I have been coming to Camp Stevens for many years. The property is beautiful and bucolic and the staff is even better. This past weekend I attended one of their family camps with my husband and two young children. It was magical. They thought of everything! The food was delicious! In addition, there were always choices for my picky eaters and allergy-friendly options for my spouse. Activities included archery, water games, swimming, ice cream making, farm animal visits, painting, bingo, and more. With two active kids who are three years apart, it is often a struggle for us to go places. The kids both have such different interests and attention spans. This was the best vacation we have taken as a family. Everyone got to have fun, feel excited, and be safe. I cannot recommend Camp Stevens enough. A huge thank you to the staff! We will definitely be back. read more

Two delinquents stole my bed before I went to sleep be in your bed at all time at night or after light out everyone was wide awake after lights out read more

Do not send your kids here if you don't want the new "woke" agenda pushed on your kids. Also some of the counselors say things they shouldn't and have even touched the kids shoulders. My son came home before this camp was done, no money back even though he was very uncomfortable there. Very disappointed in it. read more

Camp Stevens is a place that has always prioritized physical and emotional safety! I went there every summer as a camper and then as a counselor. Camp Stevens was a place to learn, explore new things, take risks, and grow!! Camp was also very influential in my development as a teacher! When summer camp can safely return, I highly recommend their summer camp, and *strongly* encourage their counselor training program for all (age-eligible) young adults, and *especially* anyone who is interested in a career in education, social services, or psychology! I was recently at Camp Stevens for a retreat at the end of July and was impressed with their safety protocols surrounding COVID. The protocols and expectations are clearly stated ahead of the visit so as to proactively prevent problems. They are working hard to maintain the feelings of connection while staying physically distanced. They are also very open to helping to meet whatever needs there are, and are leading the way in explicitly asking one another about comfort levels in this pandemic time. (For example, it is ok and even encouraged to ask for more space between folks if needed.) It was so nice to feel safe while having a night away from home. To find a bit of peace in this place away was a relief during these times! Thank you to everyone in the Camp Stevens staff for making my time there relaxing and enjoyable!! :) read more

See all

On the positive side, the grounds are absolutely stunning, and there is a great bus service offered at a nominal fee with a counselor on board to ferry your child to and from camp. Judging from my kid's pictures, there are also some seriously cute goats there and some great pizza. Unfortunately, there were almost none of the activities that were advertised in the brochure. My kid read a 500-page book in six days because there was little else to do. The counselor would ask the group if they wanted to do a hike or activity. Inevitably, several teens (being normal teens) would not want to go, so the counselor would decide to have everyone stay in their cabins or in a small area of the camp. (Apparently, their freedom was increasingly restricted because of the counselors' frustration with some of the kids' behavioral challenges.) When they weren't finding reasons to skip the scheduled activities, the counselors were openly discussing their disdain for religion (at this supposedly Christian camp) and their dissatisfaction with their wages. This camp needs to work on their counselor recruitment and training process. read more

Where I spent my childhood a couple weeks a summer many years in a row! Excellent experience for any kid!

there is no correct word to properly describe the wondrous, amazing feeling i feel when i am here. camp stevens is heaven on earth from the food to the people. 11/10 would recommend. the water tastes bomb it is so fire. read more

Just got back from a retreat at Camp Stevens this past weekend. OMG this place is just lovely. The surroundings are serene, a true getaway in the mountains. The food...absolutely delicious and made from scratch with most of the ingredients grown onsite. But it was really the staff that made it amazing. Thank you to Toni, Kathy, and all the staff for making our group feel so welcomed and special! read more

My students and I came here a few weeks ago for 6th grade camp. So many of my students said that it was the best experience of their life, and I can honestly say that it was also one of the best experiences in MY life! The food was delicious, and it was all homemade. There were always plenty of options available for anyone who was picky or had specific dietary needs. I was also very impressed with how well the staff was able to respond to my students' emotional needs. They were so patient and attentive to each one of my students, and I really appreciated that. I don't think there was a single moment in the week where my students felt bored, and I honestly think that I had more fun on this trip than I did during my own 6th grade camp as a kid! My favorite part was gathering with my students and the counselors every night to sing fun campfire songs together! I can't wait to go back to Camp Stevens next year with my next group of 6th graders! Thank you to Reese and Hans for making this week so memorable for us! They will never forget playing the taxi game, going on the night hike, or cooking outside at the fire pit! read more

