Overview
Here's what makes Camp Big Canoe stand out
Camp Big Canoe: An Experience Like No Other! Over 50 years of overnight camping for 6-16 year old children on our private lake. Outdoor living in a natural environment at our 240 acre wooded site in beautiful Muskoka. High School credit leadership programs for 15-16 year-olds. Our families can attest: campers come home more confident, responsible and excited for next summer!

Special needs: Not available

LGBTQ+ friendly community
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Programs, Rates & Dates

Programs and Sessions Calendar

Camp Big Canoe is a small camp where we focus on being welcome, inclusive and getting to know each other while caring for and respecting the natural environment. We use names and pronouns preferred by each staff member and camper and campers. Campers are organized into groups of 8 participants with 2 counsellors and each group lives in their own unit which consists of 3 canvas tents on platforms. Within this smaller unit, they learn how to live with others, communicate their needs and work together as a team. Each day the unit will choose activities they do together, and campers have the opportunity to do individual activities. Our staff is very creative and works to bring the spirit of Camp Big Canoe into all activities!

Choose the right programs and sessions for your child; Camp Big Canoe currently has 4 programs available.

Filter activities available:

Name

Type/Gender

Specialty

Location

Date

Bus

Cost

Leaders in Training

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Overnight Camp
Coed
Ages: 16

Traditional (multi activity)

$2,337 to $2,876

Bracebridge, ON 1012 Sherwood Forest Rd	Jun 30-Jul 25		$2,337 - $2,876
Bracebridge, ON 1012 Sherwood Forest Rd	Jul 29-Aug 23		$2,337 - $2,876

Outdoor Skills

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Overnight Camp
Coed
Ages: 8 - 15

Traditional (multi activity)

$2,337 to $2,876

Bracebridge, ON 1012 Sherwood Forest Rd	Jun 30-Jul 25		$2,337 - $2,876
Bracebridge, ON 1012 Sherwood Forest Rd	Jul 29-Aug 23		$2,337 - $2,876

Session Camp

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Overnight Camp
Coed
Ages: 8 - 14

Traditional (multi activity)

$719 to $1,579

Bracebridge, ON 1012 Sherwood Forest Rd	Jun 30-Jul 11	$1,310 - $1,579
Bracebridge, ON 1012 Sherwood Forest Rd	Jul 14-25	$1,310 - $1,579
Bracebridge, ON 1012 Sherwood Forest Rd	Jul 29-Aug 03	$719 - $860
Bracebridge, ON 1012 Sherwood Forest Rd	Aug 03-09	$839 - $999
Bracebridge, ON 1012 Sherwood Forest Rd	Aug 12-23	$1,310 - $1,579

Lego Robotics Camp

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Overnight Camp
Coed
Ages: 10 - 11

Traditional (multi activity)

$920

Bracebridge, ON
1012 Sherwood Forest Rd

Jul 06-12

$920

Registration Details

Camp Brain is our registration system. You need to click the registration link on our website and you will be prompted to create an account using your email and a password. Follow the steps to complete the application - the system will prompt you all the way through. Registration is open now and the sooner you sign up, the more likely you will have your choice of program. Programs run between 5-12 days for regular sessions and 24 days for our leadership camps. There is also a Family Camp option. We have introduced a flexible rate so families can choose which fits their finances best. There are discounts for siblings and if you bring a friend. You can also spread payments out bi-weekly or monthly. Camperships are available for those in need.

Financial Aid & Payment Details

Payment Options:

Deposit required with acceptance	Yes
Credit card payment	Yes

Discounts

Discount if paid in full	$100
Discount for 2nd child	$200
Discount for 3rd child	$400

Reviews & Insider Perspectives

The Our Kids review of Camp Big Canoe

Camp Big Canoe began in 1931 as Camp Ahshunyoong, founded by the York County Boys’ Work Board. It was a product of its time, though grew and developed considerably through the years. It moved twice and in 1965 ownership was transferred to the United Church of Canada, which has run the program ever since, having moved to the current location on Hart Lake in 1968. One thing that has remained since the very beginning is the goal of providing a place of community and belonging, a place where young people can grow and learn together into a shared set of values. It reflects the tried and true traditions of camping, including camp craft and tripping. The site is extensive, and if you have an idea of what an overnight camp should be, this is it. The facilities have been updated over the years, and the site maintained in such a way as to keep a close interface with the surrounding natural environment as well as the camp’s long-standing traditions. A wealth of all-camp programs during the evening are a plus, bringing everyone together for active events as well as three campfires per session. Cheese House is the camp’s take on talent night, and it provides something of a touchstone for the programs; it's an opportunity for campers to get out of their comfort zones presenting songs and skits to the group as a whole, and likewise being supported and encouraged by the group. In so many ways, that and the other programs are precisely what camping is all about.

