Overall Impression: Despite my concerns based on previous reviewers, Oljato exceeded all…read moreexpectations. The camp, staff, food, and facilities were all outstanding. Initial Arrival (5/5): Our first visit as a troop was seamless. The 6-hour drive from Irvine ended with a lake trip on a WWII-era barge. "Invasion Day" was well-organized with med forms collected, a Troop Friend assigned, and activities like tours and swim tests efficiently managed. Staff (5/5): The staff was exceptional, especially Miles, the camp medic, who provided great care. They were receptive to feedback, held daily leader meetings, and were highly responsive and accountable. This was the first session of the year, so naturally they were still scrambling to get the camp opened and dealing with forgotten or late action items. But despite the fact that I could tell they were frantically working behind the scenes, no one was ever too busy to answer a question, take some feedback, or even share a quick word. Program (4/5): The program was engaging and full featured with 3 classes a day, a fourth "free block" and evening campfires most nights. I honestly could have done with one less campfire, and just a little more time for Scouts to sit down and relax. There is a huge variety of classes, from lakefront fishing, swimming, boating to nature classes, arts and crafts and shooting sports. Merit Badge Councilors were fair, but still expected the work done (one of our Scouts could not complete a badge despite Counselors working with him regularly on free hours). Despite some minor delays and missing classes (welding was removed from offerings), the staff's passion and dedication stood out. Camp Facilities (4/5): While the camp shows its age, it has some new facilities, including latrines with single-stall bathrooms and showers. The dining hall is functional, though crowded. The waterfront facility is well designed and shooting ranges are well-equipped but require a hike. Campsites had some issues with tent setup, but the staff was proactive in addressing concerns. I do wish they had cots- it makes these platform tents much more livable and is better on inflatable camp mattresses as well as old Scoutmasters. Food (5/5): College Fresh has been brought in to manage the meals, and the food was consistently good and plentiful. CF is responsible for managing the kitchens of many University Residence Halls and Greek houses, and their focus on tasty, fresh food has made them pretty successful. Their staff ensured meals were ready on time and well-prepared. Our Scouts regularly went for seconds. Conclusion: Our Troop's first experience with Oljato was magical. My Scouts unanimously demanded to come again next year. The program and facilities are not terribly different from the good camps I've been to elsewhere in the state. But this Staff sets the camp apart from others. And I can happily report that concerns about food have been dealt with.

My son has been to a handful of BSA camps over the years and this was his least favorite! Almost…read moreeveryone in his troop got really sick which they think was from the drinking water. The staff was extremely rude on top of everyone getting sick. Several of the merit badge counselors were inept. Based on his experiences, would not recommend.

We did a one hour trail ride. It was amazing. Our tour guide was amazing and she helped us a lot,…read morewas very kind. I forgot her name unfortunately but the staff we dealt with here were all kind.

Phenomena! Amazing! Impressive! Friendly! Courteous!…read more Best horseback riding experience I've ever had from the staff to the atmosphere in a full day service experience. Package would have easily been worth double the amount we actually spent! Our guides Mitch and Brandon were the most experienced cowboys I've ever met and not only did they share their knowledge in such a respectful way but they gave my son and I a full day of enjoyment with taking us through the most breathtaking views, laughter from their great stories and experiences and all out humble hospitality! Most personable and down to earth people running this place. Love all these people (so courteous and friendly, didn't even know them but felt like I had from the start) and their top notch, impressive professional family friendly horseback riding experience is second to none. Look no further if you are looking for an all out camping/fishing/hiking/horseback riding adventure! My son and I caught so many trout in just a little over an hour, thanks to our guides tips and techniques! Hadn't caught any all summer til they shared their expertise. Attached a photo of our haul. Our family will be making this an annual experience with D&F Pack Station!

Absolutely love this camp!! So many wonderful cabins, platform tents and tepees for small groups to…read morelarge events. The Dinky creek runs through the property which makes for the best background sounds!! Archery area Large mess hall Bathrooms -Biffys Mountain Biking Canoeing Team building Challenge course Swimming CampFire area But 100% great night sky views!!!

Spend at least once a year here on a group camping trip and it is always a great time. The views…read moreare great, the creek is peaceful, and making memories is the best! The bathrooms are as clean as a bathroom in the woods can be and I have encountered far worse. The showers are heated so that is a plus. Nearby swimming pond is a short hike from the camp site and is one of the perks of staying here. Looking forward to many returned visits!

I didn't go to camp. I just went to the camp grounds for a photo op. So this is not for the camp…read more This is for the ambiance and location of the camp. When you first come onto the camp, they have a cute fake town. There is a sign with a Sheriff on it and some fake stores (one real store but was closed). They had fake train tracks and just cute playtown fun. Great for photos. It is also near a hiking trail. This is just a great place for photos :)

It is a truly well planned camp which my grandkids have attended for two years together. The…read morecounselor for our grandsons in Junior Camp was the same young man as last year well trained, truly talented,compassionate, very responsible. Our grandsons really liked him very much! This year: the only family disappointment was the lack of daily pictures which was promised like last year. Despite the above concerns, the camp is located in a beautiful environment; well planned and supervised; safe and fun.

