Camp Life at Camp Walden

Every morning at Camp Walden overnight summer camp for girls, begins with a loud “Yoohoo” as campers wake up to another day of activities, friendship, and fun. The ring of an old-fashioned bell lets campers know that a meal is about to start and the days activities are about to begin!

Campers attend activities with girls of all ages. Instruction at each activity is tailored to the skill level of the girls participating.

After the evening activity everyone enjoys milk and cookies and then goes to their cabins to get ready for bed. When the Taps bell rings, the oldest campers serenade the bunk area with a few campfire songs and the traditional “day is done….”.

Girls Having Fun at Camp Walden overnight summer camp for girls in Maine

A Day in the Life of a Camp Walden Camper

7:30 am. Too-hoo!

8:00 am. Breakfast

8:45 am. Inspection

9:30 am. 1st Activity Period

10:30 am. 2nd Activity Period

11:30 am. 3rd Activity Period

12:30 pm. Lunch

1:30 pm. Rest Hour

2:45 pm. 4th Activity Period

4:00 pm. 5th Activity Period

5:00 pm. Shower Hour

6:00 pm. Dinner

7:00 pm. Evening Activity

8:15 pm. Milk Line

9:00 pm. Taps

Community, leadership, and traditions make Camp Walden summer camp for girls a special traditional overnight camp! Fostering leadership skills and a sense of community has been an important part of Camp Walden’s fabric for 106 years. Our oldest campers plan and run many of the weekly events and special traditions including campfire, Team sports, evening activities, and our yearbook, Splash.

Teen camper with younger girl campers in their bunkhouse at Camp Walden overnight summer camp for girls in Maine

Camp girls showing Camp Walden year books at Camp Walden overnight summer camp for girls in Maine

At Camp Walden, a girls only overnight summer camp in Maine, we teach leadership through modeling. We believe it is equally important to teach young girls leadership and to teach them how to be responsible for this leadership. Younger campers learn these skills when older campers lead a discussion, comfort a friend, and take initiative around camp. At overnight girls summer camp Camp Walden, you will often see an older camper helping a younger camper at the salad bar or carrying their canoe to the water’s edge. In addition every Saturday our oldest campers spend Rest Hour facilitating a bunk meeting with younger campers and their counselors. These conversations are a weekly opportunity for campers and staff to reflect on what is going well for their bunk group and what they can work on to ensure the best summer for everyone.

Wilderness hiking at overnight summer camp for girls camp walden in maine

The Honor System is comprised of the core values upon which Walden was founded: respect, trust, consideration, honesty and cooperation. Campers learn to take responsibility for their actions and to consider the needs, thoughts, and feelings of others.

A Typical Day

A typical day at Main Idea begins with the kitchen staff serenading the rest of camp with a morning cry of “Yoohoo! Good morning Main Idea,” to let us know that it’s time to get up for breakfast.

After a communal breakfast in the dining hall, campers and counselors head back to their cabins to tidy up before a morning full of activities.

We come together as a camp for lunch, featuring group favorites like grilled cheese and tomato soup or chicken tenders, before heading back to our cabins for rest and relaxation during rest hour.

The afternoon features three more activities and then free time to hang out before we come together for dinner.

After dinner, our junior staff run evening activity, ranging from Talent Show to Dress Up a Counselor Night. We come together one last time for milk and cookies before bedtime.

The best part is getting to wake up the next day and do it again!