Girl campers at BOLD GOLD
Feb 12, 2024

Discover Adventure at YMCA Camp Duncan BOLD & GOLD Adventure Camps!

Discover new ways to play in the great outdoors at YMCA Camp Duncan BOLD & GOLD Adventure Camps! 

Our campers connect with nature, build relationships, develop character and independence, and create lifelong memories while taking on specialized programs carefully currated to their interests! From discovering the backcountry at All Gender Backpacking Camp to exploring the beauty of sand dunes on the Indiana Dunes National Park Mini Trip to developing leadership skills at Counselor-In Training Camp, our wide variety of camp offerings are sure to give your camper the summer of a lifetime. 

Wondering what you can look forward to with the Adventure Camp experience? The Camp Duncan team has all of the details on what makes Y Adventure Camp something truly special! 

Q: In three words, describe Adventure Camps at YMCA Camp Duncan! 

A: Collaborative, adventerous, life-changing. 

Q: What makes BOLD & GOLD Adventure Camps at YMCA Camp Duncan unique? 

A: Our BOLD & GOLD programs adventure outside of Camp Duncan! Our trips will take us to the wild woods and rivers of Wisconsin and Indiana where we will camp among the trees and have a new adventure each day. Trips include hiking, canoeing, rock climbing, exploring, and sleeping in tents under a blanket of stars.  

Q: What camp experience are you most excited to share with campers? 

A: We always look forward to the opportunities provided to our camper to make a new friend. Often, friendships are built in neighborhoods, schools, sports, etc. Camp give an opportunity to meet people from all over Chicagoland, across the Midwest, and around the world. Campers can leave camp having met and developed friendships with people they will know for the rest of their lives.   

Q: How do Adventure Camps help youth and teens grow as individuals? 

A: BOLD & GOLD programs are designed with specific curriculum that allows young people the space to grow into great leaders. Teens will help with all aspects of our trips: reading maps and leading us hiking on trail, setting up and breaking down camp, cooking meals, and supporting each other. 

Q: What are you most looking forward to this summer? 

A: The first check-in day is tough to beat. You have this perfect level of excitement, nervousness, and joy. Everyone on the camp team just spent two long weeks training and learning how to keep campers safe, ensure they are having fun, and make such an impact that the campers leave as better people than when they arrived. On the first check-in day, you get to see all of that culminate into something that is indescribable. 

Q: What piece of advice would you give to new campers? 

A: Be open to trying something new. You may stink at it. You may be a natural pro. But just be open to trying it with your whole self. Meet all the people you can, even those outside of your cabin group. Be goofy, and don’t worry about what the people around you think. You are here for you, and those that share that mentality will come along with you on your journey. 
 
Discover everything that Camp Duncan has to offer with your own eyes, and join us in shaping those unforgettable moments! Registration is open for Summer 2024, so register now for an adventure to remember. 

Find more information on camp offerings and registration through the YMCA Camp Duncan webpage