YMCA Camp Hi-Rock
A Branch of the Central Connecticut Coast YMCA

Camp with Character, Programs with Purpose since 1948

Our Camp

Nestled in 1,000 acres of the Berkshire Mountains, YMCA Camp Hi-rock surrounds 90 acre Plantain Pond in Mt. Washington, Massachusetts. Our spacious dining hall, modern health center, arts and crafts building, recreation lodge, waterfront building, and other facilities support a wide variety of Resident (Overnight) and Day Camp programs, offering numerous opportunities for fun and growth.
YMCA Camp Hi-Rock also offers superb accommodations for group camping and family retreats: winterized and rustic cabins, group gathering rooms, incomparable scenery, modern facilities in a country setting, and outstanding recreational and educational facilities, all at an attractive price.

Our Mission and Philosophy

We firmly believe that every child is different. Through the values of the YMCA, Camp Hi-Rock is dedicated to the growth and development of the spirits, minds and bodies of the participants we serve. We see each person as a unique individual with his or her own needs, aptitudes, and interests, which can be further developed through the camping experience. We seek to help each camper utilize his or her identity and sense of personal worth and responsibility as a cooperative member of a group. In addition, we want campers to discover, learn, and cultivate new skills, develop healthy lifestyles, create meaningful relationships, and become more caring, honest, respectful and responsible people. This simple direct philosophy has proven itself through our tremendous growth and very high return rate of our participants. The most impressive evidence of our success is in the growth of our campers.

Our Programs

Overnight Camp
Day Camp
Group and Family Camping

Our Staff

YMCA Camp Hi-Rock has about 125 staff from all over the country and world. Many are teachers, coaches, and college students hired for their skills, experience, and the example they will set for campers. Our staff goes through a two week staff training period. During that time we certify them in CPR and First Aid, and train them as guards. We also have two medical staff that live on camp and work out of our infirmary. We teach counselors how to work with children as well as how to talk and listen to them. There are at least two staff members that live in each cabin. One staff member is always on duty whenever the campers are present, especially at night. The goal of our staff is to help your child discover what he or she is best at. Trying new things and meeting new people, will help them to grow. You will find our campers returning home a little more mature, more capable of doing things for themselves, and secure in the knowledge that they did something special for themselves. Our staff members are both friends and teachers creating a “home away from home” within our camp community while helping foster a sense of trust and well being between cabin mates. An array of international counselors brings the world to our little corner of Massachusetts.
We’re here to make it the best summer ever for your child. The key to a successful camp is a great staff. They must combine creativity, maturity, warmth and flexibility to deal with campers on a daily basis. At YMCA Camp Hi-Rock, cabin counselors, unit leaders and program specialists are chosen with these characteristics in mind to serve as strong and positive role models for campers. Overall camp staff-to-camper ratio is 1:3, and 1:5 in the cabins. Our staff are both friends and teachers to create a “home away from home” within our camp community. A sense of trust and well-being are developed between cabin mates. An array of international counselors brings the world to our little corner of Massachusetts. To see a list of the staff that will be returning to camp again, click here.

Our DVD

Let Camp Hi-Rock come to you! Get an exciting look at camp life at YMCA Camp Hi-Rock through our free DVD(available on YouTube and on our home page). You’ll get a feel for daily activities, camper and staff perspectives, and a first-hand view of our facilities in the comfort of your own living room. Call or email us for a copy.
If you know of friends in your neighborhood that would like a walk through of the DVD, call now to discuss a local Open House or Home Visit. An experienced staff member will come to your home, bring material from camp and, present the DVD to you and your friends, and answer any questions you may have. Don’t delay; reserve a date today.

Open House Date: Saturday, May 15 10:30am-3:30pm

Parents and campers are welcome to come to Camp Hi-Rock's third annual Open House on Saturday, May 15. We will have guided tours of the grounds and facilities offered by our camp staff. The Camp Director and Executive Director will also be available to answer any questions about our programs or to help you get your campers signed up for camp! For directions to camp from our major service areas, click here.

If you would like to familiarize yourself with the buildings and layout of Camp Hi-Rock, but cannot attend our Open House date, you can also arrange a tour at camp! You and your family are welcome to contact us at any time to coordinate a visit. Please call the camp office in advance to arrange a tour at your convenience.

Regional Information Sessions

If you are looking for an overnight camp experience for your child, or have questions about overnight "resident" camping, you can come to one of the following YMCA branches to meet the camp directors from YMCA Camp Hi-Rock. Feel free to stop by and visit, ask questions, and register your son and/or daughter with our camp directors. We will be showing pictures of our camp and our camp video. Brochures, financial assistance forms, and registration forms will be available.

If you have any questions about these events, contact the Camp Director at (413) 528-1227 x14, or by email. Click on the links below for address information and to find a phone number where you can receive directions:

• March 6 (Saturday), 10:00am - 12:00pm - Valley YMCA, Ansonia
• March 17 (Wednesday), 3:00pm - 5:15pm - Lakewood Trumbull YMCA, Trumbull
• March 17 (Wednesday), 5:45pm - 8:00pm - Stratford YMCA, Stratford
• March 24 (Wednesday), 3:00pm - 4:30pm - Wilton Family YMCA, Wilton
• March 24 (Wednesday), 5:00pm - 8:00pm - Fairfield YMCA, Fairfield
• March 30 (Tuesday), 6:00pm - 8:00pm - Woodruff Family YMCA, Milford

Visit the Central Connecticut Coast YMCA,
an Activate America YMCA

Welcome! We hope you will spend some time exploring our website. Camper forms and staff forms are available for downloading. We welcome any comments or questions you may have.
Emails can be sent to info@camphirock.org
We add new materials often, so please bookmark us and check back soon!

This camp must comply with regulations of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and be licensed by the local board of health.