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More reviews of Camp Big Canoe

Show all 6 reviews

Parent feedback form - summer 2018, Parent

Saw a beaver
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Parent feedback form - summer 2018, Parent

More confident
Read review

Parent feedback form - summer 2018, Parent

Camp helps with anxiety
Read review

Parent feedback form - summer 2019, Parent

Growth in confidence and self-esteem
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Parent feedback form - summer 2019, Parent

LOVED his leader
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Parent feedback form - summer 2019, Parent

Going back
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More reviews of Camp Big Canoe

Parent feedback form - summer 2018, Parent

Saw a beaver

My child's best memory of camp was seeing a real live beaver in nature! A definite highlight for her. She had a great time at camp this year.

Parent feedback form - summer 2018, Parent

More confident

Is it weird that I feel more confident Mom? Silent fist pump from Mom!

Parent feedback form - summer 2018, Parent

Camp helps with anxiety

"Keep doing what you are doing! This camp is amazing and beneficial in so many ways. _____'s anxiety that he copes with on a daily basis has been helped so much by this camp. His confidence and future goals are being s... Show More

Parent feedback form - summer 2019, Parent

Growth in confidence and self-esteem

Our daughter had so many great things to say about her counsellors and the camp activities. We really noticed how much her confidence and self-esteem has grown by having the opportunity to attend Camp Big Canoe!

Parent feedback form - summer 2019, Parent

LOVED his leader

"Our son said he LOVED his camp leader. I believe his name is Nick and it was his leaders first year. J said he did a fantastic job!!"

Parent feedback form - summer 2019, Parent

Going back

He had a wonderful time and wants to return for two weeks next year.

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Meet the Staff

Director's Message

My very first job was at Camp Big Canoe. The skills I developed as a camper and as a staff member have allowed me to be a better person. I am so excited to share those opportunities with the next generation of campers and staff.

Join us for your best summer ever!

Staff and Counsellors

One of the most amazing thing about our staff is their creativity. They create fun and engaging programs using anything they find around camp! Costumes from our Music & Drama area are seen daily. We have a very high return rate for our staff with a number of staff who return for 5 years. Many of them have been through our Outdoor Skills and LIT leadership programs. In addition, we hold pre-camp training both in person and on-line which covers topics ranging from mental wellness, safety, group dynamics, creative programming and more (so much more!). All of our staff hold current Standard First Aid and CPR and our Head Chef has been with Camp Big Canoe for over 20 years and is able to provide accommodations for most diets.

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Location & Operations

Address

1012 Sherwood Forest Rd, Bracebridge, Ontario, P1L 1X3, Canada

Busing

Bus 1: Sessions 1A & 1B, 3A & 3B (Bus fee: $45 each way)

Location	Address	Pick up	Drop off
Stop 1	New Hope United Church: 9100 Jane Street, Bldg. “E” UNITS 37-43 CONCORD ON L4K 0A4	1:00 am	12:00 pm

Bus 2: Sessions 2, 4, OS & LIT (Bus fee: $45 each way)

Location	Address	Pick up	Drop off
Stop 1 - sessions 1, 2, 4	New Hope United Church: 9100 Jane Street, Bldg. “E” UNITS 37-43 CONCORD ON L4K 0A4	1:00 am	12:00 pm

Property Details

Sports facilities

Archery Range
Rope Course

Landscape

Beach
Forested Area
Lake/Pond/River
Nature Trails
Open Field

More details about property: Camp Big Canoe is a unique site situated in the diverse region of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence forest. With 240 acres all to ourselves, we boast our very own lake, Hart Lake, where all our water activities take place. Within the site there are numerous areas the campers will become familiar with, divided mostly along the lines of “Top of the Hill”, “Bottom of the Hill” and “Tentlines”.

Is your property accessible for persons with disabilities? Yes. We are working to make more areas at camp wheelchair accessible.

Accommodations

Sleeping Accommodations

Platform Tent

Washrooms Facilities

Flush Toilets
Showers (indoor)

More details about accommodations: Cabins are used for staff and rentals. These have electricity, heat, flush toilets and showers in them.

Are meals provided? Yes.

Is Camp Big Canoe technology free? Yes. We ask that campers leave their technology at home in order to be present and enjoy their wonderful surroundings and new friends!

Rentals & Services

Available for private rentals: Yes
We have space available for rental in May & June, as well as both week days and weekends during September and October. You can stay in our cabins and rent the lodge for group gatherings and meals.

