Welcome Home!
Camp Echo Lake families, we want to welcome you to come home this summer! Now more than ever, we know that families are looking for a chance to relax and have fun in a safe environment away from home and re-connect with the camp community while practicing healthy social distancing. We hope you join us for Camp Echo Lake Family Camp this summer. Come home this summer!
Camp Echo Lake sits on 145 acres of expansive private camp property with individual family cabins. We have spent many hours strategizing for Family Camp and have adapted many of our activities, adjusted our food-service options, and ramped up our already stringent cleanliness protocols, to ensure the sanitation of all guest accommodations and the entire camp property. We will follow the safety guidelines and parameters of the NY State Department of Health and the CDC, while making sure that Family Camp is full of lots of FUN!
Family Camp is open to current Camp Echo Lake families and Camp Echo Lake Alumni Families (enrollment for Alumni families opens Tuesday, June 23rd at 9am), on a first come first serve basis. To enroll, you must be a current CEL family or a CEL Alumni Family (at least one parent and one child) who has been living together during the past few weeks and months – and each family will stay in a cabin together. Please see below for dates, rates, sample schedules and menus, and expectations. If you are looking for a 5 day, 4 night, “bring your parents to camp” experience as a family, then Family Camp is a great way for you to reconnect with your family Warm Inner Glow!
What’s Included:
- 5 Days / 4 Nights (Check in on Wednesday after 2pm; Check out Sunday by 11am).
- Private Cabins for Each Family in our Main Village (electricity, ceiling fans, bathrooms and sinks).
- Private Shower Stalls – with on-demand hot water – assigned per family for your stay.
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner delivered to your family; Snacks and coffee available all day; and Evening Canteen Snack on the Hill.
- Access to the Pool for swimming and the Lake for boating and sun on the sand (families will have access to the pool and the lake on a rotating basis so as not to cause crowding at either venue).
- Daily open activity areas for family use, including ball fields, courts, walk to the Hudson river, and “hosted” family activities such as art, soccer, yoga, Hackensack hike, slip-n-slide, and some fun CEL “surprises.”
- Evening activities for family enjoyment, including a family camp game night (The Mostest and Flashlight Sing), movie under the stars for kids and a pub trivia game for parents, family Friday Night Live and a family campfire with S’Mores!
- Resources for local hikes, golf courses, restaurants (if you want to support a local restaurant offering “to go” options), and more, if you choose to venture off camp into the beautiful Adirondacks.
- Quality time together as a family at your camper(s) summer home!
What Should I Expect at CEL Family Camp:
Fantastic family fun! Enjoy camp, get outdoors, be active, take a swim, enjoy a stand-up paddle board, play some sports, and explore! Of course, you can do as much or as little as you like; the choice is completely yours. Consider capping off each evening with our socially distanced, family evening activities or gazing at the stars along with an adult beverage (bring your own and use responsibly please).
You and your family should set your own rules for social distancing — just as you do at home. While we will have hand sanitizer in your cabin and around camp, we ask that you bring masks and hand sanitizer for your family as well. (*See the FAQs below for more information)
Each family will be assigned a private Main Village “camper cabin.” Cabins have electricity, ceiling fans, 2-3 toilets and sinks, and a front porch. Each cabin has more than enough beds (single beds may be pushed together if you’d like) in the front section of the cabin, toilets and sinks and a large “walk-in” closet (or as we typically call it, “cubbie room”) in the back of the cabin.
Our staff will clean and sanitize all public areas and equipment. We will have hand sanitizing stations and/or pumps provided at each activity area, in cabins, and upon entering buildings. The Health Center will not be open during family camp, however basic supplies and first-aid kits will be available. We are a mile and a half from the Hudson Headwaters Health Urgent Care Center in town and a mile from Walgreens pharmacy, if you need anything for your family.
Campers and parents, from the same family, will participate in camp activities together. Each camper must be supervised by a parent at all times. If there is an activity that a camper wants to participate in, parents are welcome to participate or spectate, but campers must be accompanied by one of their parents at all times.
