Camp Mondamin

Located in the mountains of western North Carolina for 102 years, we emphasize outdoor activities such as hiking, kayaking, canoeing, sailing, mountain biking, rock climbing, and horseback riding. We believe in fun, adventure, safety, and great instruction. Our program is non-competitive, which encourages experimentation, and non-regimented, which fosters self-direction. Our strengths lie in the quality of our staff and the depth of our program. We value diversity, attracting campers from all 50 states and several other countries. Our goal is to build self-esteem while teaching community living skills, respect for the environment, and a love for the outdoors. We work hard on cooperation, and don’t spend much time on competition, so there aren’t any cups or ribbons or medals. We believe effort and reward are related, and the reward is sweeter when it’s earned. When a camper first gets here, he’ll meet his counselor and his cabinmates. He’ll have 5 or 6 other boys in the cabin, all about the same age, from a wide geographic area. The cabin counselor is like a big brother; he helps each camper work out his schedule, and get comfortable in the camp community. Experienced staff lead and teach a variety of activities that emphasize outdoor adventure: canoeing, kayaking, sailing, mountain biking, backcountry hiking, rock climbing, fishing, and horse-back riding. There is a nature center for exploring the natural world and some things just for fun like tennis, pickleball, disc golf, and dodgeball. There are always activities for both the beginner and the advanced camper, so everyone progresses at their own pace. Some activities are scheduled a week in advance, some on the spur of the moment, but each camper has a lot of choice in what he does… Our program is structured, but not regimented. Campers spend part of their session here at camp and part of their session out in the wilderness on trips. Just like in-camp activities, there are beginner trips and there are advanced trips, so everyone gets to experience overnight camping. Each camper’s personal interests will influence just how much of his session is spent out on trips. For over 100 years, the Bell family has operated summer camps for young people - Mondamin for boys and Green Cove for girls. We believe that a big part of a child’s education occurs outside the classroom. We also believe that young people need roots as well as wings, and that neither is much good without the other. Self-esteem, independent thinking, initiative, the ability to function in a group other than one’s own family, lifetime skills, lifelong friends… all are very important factors in the educational, maturing process. These are the very things a good camp should help foster. Being a citizen in a camp community instead of a child in a home can be a valuable and gratifying adventure.