Catoctin Quaker Camp

★★★★★Nikki Rosewag

I wish every kid could have a place like Catoctin Quaker Camp; a place to be themselves, be challenged and supported, explore their spiritual side, and to learn the joy of working together and uplifting one another. The counselors are kind, fun, and clever. The grounds are lovely, with woodland, creeks, and a swimming hole. And then there’s the camp songs and lore! Wonderful!

★★★★★Joel Rosenbaum

Two kids, so two reviews. Overall take is that we were quite happy with this camp, not a perfect fit but they have great values and it shows. My daughter loved this place, there’s a lot of emphasis on service, crafts, and performing arts. All of this was right down her alley. For a kid with those kinds of interests, it’s hard to find a better fit. There are overnight trips and they’re hard but it’s also a good opportunity for bonding. My son was more mixed, he likes playing sports in his free time and there was less opportunity for that than he hoped. He and his friends didn’t seem to buy in and didn’t enjoy themselves as much. But they were kept safe and seemed to be in good hands. There are fewer facilities than a lot of camps so be forewarned. That can be a good thing, obviously, if that’s what you’re looking and prepared for. I want to give my most honest assessment so that folks know what they’re in for. It can be hard to speak for them, but I think the experience was positive for my kids overall.

★Lunaire Animations

I was a camper here and what not many reviews tell you about this place is just how crummy the camp experience is. For starters the cabins don’t provide much protection from the elements and it’s easy to catch colds if the weather is crappy due to the lack of actual walls. As you can see in the photos the cabins have mesh instead of walls. Not only that but I got so many animal bites especially spider bites that I just had to deal with. Then you have the trips. Oh my god. The trips. Normally when you hear that you’re going on a trip, joy and wonder fills your body. Not for this camp though. These trips mean you’ll be walking miles in the hot, burning, summer sun with nothing to eat but a tortilla, a block of cheese, trail mix and some crackers that you HAVE to eat. One trip had my age group walk 14 miles from 10 AM to 8PM. 14. Miles. At the age of 12. Who even does that?? The second trip was better but a lot of my group got either injured or sick after trucking through harsh rain. I feel like the camp inadequately prepared you for those trips either. If you had no experience in hiking like for my first year there, those probably came as a surprise. There were good times in that camp but man, I’m glad I never went for my 3rd year. I know as a parent, you see the pretty landscape the campsite provides, but as a camper it’s a whole different experience. Don’t bring your kids here unless they either have experience in the great outdoors, or they enjoy hiking.

★★★★★Andrea Williams

As the saying goes, "Quaker Camp changed my life." My sons attended camp here and one is now moving into his second summer as a counselor. As a parent, I cooked for the campers 4 different times and it was too was a memorable experience. Yes, the campers do work and "jobs" but it is in the spirit community and sharing value for the place. It's truly a magical experience for many kids. This is what childhood should be like year round.

★★★★★John Thomas McNeill Carley

I attended Opequin and TA as a kid, and I had the opportunity this year to volunteer at Catoctin for a month, and it was lovely. The community created at BYM camps is really special. Campers are 9-14 years old. Sessions, there are 2 weeks long, sleep away with 2 camping trips. Highly recommend for kids, as a job or as a volunteer.