More information about check-in, check out, and activities during your time at camp will be sent to families that enroll for Family Camp. Families will receive a Welcome Bag upon arrival that will include Family Camp T-shirts for the entire family, helpful information and resources for the week, and more… Most Importantly, at Family Camp Appropriate Social Distancing Measures Will be In Place to Enjoy Activities for both families and staff!
Time,Event
6:30-7:15am,Optional Male Shower Time
7:15-8:00am,Optional Female Shower Time
8:00-8:30,Family Breakfast delivered to your cabin or your family picnic table in the grove
9:00-12:00pm,Open Family Enjoyment – Activity Areas Open: Pool & Lake ∙ Ball Fields ∙ Courts ∙ Gymnastics pavilion ∙ Hiking Trails & More! Snack and coffee available for grab-and-go from the dining hall
11:00am-12:00pm,Optional Family Daily Morning Activity – One of the following: art ∙ soccer ∙ yoga ∙ Hackensack hike ∙ slip-n-slide∙ and some fun CEL “surprises”
12:15-12:45pm,Family Lunch delivered to your cabin or your family picnic table in the grove
2:00-4:30pm,Open Family Enjoyment – Activity Areas Open: Pool & Lake ∙ Ball Fields ∙ Courts ∙ Gymnastics pavilion ∙ Hiking Trails & More! Snack and coffee available for grab-and-go from the dining hall
3:30-4:30pm,Optional Family Daily Afternoon Activity – One of the following: art ∙ soccer ∙ yoga ∙ Hackensack hike ∙ slip-n-slide ∙ and some fun CEL “surprises”
4:30-5:15pm,Optional Female Shower time
5:15-6:00pm,Optional Male Shower Time
6:00pm,Socially Distanced Evening Line Up on lower soccer field
6:15-6:45pm,Family Dinner delivered to your cabin or your family picnic table in the grove
7:30pm,Evening activities for family enjoyment including a family camp game night (The Mostest and Flashlight Sing) ∙ a movie under the stars for kids and a pub trivia game for parents ∙ a family Friday Night Live ∙ and a family campfire with S’Mores!
9:00pm,Evening Canteen Snack on the Hill
9:30pm,Relaxing as a Family ∙ Stargazing ∙ get ready for bed so you can enjoy another awesome Family Camp day tomorrow!
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Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be contactless and safely delivered to your assigned picnic table near your cabin or to your assigned picnic table in the grove. Each family will have an opportunity each night to review the menu for the next day and indicate if you plan to be off camp for a hike or plan to order food from a local restaurant for a given meal and where you would like your meals delivered for the next day. Meals will be served in disposable, single use containers and single use, biodegradable, wrapped cutlery, plates, and cups. Snack and coffee available during the day for grab-and-go from the dining hall. Evening Canteen Snack on the Hill will be served by the flagpole.
As always, we a peanut and nut aware camp. Please advise us within the Family Camp enrollment form of any food allergies and/or special dietary restrictions/requirements. We will do our best to accommodate these allergy or special dietary restrictions within our menu.
Breakfasts will include a hot breakfast, cereal, milk, fruit, and juice. Lunches will include a hot meal, salad, fruit, and bug juice. Dinners will include a hot meal, pasta, salad, fruit, juice, and dessert. Sample meals include: Pancakes with real Adirondack maple syrup for breakfast, CEL Famous Chicken Patty lunch, Classic spaghetti and meatballs for dinner, homemade cookies, and so much more!
You’re coming home to camp, so pack light and be comfortable! Remember that while the days are warm, the beautiful Adirondack evenings may cool down, so pack accordingly.
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- Shorts & T-Shirts
- Undergarments, Socks, Pajamas
- Pair of Long-Pants / Leggings
- Bathing Suit
- Sweatshirt
- Rain Jacket
- Sneakers / Hiking Shoes / Flip-Flops (for the pool and shower house)
- Toiletries / Sunscreen / Bugspray / Sunglasses / Hat
- Reusable Water bottles (our filter water fountains will be available around camp)
- Linens per family member: fitted sheets, top sheets, pillowcase, pillow, blanket or sleeping bag
- Towels per family member: towels for showers and towels for pool and lake
- Additional Items to enjoy at camp: Beach Chair / Crazy Creek Chair / Bicycle / Cooler (we have ice!) / Backpack / Board Games / Cards / Flashlight / Picnic Blanket / Phone Charger / Tennis Racket / Baseball Glove / Frisbee / Sports Gear
- PPE for each family member: Masks, Gloves, Sanitizer, Disinfecting Wipes
CEL Family Camp Sessions
We will run, 5 days and 4 nights, on Wednesdays from 2pm to Sundays at 11am. Family Camp is only open to current CEL families and CEL Alumni Families. In order to maintain appropriate social distancing, we can accommodate 24 families, each in individual cabins, per Family Camp week.
