YMCA Camp Silver Creek

★Hamley

Parents, please be aware: our child's recent experience at the YMCA summer camp was not only disappointing but deeply concerning. After just seven days, she came home emotionally distraught and shaken by what she encountered. Here are the most serious issues we feel you need to know before considering this camp: Unsafe supervision & leadership: Campers openly identified as “furries” and engaged in inappropriate conversations. A transgender leader was housed in the same cabin as our child, without parental notice, leaving her and others uncomfortable. Disrespect for faith: Our child and her friend were told that praying before meals was “not appropriate” and forced to replace grace with a generic statement. As a Christian, this made her and her friend feel excluded and disrespected. Lack of professionalism: Some staff displayed poor hygiene and unprofessional behavior, unacceptable for those responsible for children. Exposure to sexual content: She was exposed to sexual conversations among campers and was placed in sleeping arrangements that blurred clear boundaries with other campers who shared the same sexual preferences. Leaders did nothing to protect or redirect, despite her being only 11. Zero communication with parents: No contact allowed for an entire week. No transparency about amenities, care packages, or even proof of staff background checks. Parents were left completely in the dark. Poor value: For the cost of this camp, families deserve safety, support, and enrichment. Instead, our daughter came home distressed, isolated, and carrying negative experiences that may have lasting effects. We trusted YMCA to provide a safe, nurturing environment. That trust was broken. This camp failed to protect our child, respect our family’s values, and provide even the most basic standards of mental health and emotional care. We strongly caution parents to reconsider before sending their children here.

★★★★★Erin Anderson

My daughter has the best time at camp! The campground we're very clean and we'll kept. The counselors were friendly and made my daughter at ease right away. We love this area of Oregon and we're so glad our daughter got to experience The Great outdoors with this group. Clean bathrooms, nice cabins and beautiful creeks.

★★★★★Tim Rea

This summer camp seems to go through time untouched. Every time I've returned since I was a camper in the 80s, it's still the place I remember. This year I dropped off my step daughter who cried to be left there, only to be sobbing when we returned to pick her up. Camp Silvercreek made another camper for life out of her.

★★★★★Lainie Grant

I attended Camp Silver Creek every year from 1956 thru 1959. Mrs Maltby was head counselor, high school girls were Jr counselors. I stayed at Trickle Creek 4 years and Hemlock 1 year. Sounds like things changed for the worst since my day. Food was wonderful, all counselors were fun, horseback riding was best ever, no one ever wanted their week to end. Cabins were airy, we kept them clean. I learned to swim in the lake. Those weeks were some of the best of my life!

★★★★★Midnight Adventures

I've gone there so many times and I enjoyed it! They have a variety of fun ACTIVE activities that anyone can do! Here's two photos I took before my camera died (I took more, but they're not the best)