Click here for our main camp webpage.

What if I’m going to be late to camp?

If you expect to be late or your child won’t make it to camp, please text or call us at 207-837-9613. We will monitor this phone and pass on messages to our camp leaders.

What if the weather is bad?

Camp will run rain or shine. If there are thunderstorms or heavy rain in the forecast, we may change our location for the day. We will let you know via email the night before if we plan to change camp locations.

What is the best way to get in touch with a camp leader during camp?

If you need to contact a camp leader during camp, call us at 207-721-1121 (office) or call or text us at 207-837-9613 (cell). We will pass on messages to our camp leaders.

What is Nature Day Camp like?

Kids and parents love Nature Day Camp! If you’d like to find out more about camp, you can read a description on our main camp webpage, read quotes from parents, check out photos, or watch a video from 2016.

When is Nature Day Camp?

Each year we schedule Nature Day Camp based on the tides. Several of our camp locations are best at low tide. Nature Day Camp for ages 4-6 runs Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Nature Day Camp for ages 7-12 runs Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Click here for dates for the current camp year.

What ages can go to camp?

We offer camp for two age groups: ages 4-6 and ages 7-12. We use ages as of the first day of the camp season (June 24 in 2024). We understand that for a few kids with summer birthdays, these age guidelines separate them from their classmates and peers. We have some flexibility in where we put campers, so please make a note in your pre-registration form if you’d like to request to be in a different age group than the one dictated by your child’s age on June 24.

Do you offer junior counselor positions?

For pre-teens and teenagers who love kids and the outdoors, being a junior counselor is a great opportunity to gain valuable experience and have fun! Junior counselors act as assistants to the camp leaders. They are expected to be great role models, participate in all activities, talk with campers, assist campers, and play with campers. All junior counselors should show interest in spending time with children.

Junior counselors for the younger camp group (ages 4-6) should be at least 11 years old. Junior counselors for the older camp group (ages 7-12) should be at least 15 years old. Junior counselors can make a commitment to one or more weeks during the summer.

Being a junior counselor is a great opportunity to gain leadership skills and experience teaching children. It’s also an opportunity to explore and have fun alongside campers. Interested? Positions are first-come, first-served. There is no fee and no payment for these positions. A short interview is required. Training is provided through an optional pre-camp orientation and during camp weeks. Click here to fill out an application.

Do you welcome parent and grandparent volunteers?

Yes, we welcome volunteers during camp! To volunteer, please reach out in advance to Julia McLeod at Julia@hhltmaine.org.

Where does Nature Day Camp take place?

Nature Day Camp is held at a different location each day in Harpswell, Maine. These preserves and trails provide rich, varied, interesting, and fun places for campers to explore. These sites are rustic and most do not have enclosed spaces or bathroom facilities. Each day we bring a shade tent and a portable bathroom tent and folding toilet. Parents are responsible for dropping off and picking up their children at each site. We will send you a schedule of locations before camp starts.

Camp locations change each year (though not entirely) and include five of the following fantastic Harpswell preserves and trails!

• Curtis Farm Preserve
• Devil’s Back Trails
• Hackett and Minot Trails
• Houghton Graves Park
• Johnson Field Preserve
• Mitchell Field
• Otter Brook Preserve
• Potts Point Preserve
• Bowdoin’s Schiller Coastal Studies Center
• Skolfield Shores Preserve
• Stover’s Point Preserve

How do I sign up?

In recognition of the high demand for camp and to try to make the registration process as equitable as possible, we offer camp slots by lottery. Check our main camp webpage for the most up-to-date information.

How much does camp cost?

In 2024, the fee for Nature Day Camp for ages 4-6 is $150 for Harpswell Heritage Land Trust members and $165 for non-members. The fee for Nature Day Camp for ages 7-12 is $230 for Harpswell Heritage Land Trust members and $245 for non-members. A donation of any size makes you a HHLT member. Click here for more information about joining as a member. You can also join while registering your child.

Do you offer scholarships?

Yes! Harpswell Heritage Land Trust offers need-based camper scholarships, with a preference given for Harpswell residents. It’s on the honor system and we do not require special paperwork or proof of income. If a scholarship would help you send your child to camp, please don’t hesitate to request one. If you would like a scholarship, please indicate this on the pre-registration form and we will be in touch.

Do I have to pay the whole fee up front?

No. Once we have offered you a spot, we require a $25 nonrefundable deposit to hold your spot. Please pay the remainder of the fee by June 1.

What is your cancellation policy?

If you give us at least three weeks notice of your cancellation, we will refund your camp fee minus the $25 deposit. We do not typically offer refunds with less than three weeks notice, but we can be flexible during extenuating circumstances.

Can I sign up my child for more than one week of camp?

At the end of the pre-registration window, we will assess the demand to see if we can offer more than one week of camp per child. This is a very popular camp, and we would like as many children as possible to be able to attend.

Can I sign up my younger and older children for the same week?

Yes! We offer camp sessions for the two age groups concurrently. We schedule locations and start times so you can sign up your younger and older children for the same week (and spend less of your summer driving down Harpswell’s long peninsulas). Camp groups will not be in the same location on the same day, but they will be in the same area of Harpswell.

Do you have a waiting list?

When camp sessions fill, we start a first-come, first-served waiting list. When camp spots become available, we start at the top of the list to find someone to fill the spot.

Is before or after care available?

No, sorry.

What should I pack for my child?

Click here for a packing list.

Can I stay after camp to play or have a picnic?

Yes! All camp locations are open to the public. You are always welcome to stay after camp ends.

Do you have first aid training? Do you do background checks?

All camp leaders are certified in first aid and CPR and have passed a background check.

Who do I contact with questions?

If you have any questions not answered here, please reach out to Lindy Magness at 207-721-1121 or lindy@hhltmaine.org.

This page updated 2-5-2024.