[table]Session,Dates
Family Camp 1,Wed July 15 to Sun July 19
Family Camp 2,Wed July 22 to Sun July 26
Family Camp 3,Wed July 29 to Sun Aug 2 – SOLD OUT
Family Camp 4,Wed Aug 5 to Sun Aug 9 – SOLD OUT
Family Camp 5,Wed Aug 12 to Sun Aug 16
CEL Family Camp Pricing
Family camp includes overnight accommodations for 4 nights / 5 days, three meals plus snacks provided each day, open activity areas and optional activities, evening activities, access to our campus, evening line ups, CEL socially distanced community time and more!
All Inclusive Pricing:
- $2,900 Per Family of up to 4 people
- There is a fee of $400/Person for each additional family member beyond 4
- There is no charge for children ages 0 – 2
Tuition for Family Camp is due at the time of enrollment. All fees are fully refundable until two weeks prior to your reserved session start date. All cancellations must be in writing. Echo Lake families may apply any 2020 tuition that you have asked to receive as a refund, and have not yet received, towards your payment for Family Camp. Please note that Camp Echo Lake Family Camp is only possible if the state of NY and the local Board of Health allow it to operate. We are subject to the rules and policies of the Governor of NY and his re-opening plan or potential restrictions that may occur.
FAQ’s
Who is allowed to enroll for Family Camp?
Family Camp is open to current Camp Echo Lake families and Camp Echo Lake Alumni Families (enrollment for Alumni families opens Tuesday, June 23rd at 9am), on a first come first serve basis. To enroll, you must be a current CEL family or a CEL Alumni Family (at least one parent and one child) who has been living together during the past few weeks and months – and each family will stay in a cabin together. Please keep in mind that there must be a parent with campers at all times.
Can I share a cabin with our friends / cousins / extended families for Family Camp? Can one parent bring children from another family to rent a cabin for Camp Echo Lake Family Camp?
Unfortunately, no. Families can only share a cabin with the people who they have been living in quarantine with for a minimum of two weeks prior to Camp Echo Lake Family Camp arrival. This is in accordance with the NYS DOH and CDC guidelines.
When does Family Camp enrollment open?
CEL Families can enroll starting on Wednesday 6/17 at 9am, enrollment will remain open until all cabins are full. ALumni Families can enroll starting on Tuesday, June 23rd at 9am.
How will Family Camp be staffed?
Tony, Laurie, Kelly, Sam, and Amanda (our full-time team) are excited to host you and your family for Family Camp. Additionally, some of our CEL Staff (including Head Staff, current staff, former staff, and lifeguards) who have worked at camp previously, will help to make your Family Camp experience memorable and safe. Our CEL Maintenance and Food Service teams will help to keep camp safe, healthy, clean, and fed. All of our staff will arrive at camp at least two weeks prior to Family Camp 1. All staff will temperature check daily. All staff will drive – not fly – to camp. We know that there will be some wonderful familiar faces on our staff who you and your camper(s) will be excited to re-connect with from a safe social distance.
Can I request my family cabin be next to or close to another family?
Yes! Please indicate that request on your enrollment form in the “comments” section and we will do our best to honor it. We understand that being part of Family Camp with your camper(s) camp friends may be important to you. If that is the case, we recommend that you connect with your camper(s) camp friends and try to enroll for the same week. We cannot make any guarantees, as reservations are on a first come, first service basis, so if you would like to attend Family Camp with other CEL families you know, please coordinate with them before enrollment begins on Wednesday 6/17 at 9am.
Will sports equipment/lifejackets be available to each family?
