Welcome to Camp...(nice maintenance shed)

It’s opening day and the camp looks beautiful! Every detail, from the check-in table to the new canoes lined up in the lake, is perfect. Parents are driving into camp, awed by the serenity of this other world. But what about that building? Ugh! It’s the maintenance shed.

After visiting hundreds of camps, one thing that stands out to us is the placement of the maintenance shed, a common problem. Perhaps, as people who design camps, we are more sensitive to this, but we still can't help but wonder why would maintenance sheds have the privilege of being the first building visitors see. Programmatically, the maintenance shed is “back of the house,” but in more cases than not, it is near the entrance to camp. We think this is just a small part of a bigger issue centering around the design of the entrance to camp.

As a majority of camps across the country were established nearly 100 years ago, perhaps the entrance is just as it has always been: the dirt road off the main road that transports you into the camp world. Some entrances are long, others quite short. Let’s take a look at what creates a successful entrance.

1. The entrance must be defined. A large welcome sign or sign with the camp logo, and landscaping are all aspects of a well-defined entrance. 

The entrance to Grizzly Creek Ranch. 

2. The entrance must “set the mood” for camp. Find ways to incorporate the “camp feel” right off the bat. 

Camp Pinnacle counselors setting the mood for an amazing summer
on opening day. 

3. The entrance road is a chance to showcase what makes your camp unique. This is your first impression on parents and campers. Be sure it’s a great one! 

The entrance to Camp Sea Gull was strategically designed to wind through
the camp's Golf Course, showcasing a beautiful feature of camp.