Campers, counselors, leadership, and staff can all nominate each other for a C. Each day we read all the C nominations and select a few special ones to be presented at Line Up. Earning a C means you went above and beyond to embody the spirit of Community, Curiosity, and Courage. It's how we recognize what's really important — acting with bravery, finding inspiration through learning, and being the person who makes everyone feel like they belong.
Overnight camp on Paradox Lake in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains, Paradox, NY.
Cabins
Lower camp cabins house 8-12 campers; upper cabins house 12-14. Counselors live in cabin (3-4 per bunk). All bunks have private bathrooms, sinks, ceiling fans, and ample storage.
Ages
7–16
Enrollment
Coed
Activities
Waterfront
Swimming
Canoeing
Kayaking
Sailing
Wakeboarding
Land Sports
Soccer
Tennis
Basketball
Archery
Volleyball
Baseball
Softball
Hockey
Lacrosse
Gymnastics
Arts & Creative
Painting
Ceramics
Photography
Theater
Dance
Woodworking
Outdoor Adventure
Hiking
Rock climbing
Camping
Clues to fit
Bunk as family — how friendships form
Campers are frequently programmed with their bunk mates, counselors act as mentors to help campers bond, and the campers' new family grows stronger as they listen and learn from each other. Camp is where life-long friends are made… and it all starts in the cabin.
At Southwoods, we give our campers opportunities to choose their favorite things to do, encourage them to try new activities, and provide exciting and age-appropriate outdoor experiences. We break our day down by three types of activities: Weekly Intensives (skills-based with markable achievements), Daily Electives (variety every day, a chance to try new things with friends), and Cabin Activities (deep bonds formed doing new things with just their bunkmates).
Outdoor adventure — Adirondack location and certified guides
With our location in the heart of the Adirondacks, Southwoods is arms reach to some of the country's best outdoor recreation sites. Countless miles of river to canoe, New York's high peaks to explore, and craggy granite prime for climbing. Our team of experienced and certified guides lead all our expeditions in-house, so we have the flexibility to work around the weather's many moods. With hikes as easy as 2 miles or as strenuous as summiting Mount Marcy, there is something for every adventurer.
Setting — Paradox Lake waterfront, best part of camp
Ask anybody who has visited Southwoods and they all say the same thing: Southwoods' waterfront is the best part of camp. With private access to Paradox Lake, Southwoods campers enjoy not only our swim area, but access to boating activities, too. Every day we have swim and at least 2 additional periods of waterfront activities to get them out of the heat and into the lake.
Our biggest event of the summer happens at the end of 2nd session and is a two-day, multi-team competition for the whole camp. Campers, counselors, and staff all compete to win the Color War cup.
Parent communication — what to expect proactively from leadership
Carl and Maddie will send weekly and notable updates throughout the duration of camp. In the first three days, a Director will call and give you the update on how your camper is doing. Know that we will actively communicate with you if anything significant occurs involving your camper — whether it be social-emotional, behavioral, or medical. In general, 'no news is good news!'
Evening activities only have one goal: fun. We want our camp to feel like one family. Many of our Evening Activities are enjoyed with the whole camp together at once — socials, campfires, lip sync battles, talent shows, and more bring us all together as one Southwoods community.
Our menu at Southwoods is selected so that even the pickiest eater will fuel up for another day of fun. We serve hot options cafeteria style for breakfast, lunch, and dinner along with a salad bar of various veggies and proteins and a sandwich bar with sunbutter and jelly. We can accommodate many types of food allergies and food preferences ranging from vegetarian, vegan, dairy free, gluten free, nut free, etc. Our special meals are made by our experienced kitchen staff and are free from cross contamination and allergens. We are committed to being a tree-nut and peanut free camp.