Associations

What's New
In the News

October 20, 2022
2023 Registration Open - Early BIrd Deadline: Nov 15
Register for a summer of fun now! Take advantage of the early bird discount before November 15. ... Read More

May 6, 2022
Label packs with our logo - now available!
Make sure you go home with everything you brought to camp! Order our logo labels from Mabel's Labels and support the camp at the same time.... Read More

May 6, 2022
Earn High School Credits in our Leadership Programs
Our Outdoor Skills & LIT programs offer campers the opportunity to earn different high school credits. ... Read More
Stories

The Circle of Camper to Staff
My first time enrolling in Camp Big Canoe, I was very nervous about going. I was 11 years old, much older than many first-year campers; I knew no one at camp and had very minimal sleep-away camp experience. However, the second I arrived for my camp session, my anxiety imminently went away. All of the leaders and campers were incredibly welcoming to me, it was evident that the staff cared about my while-being and happiness, wanting me to thrive and grow in the spaces provided. The leaders tried their best to make the camp fun and welcoming for all participants every day. Throughout my first week at camp, I was immersed in many great activities; got to canoe for the first time, go on an out trip with my unit, share great meals and laughs with my new friends, and spend my last night at a beautiful banquet to celebrate all the friends and memories I made. I left feeling like a valued member of my new camp community, and joyful that I had the experience of meeting so many great people and doing such amazing things at Camp Big Canoe. After my first experience, summer camp became an annual ritual for me and something I looked forward to every year. I continued making friends and great memories through my camp years, with many camp friends I still talk to today.

Currently, I am 17 years old, becoming a first-year staff member six years after I first went camping. I am so excited to spend the summer in a great place, with people I genuinely love. I hope to help recreate the same amazing experiences I had at camp with new and returning campers. Camp Big Canoe will always have a special place in my heart. I am ecstatic to go back, and give back, creating a great and welcoming experience for the new generation of campers!

Rooted in Camp
When I was a junior camper I didn't understand why staff didn't always come back, when I began to grow older throughout my years at camp I realized that each summer I fell in love with the new values that each year's new staff brought to camp big canoe, but as I matured I realized that the whole thing works in a system, like a family tree's roots within the ground, I realized that those roots were the first councellors who ever worked at Camp Big Canoe and first created that spirit that they rooted within those first campers that first year and as it grew although those first councellors no longer came to camp they helped teach the young campers the true spirit and that spirit and passion grew each year. The first year I went to camp and the second and third I made friends with councellors I thought would stay at camp forever and when they stopped coming I saw it as a loss, but as I grew I realized that those councellors taught the spirit to the campers who then gained the dream to be a councellor when they grew up. When I realized this I no longer saw it as a loss I saw it as growth, as I learned in my culture, we teach the younger ones as they shall teach the younger ones after them and so on, we share our joy and knowledge with those younger campers and they grow up to have roots as strong as ours and teach the next generation our love for CBC and when I realized this I noticed that the councellors who came back didn't cry tears of sadness they cried tears of joy for seeing all of the new traditions rooted in with the old, as each new camper, leader, skill and councellor brings something to CBC and I am honoured to be given the position I have at CBC and am excited to live it and then teach more the spirit of camp and step back and see what it's like to come back and visit and see it's growth. Sincerely yours Sonya-Jade Saturday March 4th 2017

(submitted for sharing - April 2022)

Stage Fright
I had the worse case of stage fright when I was younger. If you had asked me to speak in front of the whole school or perform a play in front of a large group of people, I would have been terrified. I spent my first session at Big Canoe in 2008 and remembered dancing around my very first campfire for the fast songs, singing about the muffin man, Bazooka Bubble gum, and brown cars. Then the sun started to set, and everyone took their seats for the slow songs. Guitars were brought out, bagpipes, bongos, trumpets, but I fell in love with the Ukulele. As soon as I got home, I begged my parents to get me one. Sadly I had trouble committing to instruments, so my mom wasn’t going to buy me something I would lose interest in and they had a point! Something was different, and I was ready to save up and work hard to buy my first plastic ukulele at Toys R Us. I practiced and practiced, prepared to go back next summer for an entire session and pull out my incredible new talent of playing Riptide.

I was too scared to sign up at the first campfire, but over the course of the first week, I had made a bunch of new friends and got to know every staff member telling some of them how badly I wanted to play the ukulele at the campfire, but I wasn’t going to because I was too nervous. One of my councellors offered to sing a song while I played the ukulele. After that summer, I gained more confidence at every campfire and cheese house and eventually slowly got over my stage fright, and I have Camp to thank for that. I have traded the plastic toy instrument for a real wooden one and still practice it every day. You will be able to see me play at campfires this summer with my instrument in hand and I can’t wait to see you there.
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