I loved going to camp chawanakee, first you get a orienteering tour of the camp and where stuff is,…read moreSecond when you go to your tent at night you sleep at 10 Pm in a tent cabin fusion, third they had a ton of Merit Badge's to do, and fourth there shooting range was sublime, it felt like I was getting treated like king Kaiser Wilhelm the second. The 10/22s where very fluid, and the instructor (I did not remember his name) was very nice Rk meier 2021 June 27-July 3

My sister and I swam to this place over summer break, and we found it and thought it was abandoned…read more Great experience but almost got hit by a deer lol. I love this place definitely worth exploring

Skylake is a 5-star, sensational camping experience. Our three children have been attending for…read moreseveral years now, and consider it their "home away from home." They typically attend for a two week session and have consistently returned thrilled, having tried many new activities, having loved their counselors and made many new, great friends. Activities include: Horses, Archery, Paddle Boarding, Swimming in the Lake, Banana Boats, Biking, Rock Climbing, and Tomahawk Toss. Our kids report that the food is great, the songs and campfires are fun, the activities are great and there is nothing about it that they don't love. As a parent, it is easy to stay in touch...the Director (who is wonderful) posts a detailed summary each day on their password protected website of what is happening at Camp each day, and about 100 candid photos are posted each day to show what is going on around the Camp. The pictures are a great way to (sometimes) see candid shots of your kids and still feel in touch. The kids are able to get letters everyday and larger "care packages" once a week so you can stay in touch. We have interacted with the owners, nurse, and camp management on several occasions and have been impressed every time. These folks are great professionals! We will continue to send our kids to this remarkable Camp and commend Skylake for being such an oasis. Keep up the great work! Skylake is a dream...a 5-star camping experience!

Was a camper for 4 years, a counselor for another 4-5 years, family camper for at least 12 years…read moreand now I send my children there - the place is magic! My favorite activities as a camper were tennis, archery, canoeing and campcrafts. As a counselor I tended to drift towards watersports - waterskiing, canoeing, kayaking, paddleboards... As a family camper my favorite activity is anything where my kids are having fun and I'm in the sun! Skylake is a magical place where friendships are born that sustain through your lifetime, a time of meaningful personal growth away from the "you" you are at home, where you are free to explore who you are, who you want to be and what is important in the world. Highly recommend giving it a shot if you can! You won't be sorry.

I visit Convict Lake every year because it's just so beautiful! No wonder those escaped prisoners…read moreyears ago stayed here! You cannot resist such a beautiful lake with the mountain backdrop. Okay, the parking is terrible but if you're patient and parking lot pimpin', there will be an open spot for you! The water is freezing here in the summer but that is why I love it so much! I love being the 1 out of 3 people who swims here lol. If you want to fish here, I promise there's no fish here. We can never catch anything here! 10/10 will always visit again.

Beautiful lake off the Highway 395. I felt so lucky to find a parking space in front of the lake…read morewhere the boat launch was! It was such a beautiful sight of the mountains and the lake. Nice place to take a walk with family and friends!

We have been looking for some kind of sports for my son who is 4 years old. So happy we found this…read moreplace. They have free trial class you can go and see how it is. And my son enjoyed it from the first visit. They allowed my son to be upgraded to join the higher age group since he was a bit advanced for his age. They also gave us a hand written card to welcome us and that made me feel we are part of it. Only thing I would say is if they can keep the facility with less dust and more sitting for parents to watch the kids playing. But special thanks to coach lexis and coach Alyssa.

My daughter has been comming here for soccer training for almost a year. I can definitely see the…read moreresults and how she improved from increasing her skill with her left foot and her touch on the ball and all around improvement on her game. It is also very reasonably priced. I highly recommend this place if you want your kid to improve his or hers game

Gosh, I just popped on here to see if the camp was still around after all the fires a few years…read moreback, and I'm so glad it is. My daughter started going to this camp 25 years ago and stayed for 10 years! She got her 10-year jacket, which she still has, and used her GAC blanket through college. She looked forward to camp every year and every year she would come back a very happy, content, and more independent than she was when she left. Worth every dollar we spent!

*** "Gold Arrow Camp is absolutely f-i-n-e" ... ***…read more At least that is the one-liner my 10yo keeps saying. He went there for a 2-week sleepover this summer. Twas his very first stint staying at an overnight camp. He enjoyed it so much, that he wants to ret'n for 1mo! From what he tells me, he likes the variety of activities: archery, hi-ropes, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, sailing, riflery, ziplining, hiking, backpacking, waterskiing, wake boarding, mountain climbing, camping, art & crafts. The bus picks up the kids at the Cheviot Hills Rec Center. Then you do not see nor speak with them until they return. The only correspondence permitted is via email or USPost. They also post daily picks of the kids at play to the web site. Twas a great way to help build a kid's sense of independence. That was my motivation to send mine here. We're both happy. I only had marbles and a fishing pole when I was in camp! (lol) *** Gold Arrow is pricey but it is a great way to cut the cord. ***