growing family. Each summer we greet our newest campers on opening day with, "Welcome to the Arcadian family, we are so glad you are here!"

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The 2025 season will be the 109th summer our Camp family has gathered together for an unparalleled experience for girls aged 7-17.

Click here for more information and here to register.

Why Summer Camp?: Learning New Skills

Summer camp provides children the opportunity to truly be a child. Campers get to step back from our fast paced, screen filled world to relax and be a kid. Whether you spend two, three, four or seven weeks at camp, campers are participating in one of the last technology free play based environments there is. Activities at camp provide campers opportunities to play, to have fun and to learn new skills.

At the cornerstone of Camp Arcadia's activity program is the fundamental belief that all of our campers will be comfortable on the land, in the water and on the water. To this end, we require each camper to attend Campcraft, Canoeing and Swimming until they achieve second level (of four possible).

In Campcraft girls learn outdoor living skills such as making a fire, putting up tents, knife skills, cooking over a fire and axemanship. Our oldest campers chop down trees and can become Junior Maine Guides.

Arcadians hone their canoeing skills first learning how to turn the canoe with a draw and a push away. More advanced campers learn how to run rapids! We also canoe to town weekly for ice cream.

Girls at Arcadia learn to swim in our gorgeous lake and can also participate on the swim team which travels to other camps for swim meets. We also love free swim which happens twice daily.

We believe these skills are important as they allow us to appreciate the beauty of our natural surroundings. In addition, these three activities prepare us for Arcadia’s robust trips program which brings us to the lakes, rivers and mountains of Maine and New Hampshire. Available as an option to all ages, our trips program truly sets us apart from other camps!

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The 2025 season will be the 109th summer our Camp family has gathered together for an unparalleled experience for girls aged 7-17.

Click here for more information and here to register.