A Guide to Summer Camps in the Adirondacks
by Brooks Reynolds on May 17, 2022
Full of fun and discovery, summer camps keep kids active, social and learning during the summer months. The Adirondack Mountains and Lakes offer the perfect backdrop for hours of adventure and exploration in the great outdoors. From day and overnight camps to canoe expeditions and theater groups, there is an opportunity for all kids to find something they love.
Adirondack Trail Improvement Society (ATIS) High Peaks Camp, started in 1965, begins every year around June 19. Twenty boys and girls and their counselors and the cooks launch canoes on the Lower Lake in Saranac and paddle up to the Upper Lake for two weeks of wilderness education and fun. This unique opportunity is sure to be a memory your child cherishes forever.
For over 130 years, Camp Dudley has provided boys ages 10 to 15 with the opportunity to develop as individuals through a balanced program of arts, athletics, outdoor exploration, and spirituality.
Camp Treetops allows children to experience the natural world and an array of creative and challenging activities in a simple, unhurried, child-centered environment. Campers learn to regard time differently without watches or clocks and benefit from unplugged, simple living. Located in the mountains outside Lake Placid, this Adirondack summer camp is for children ages 8-14.
Located on its own wooded island on Upper Saranac Lake, Eagle Island is a youth camp, a National Historic Landmark, and one of the best-preserved Adirondack Great Camp architecture examples. Eagle Island Camp offers Day Camp opportunities for kids ages 7 to 11, Overnight Camp for girls ages 9 to 15, and even Family Camp!
Pendragon Theater is a year-round professional theater in Saranac Lake. Every summer, the theater hosts Camp Pendragon, during which a group of kids rehearses for and performs a live play. This year’s play is Disney’s Frozen Jr. Rehearsals will start on June 27.
The Lake Placid Summer Recreation Program, sponsored by the Town of North Elba, is open to all youth ages 5 to 14 who reside in the Town of North Elba or the Lake Placid Central School District. Head to the Town of North Elba Facebook Page to find out more about the program.
Lake Placid Center for the Arts (LPCA) is one of our favorite organizations in the Adirondacks. Camp LPCA is a visual and performing arts summer camp with various courses at varying lengths. Check out their website to learn more.
Lake Placid Soccer Centre was started in 1976 and has earned a reputation as a top-class teaching and education summer soccer program. It offers both a day camp and an overnight camp for varying ages. Check their website for more details.
New York Ski Educational Foundation (NYSEF) is a youth snowsports organization that helps the next generation develop athletic capability, sportsmanship, self-discipline, and self-esteem. NYSEF offers opportunities for winter sports athletes to continue to hone their skills during the summer season through several camps.
SPARK (STEM, Play, Art, Recreation for Kids) at St. Agnes provides summer camp opportunities for children ages 5-11. The program runs from the last week of June through the third week of August, Monday-Friday. SPARK aims to develop a generation of dynamic learners and thinkers by creating an informal, playful learning environment that allows learning to unfold rather than adhere to step-by-step instructions.
If you are looking for a more flexible schedule, the Whiteface Club and Resort hosts private tennis and golf lessons.