Yes! Upon arrival, part of your “check in” process will be to get each family member fitted for a lifejacket that will be yours for your stay. Please keep them with you for the entire stay. We will have clean and disinfected sports equipment (balls, bats, etc.) available for use on fields and courts. We do suggest bringing your own baseball mitt, tennis racket and tennis balls. You are welcome to bring any personal sports equipment you would like to enjoy at camp as well.
What if it rains?
We like to say that “Echo in the rain, we love you just the same!” Obviously, summer in the Adirondacks occasionally comes with rain or even thunder. Family Camp will continue in the rain and will be prepared with rainy-day options for all participants and for mealtimes. We recommend families bring raincoats and rainy-day activities for your cabin, in case the weather forces us indoors. Credits/refunds cannot be issued due to inclement weather.
Can we expect any fun CEL traditions?
Yes, we are going to incorporate many of our favorite CEL traditions such as socially distanced evening line up (with fuzzies!), celebrating Birthdays, a Hackensack hike (with view of CEL), slip-n-slide, and more…. You may want to even bring a little Green and Gold!
Can we bring snacks for our cabin and adult beverages?
Yes! Please feel free to bring snacks, munchies, or sodas/drinks for your own enjoyment in addition to what we will be serving. Please keep all snacks in sealed containers to avoid uninvited critters in your cabin. We are a peanut and nut free environment. Family Camp is a BYOB event for guests 21 and over, please be responsible. Alcohol is only allowed from dinner time on.
Will Wi-Fi be available while at Family Camp and will there be a place for parents to do work?
Yes! Our WiFi network will be available for your use. Our WiFi signal is widely available in common use buildings such as the Dining Hall, Rec Hall, A&R, Field House, Fine Arts, Grove, and beachfront. However, WiFi should not be expected inside of most cabins. All cell phone carriers receive a good signal throughout camp. Additionally, for parents only, we will have a “Family Camp Business Center” quiet area where parents can do work, have WiFi access, and use a printer at a safe social distance.
Will the health center be open during family camp and what are the COVID-19 screening requirements for families?
Sorry, there will be no medical staff at camp during Camp Echo Lake Family Camp. Access to basic first-aid supplies will be available at the main office. Walgreens pharmacy is a mile from camp, the Hudson Headwaters Health Urgent Care Center is a mile and a half from camp, and Glens Falls hospital is within a 20-minute drive. We ask that families do temperature checks daily. If anyone in your family exhibits symptoms of COVID-19 or is exposed to anyone that tests positive for COVID-19, within 14 days prior to your Family Camp visit, we ask that you contact us and refrain from attending Family Camp.
Do we have to wear Masks / Face Coverings on camp?
Our goal is to offer a needed respite from the world we have been living in for the last few months. The intention of camp is to be predominantly outdoors, and with appropriate social distancing, we can do that for the majority of Family Camp. We have an obligation to do our part in keeping our camp families and staff as safe as possible. Our staff will be required to wear face coverings inside buildings, if social distancing is not possible outdoors, and when delivering food. Families will need to wear face coverings at certain times throughout the day, if social distancing is not possible or when in buildings with other families.
Can I leave the camp property during my time at Family Camp?
Yes, as long as you are following NY State COVID-19 guidelines for Warren County, practicing social distancing and using face coverings when necessary. There are fun family activities open in the area (Lake George, Glens Falls, and the Adirondacks, etc.…), including incredible Adirondack mountain hikes. More details on hikes, golf courses, activities, and restaurants will be provided in your Welcome bag. We encourage families to stay on camp throughout their stay and enjoy the magic of camp.
Is it ok to bring pets to Family camp?
Sorry, but no. We love pets but cannot accommodate them during Camp Echo Lake Family Camp.
Is smoking permitted at family camp?
Sorry, but there is no smoking permitted anywhere on camp grounds.
Will there be campus security?
Yes, we will have a member of our CEL Security team on camp, at the front gate, each night from 10 PM to 6 AM.
If I am renting a house in the Adirondacks or staying at a local hotel, can I come visit camp for the day instead of renting a cabin for Family Camp?
Unfortunately, we are sorry to say that day campers and visitors are not allowed to visit camp for the day. We realize that this may be disappointing for those who are renting in the area or staying at a hotel.