Middle School
Camden Campout
Middle School Outdoor Clubs, this one’s for you! Join Teens to Trails for a weekend of mountains and ocean in the Midcoast:
May 10-12, 2024
Teens to Trails is excited to be able to offer a middle school campout- a weekend of camping, hiking, exploring, playing, and connecting.
We can’t wait to go camping with your students!
NOTE: Due to construction at Camden Hills State Park, this program shifted to Birch Point Beach State Park in Owls Head which has privies but no running water. We can help you plan for this. If park construction is completed ahead of schedule, we will shift our program back to CHSP and communicate this at least one week before.
Birch Point State Park is a beautiful 62-acre recreation area in Owl’s Head with scenic views of Penobscot Bay. The park has a crescent-shaped sand beach where we can explore tide pools and walk on the trails. This is normally a day-use site, but Teens to Trails received special permission for our weekend campout.
The information below pertains to the Camden Hills location- please take a look at our Birch Point Beach State Park itinerary here.
When: May 10-12, 2024
Where: Camden Hills State Park (or Birch Point Beach State Park, Owl’s Head)
Cost: FREE, including reimbursable transportation costs. Thanks to generous funding provided by the American Rescue Plan Act, the Maine Department of Education, and the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative, we are able to provide this Teens to Trails program at no cost to participating Outdoor Clubs.
Recommended: up to 10 students, 1-2 Outdoor Club Advisors, 1 Chaperone
Grade Level: 7-8th grade students
We have the entire campground to ourselves for the weekend. The State Park trails and Mt. Battie Auto Road will be open to the public.
Clubs are responsible for their food and transportation.
Need outdoor gear like hiking boots, insulated layers, sleeping pads/bags, or a tent for your students? Reserve gear from Maine GearShare for free with your Teens to Trails membership!
All participants must complete this waiver prior to the program, arriving with it printed, signed by all necessary parties, and ready for collection during the program check-in process.
Weekend Agenda:
Friday:
4:00-7:00 pm - First round of arrivals
7:00 - 9:00 pm - Outdoor club dinner & camp set-up
10:00 pm - Quiet hours
Saturday:
7:00 - 8:30 am - Outdoor club breakfast & free time
8:30 - 9:00 am - Announcements & introductions
9:00 - 12:00 pm - Service project - Plan to stack wood, clear trail, and rake campsites
12:00 - 1:00 pm - Outdoor Club regroup and Lunch Break
1:00 - 1:15 pm - Club regroup at the center of the camping circle
1:00 - 4:00 pm - Outdoor adventure time:
Please use this time to head off on your own group adventures in or around the Camden Hills State Park area or partake in the following activities at camp:
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm - Guided hikes with Teens to Trails team members and volunteers - 2-3 groups will depart
3:00 pm - 4 pm - Stick bread by the fire
4:00 - 6:30 pm - Outdoor club dinner & free time
6:30-7:30 pm - Campfire (s’mores) led by Teens to Trails team member Sam Andrews
7:30 to 9:30 pm - Nighttime Exploration - Bats, Owls, and a Star Tour led by amateur astronomer James Shields and Jocelyn Hubbell, Interpretive Specialist with the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands. During a laser tour, you’ll get to know the constellations and hear the myths and legends behind them. And, several telescopes will be on hand for viewing the night sky up close. - Please prepare to meet us in the field to the right of the park entry booth. Dress warmly and pack a sleeping pad, blanket, chair for viewing comfort, and a red-lens headlamp or flashlight. (Red lenses are important to protect your night vision and improve night sky viewing for everyone.)
10:00 pm - Quiet Hours
Sunday:
5:00-7:00 am - Sunrise hike up Mt. Battie
7:00 - 9:00 am - Outdoor Club Breakfast and breakdown camp
9:00 - 1:00 am - Camden Activities - Time for your clubs to explore Camden and the surrounding area, as well as engage in activities that you may not have had time for the day prior
American Rescue Plan Act GEER, Reverted EANS Funding received from the USDOE support the implementation of this project. The project has an award totaling $6.6 million dollars of which 100% is federally funded and directly attributed to project implementation. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by the USDOE or the U.S. Government.