I love Camp Stevens. It's such a nice place to have a retreat and to get away from the Noisy hustle of San Diego. They have a ton of activities to do and are really close to downtown Julian in case you need any essentials. I stayed here for a spiritual retreat and they let us go all out. Workshops, dances, performances. Every year the staff partakes in giving a performance. Last year it was "Call Me Maybe". This year they did "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore. It was great! They also grow a ton of their own organic food and raise their own chickens. They emphasize how much they focus on the eco-friendly way the farm and how they really keep a good intention of nature in their practice. P.S. Thanks for the salsa soup ;-) LOL! Thanks Camp Stevens! Keep doing your thing! :-) read more

Such an amazing place! Great food and staff. Very excited to do CT next year, can't stop raving on how much fun it was. International Odyssey is one of the best sessions to go to, even if you don't you'll have fun no matter what. read more

My 8 year old son just got back from Camp Stevens yesterday - he loved it! We live 2.5 hours away, and I was looking for something my kids could do this summer. My 6 year old is too young, but my oldest absolutely loves the out of doors and I knew it was time for him to experience camping (he will not get that experience in this family - where "roughing it" is the Holiday Inn). He goes to an Episcopal school here and we learned about Camp Stevens through the school newsletter. I did my diligent investigation and found Camp Stevens to be a good 'ole fashioned summer camp with hiking, camp fires, and all of that other stuff... With excitement and anticipation, we all awaited the arrival July 11th - Day One!! We drove (and drove..and drove.....) through the rolling hills and into the quaint, historical town of Julian. We blinked twice and were out the other side of town - another mile wound us to the entrance. It could have been from a movie....a little narrow, paved driveway with a wooden bridge, covered in arched trees - and up into the hill. We arrived, put the car in park, and Zach came up to the window to greet us. In his adorable Irish accent, he welcomed us to Camp Stevens, showed us where we can go to register and he took my son's bags to his cabin. Zach is 22 years old and here for the Summer! Everyone was just as nice and warm as they could be. My son was as excited as he was nervous.....scared that he didn't know anyone and hoped he would make friends. I, of course, was excited but nervous about....well, everything! That spiders or rattlesnakes would find their way into his sleeping bag, that he would fall from a tree or something....or he would not acclimate to the culture shock. I was surprised to learn (I guess this isn't so out of the ordinary) that the cabins have only 2 walls! They are open-air! And when we got there, I discovered the little cots don't come complete with sheets, pillows and blankets. They use their sleeping bags for their covers!! Not at all a big deal, but I just was ignorant about all of this, and therefore a little surprised. Soon, my son went with his group to play Frisbee and tag. I stayed and watched him nicely assimilate into the fun. I took about 180 pictures and was the last parent to leave. When I did say goodbye, he barely came over to hug and kiss us. Back to his game! The next 5 days were left with a happiness and contentment inside - knowing he was having a ball (but secretly worrying about those rattlesnakes, spiders and bears)! I wrote him 3 letters and got 3 from him......I checked the mailbox religiously, nearly mowing down the mailman every day! Anyway.....Friday finally rolled around and we went to go pick him up. When he saw us, he lit up and ran over to us. He was, well, filthy - says he showered twice all week...Lol....but was as happy as he could be! He hugged all of his new little friends goodbye. He told us about every-little-detail the whole way home. He is actually a little depressed about not getting to see his friends anymore. He had such a ball and made me promise he could go back next year....and the year after that...and the year after that..... read more

My kids love the camp. This will be our 6th year sending them. My son says it is his favorite place on earth. Food is amazing. Activities are perfect for the kids to get away, unwind and unplug. Great conference and retreat facilities too. read more

I spent every summer from age 9 to age 21. I spent it as a camper and a counselor! This place has truly changed my life! It has taught me about never ending friendships, trust, healthy clean living, teamwork, and so many other things! I wouldn't have wanted to spend my summers doing anything else. They have a wonderful approach to what it means to be appart of God's creation by introducing you to new people and how to work together as well as what it means to take care of the earth. Parents! If you are looking for a place to send your kids for a week this summer, you couldnt make a better choice than Camp Stevens! read more

