Hale Trip 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.

Hale Trip Camp gets kids out and about. It offers opportunities to visit new locations and try activities they may not typically experience through other summer programs. Small groups lend themselves to tight-knit community (and close supervision).

On the second Thursday of each session, campers complete an overnight campout at Hale. Please note that Session 1 campers will have their overnight on the second Wednesday due to the abbreviated holiday schedule.

Hale provides tents, and caregivers are consulted about camper tent preferences beforehand. 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.

Overnight participation is not required, but caregivers of campers who opt out are required to pick up their campers before dark.

We’ll confirm each session’s destinations in June, before camp begins for the season.

It’s important to note that not every session goes to every destination. Campers can expect a variety of destinations similar to those described in the quest they choose.