Hale Adventure Camp

Seasonal staff members are carefully selected from the teaching profession, top college and graduate schools, and local public and private high schools. Every applicant is personally interviewed, three or more reference checks are required, and work histories are carefully reviewed. Hale also completes criminal background (CORI) and sex offender (SORI) checks on all of its hires.

Our counselors are enthusiastic, creative role models who understand children and love the outdoors. Activity specialists have extensive experience in their respective activities (and receive additional training prior to camp).

All staff members who work directly with campers are certified in CPR and First Aid. Hale Adventure Camp and Hale MTB Camp staff members often hold more advanced Wilderness First Aid, Wilderness Advanced First Aid, or Wilderness First Responder certifications, and often have many years and hundreds (if not thousands) of miles of experience hiking and riding terrain throughout New England. Hale Outdoor Learning Adventures staff members work with certified teachers from Boston Public Schools.

During a typical season, Kindercamp’s is 1:5. Lower Camp’s is 1:6. Middle Camp’s is 1:8. Teen Camp’s is 1:10. Additionally, program specialists staff every activity area. Hale Adventure Camp’s and Hale MTB Camp’s ratios are 1:6. Hale Trip Camp’s ratio is 1:7. HOLA’s ratio is 1:8. Overall, Hale’s staff-to-camper ratio is 1:5.

Some wait lists are longer than others, but people’s plans change. We enroll as many campers as possible in the order they signed up, so don’t delay—join a wait list today!

Parents and supporters often ask: Why can’t you simply hire more counselors and create additional groups? Massachusetts regulations and ACA guidelines require that specific camper-to-counselor ratios be maintained and that enrollment not exceed the capacity limits of current facilities.

Please review our Refund Policies. To change or cancel a registration, please email Wendy Rands at wrands@hale.education.

Pre-Camp Programs offer a week-long introduction to Hale Summer Camps. These are not required for participation, but are a fun, relaxing way to jump into summer and experience different parts of Hale before everyone arrives.

We highly encourage campers to wear sturdy sneakers, and hiking boots are an even better option! Backpacks, water bottles, apparel, sleeping bags, and other personal gear are the responsibility of each camper. Packing lists for overnights are tailored to each trip and shared with campers in advance. Hale provides tents, cookware, and other communal equipment.

During 2-week sessions of Hale Adventure Camp, Basecamp completes just one overnight at Hale during the second week. Frontcountry and Backcountry camp one night at Hale during the first week, and during the second week, Frontcountry takes a two-night trip to the Berkshires while Backcountry takes a two-night trip to the White Mountains. While Hale Adventure Camp is technically a day camp, we highly encourage all campers to challenge themselves through these experiences!

Hale provides 4-person tents for Basecamp and  2- and 3-person tents for Frontcountry and Backcountry (smaller tents are often required at more remote sites). Caregivers are consulted about camper tent preferences before trips. Counselors stay in their own individual tents and are available to support campers throughout the night. Groups set their own norms, such as their preferred “lights out” time, but all campers are expected to get to bed at a reasonable hour for a good night’s sleep.

Hale’s programs meet campers where they are. Adventure Camp begins with basic outdoor skills and helps young explorers learn to enjoy the outdoors safely. As campers progress, they improve their skills and learn perseverance through advanced activities, challenging hikes, and memorable backpacking trips. Each step leads to another—from identifying salamanders in Adventure 101, to spending time away from home in Basecamp, to hiking mountains in Frontcountry and Backcountry, and comfortably sleeping trailside in Expedition.

Hale Adventure Camp is an incredible experience, but it isn’t every kid’s cup of tea. Those who love it are comfortable being outdoors for long periods, don’t mind bugs, aren’t bothered by hot weather, enjoy playing in the rain, and aren’t afraid to sleep outside. Overnights can be challenging for our younger campers, but that’s why we build up to that experience. Sleepovers and similar experiences through which campers spend time away from their own homes and caregivers set them up for success. And those who have camped with family members or friends often serve as great role models who lend comfort and support to peers new to camping!

We take safety very seriously. Since the great outdoors can present unexpected risks, Hale Adventure Camp counselors complete 30+ hours of training before campers even step onto buses! All staff members are CPR-certified, and leadership team members are certified in Wilderness First Aid. Skill-based activities are preceded by verbal and visual reviews of safety rules and processes, and staff members demonstrate how to safely use tools before campers give it a try. At camp and on overnights, groups always stay together and learn to monitor the environment around them.