Our Brownie troop just had our retreat at Camp Stevens. It was fantastic. Our troop is a little on the high maintenance side- so a traditional camping experience wasn't really an option for us. Camp Stevens was fantastic! Our cabin was spotless - we had a large common area equipped with a large screen TV, granite top kitchen area and plenty of games/puzzles to occupy our girls and 4 attached rooms with 6 beds each. Camp Stevens personnel was amazing - they were so helpful with everything and available at all times. Their food was all organic and most of it was farmed at their facility. They had fantastic gluten free bread and ample vegetarian/vegan options. The bread was the best- homemade daily at Camp Stevens. Their facilities were ample - we used the pool, went on a hike, had a campfire, helped collect eggs from their chicken coop, etc. Amazing! We will definitely come back again! Thanks Camp Stevens!! read more

I have been going to Camp Stevens for various programs since 2015 and I love it! They have great outdoor education programs, wonderful facilities, and a great staff who make everyone feel welcome. The summer camp is also fantastic! I wish I could have gone there when I was a kid. read more

Like most parents we were always looking for healthy fun activities for our kids, especially during the lonnnnnnggggggg summer break from school. One of our daughter's friends invited her to join her at Camp Stevens for a week (probably about 4th grade.)Little did we know that this would be the start of a life long relationship for our whole family with Camp Stevens. Both of our daughters attended many weeks as summer campers, then went on to be trained as junior counselors and eventually full counselors. Then they each worked on summer staff. One even met her future husband there (though it was a few years before they actually wed.) We have attended family retreats, adult retreats, planning retreats. And now we are planning to send the first of our grandkids next summer! Our kids ended up with more and better quality friendships from their fellow campers than they ever did from junior high or high school. And we know that the values that we taught our kids - honesty, integrity, self reliance, caring for the environment, respecting one's body and our fellow man -- were only cemented by their attendance at Camp Stevens. We highly recommend it! read more

My son loves the camp; he has been on a wilderness trip with them, backpacking in the Sierras, and two summer sessions as a camper. He tends to be shy and terse, but is gregarious, outspoken, visibly laughing or working hard most of the time, loves the food (even as a picky eater at home), and comes home with a positive attitude and new friends to keep up with. Camp Stevens excels at building wonder and transformation and ever operates by consensus, recognizing and upholding the dignity of each and every human being alongside the rest of Creation. Camp is ethnically, religiously, and economically diverse and an amazing lab in how the larger world might better treat itself and one another. As a picky Episcopal priest who has chaplained two times (hence my ability to observe my son's reaction to camp), there is no better place for me to send my son than Camp Stevens. This year, we are making the financial stretch to send him to EPIC- a two week long session and expecting him to continue to be epically transformed by camp and the staff. read more

I spent a week at Camp Stevens every summer from ages 10 to 15 and then worked as a counselor a few summers during high school.... man, what a place! Some of my most cherished memories came from there. Programs focus on outdoor fun, non-competitive recreation, encouraging kids to challenge themselves in a nurturing and supportive environment. Hiking, overnights camp-outs, singing, and community, grounded in an Episcopal affiliation that is present, but certainly not overbearingly religious. The setting is idyllic. Food is great, and kids get a hands on look at local food production in the organic garden just behind the kitchen. A week there is a week well spent, at any age. Camp Stevens is a gem. read more

I have been to Camp Stevens for one week, and I liked it a lot! I made a lot of really great friends there. One of my best friends there was a boy named Daniel. Camp Stevens is a great place to have fun and make new friends. read more

I just spent a beautiful weekend with 23 other woman in the Bishop Lodge for a Woman's Retreat. I was SOOO impressed with the friendliness of the staff, AMAZING food, beautiful and comfortable lodge. The price was right, the grounds are beautiful and I truly felt a million miles away from the hustle & bustle in San Diego. I've gone to Big Bear, Arrowhead and Montecito for retreats in the past and am so grateful to find this perfect GEM! read more

The camp is overall very good.. But there are some issues. They don't supply good quality drinking water to fill you water bottles with, which is very important when hiking and doing other camp activities. Instead, they make you use a hose. The other issue is that the cabins aren't very clean. There are mouse traps in the middle of the walkways. read more