Open House and Tours
Join us at Camp on June 1st 10:30 - 3 for lunch, tours, and a Q&A with staff. See you there!
Join us at Camp on June 1st 10:30 - 3 for lunch, tours, and a Q&A with staff. See you there!
Camp Natoma always welcomes new campers. Read on to learn more about your upcoming week at Camp Natoma!
Where do I sleep?
Campers live outside and sleep on metal cots (beds) with mattresses. Bring your own warm sleeping bag and a sheet to cover the mattress. Some campers put a small rug by their bed. You can imagine it like a cabin but without walls or a roof! You’ll be in a small group with a counselor and other kids that have completed the same grade as you. There are five campsites - they are named Hilltop, Acorn, Franklin, Stockton, and CIT.
What will I do each day?
Every day at Camp Natoma is full of fun activities! Each day you will get to try a new and exciting camp activity. Every camper gets to participate in free swim at the pool and evening fire with the whole camp every day. You will also spend time with the other campers your age each morning and night. Your counselor will help you learn the daily schedule and know where to go. We’ve designed camp so that each summer you come back, you’ll get to do something new and you always have something to look forward to!
If you’ve completed 1st/2nd/3rd/4th/5th grades:
If you’ve completed 6th/7th grades:
If you’ve completed 8th/9th grades:
Camp Natoma’s store is called the Trading Post. Your parents can put money into your account for you to spend while you’re at camp. Most days at camp, you’ll have a short time to visit the Trading Post. Items for sale include Camp Natoma hats, keychains, bandanas, sunglasses, water bottles, stuffed animals, and more. Important: If you order a camp sweatshirt when you register, you’ll pick it up at the Trading Post. Your sweatshirt will not be delivered to you.
Camp makes you hungry! Our Cooks make delicious food for campers and staff. You should expect to be hungry from being outside and doing lots of activities. We pick the food we serve based on camper recommendations and nutrition guidelines from the experts. You’ll sit at the same table for every meal. At each meal a different table gets to eat first - and last. At breakfast you can always expect oatmeal and fruit and each day a different main dish - like pancakes and bacon, french toast and sausage, muffins and eggs, and breakfast burritos. At lunch and dinner you can look forward to things like pizza, burritos, soup, spaghetti, tacos, lasagna, sandwiches, stir fry and more. There’s always a vegetable and usually salad too. You’ll get dessert after dinner. We know that sometimes camp food is different from the food you eat at home. At Camp Natoma we expect campers to give new things a try - and this includes meal time! It’s important that at each meal campers eat more than one item so you’ll feel good and have energy for activities. We want campers to feel full after a meal, so we always offer seconds! There might not be seconds on every item - but there should be something to help you feel full. Also, every day we offer a mid-afternoon snack. It’s often fruit - trust us, cold juicy fruit is delicious on a hot afternoon at camp! The only place you can have food is at the Dining Hall. No food is allowed anywhere else in camp because we don’t want to attract bugs and animals!
At Camp Natoma, the showers are unlike any you’ve probably seen before. Be prepared - showers won’t be hot like your shower at home. Everyone takes a quick shower at the pool each day, and has the opportunity to take showers on a rotation throughout the week. Counselors do not force campers to shower, but they do remind them showers are available at their rotation time. Also, since you’ll be camping outside, your counselor will make sure you know where to change with privacy.
How do I get to camp?
Your parents will check you in at a special location at Thacher Winery. From there, you’ll board the camp bus - called the Amotan Express. Expect to meet a new friend for this bumpy ride in to camp! While riding the bus you must follow the bus rules: