What will I do at camp?
One thing is for sure―YOU’LL HAVE TONS OF FUN! At our waterfront you can swim, fish, sail, canoe, water ski or learn to row one of our sculls (a single rowing shell) on beautiful Lake Nebagamon. We play plenty of sports like basketball, soccer, baseball, field hockey, and speedball, not to mention tennis on one of our seven courts. If you’re interested in target skills, we offer archery and target shooting with our Olympic style air rifles, or if you’d rather shoot photos than targets, you can develop your film and make prints in our darkroom. If climbing is your thing, we have a 50 foot wall to ascend. We also offer arts and crafts, cooking, music, and nature, along with a host of other activities―talent shows, camp fires, and tournaments just to name a few.
At the campcraft program, you can learn all the skills (knot-tying, fire-building, tent-pitching, etc.) you’ll need for wilderness camping trips. We’re located in a beautiful section of the Northwoods, and we’re fortunate to have easy access to numerous lakes, rivers, and hiking trails that are fantastic places to travel for camping trips. Both in camp and on the trail, members of our staff will be with you every step of the way to help you enjoy your Nebagamon experience to the fullest. They’re here not only to teach you new skills, but to be your friend as well. All in all, Camp Nebagamon is a great place to spend the summer.
Where will I live?
Our cabins are white wood-framed buildings that are arranged in clusters of seven by age group to comprise our four “villages.” (See the Map)
How’s the food?
The food at camp is great! Every camper has a different favorite meal (and this is a popular debate!)
Will I like the counselors?
Our staff is friendly, fun to be with, responsible, and experienced in working with young people. In addition to cabin counselors, you’ll meet many of our program specialists, who devote their time and expertise to our project areas, along with members of our trip staff, whose job it is to plan and lead our wilderness excursions. Other staff members work in the office, the kitchen, on the grounds, and in the health center, where we have both a doctor and a nurse. All told, approximately 125 staff members work at Nebagamon each summer. The one thing all these people have in common is the desire to give our campers the best experience possible.
What should I bring to camp?
Your old clothes! We wear blue jeans, t-shirts, and shorts. Plan to bring fishing gear, a tennis racquet, a sleeping bag, games and books. We’ll send you and your parents a list of what to bring.
What’s the weather like?
It’s usually warm during the day, and the nights are cool enough to sleep under a blanket. Sometimes it even rains! When it does, many regular projects continue to operate, and we also offer special indoor programs.
What are the required activities?
Every camper attends the swimming project until he passes the first rank which we call “Waterproof.” Once he does so, he can participate in all the other activities on the waterfront. If you need to practice your swimming, don’t worry―we have great instructors who can help improve your strokes.
Campcraft, or C.N.O.C. (Camp Nebagamon Outdoor Center) as we call it, is the only other project that all campers attend. We want every new camper to go on at least one wilderness trip, but before he does so he needs to pass his “Tripper” rank.
Where is “Nuh–bag–uh–mon?”
First of all, did you know that Nebagamon is an Objibwa word which means “hunting deer at the water’s edge by the glow of torchlight?”
If you look at a map of the United States, you’ll have no trouble finding Lake Superior. At the western end of the lake is the city of Duluth, Minnesota. Camp Nebagamon is located thirty miles southeast of Duluth, in Wisconsin, on Lake Nebagamon. Our lake is almost 1,000 acres in size and has eleven miles of shoreline.
How do I get to camp & how long do I stay?
Most campers fly from their home city to Minneapolis. Members of the Nebagamon staff will meet you at the gate when you get off the plane and escort you to a central meeting area. From there you’ll board a bus with other campers and some staff members for the trip to camp. The bus ride takes about three hours.
You have a choice of coming to camp for four or eight weeks.
Who goes to Nebagamon?
You’ll have the opportunity to make friends with kids from all over the United Sates, and several other countries as well. Our youngest campers have just finished the third grade while the oldest have completed their freshman year of high school.
Will I take any trips?
Yes! Younger campers take three-day cabin trips to nearby state parks and national forests. They sleep in tents, cook great food (the counselors help a lot), and go boating, hiking, swimming, and exploring.
Older campers may elect to participate in canoeing, hiking, and cycling trips which last anywhere from four to eight days and which travel throughout the Northwoods. Eighth grade campers may take a two-week hiking “Big Trip” to Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior, while ninth graders may paddle for two weeks throughout the Quetico Provincial Park in western Ontario for their “Big Trip.”