Surprise Lake Camp

Since 1902, Surprise Lake Camp has provided a haven for Jewish children in the picturesque mountains of Cold Spring, NY. What makes SLC the best is the beauty of the site, the richness of the people and the program, the sense of history and tradition, and the magic we create when the whole thing comes together. We invite you to explore our website to learn all that you can about us.

Surprise Lake Camp boasts one of the most beautiful sites in the country, one of the most reputable programs, and a large, well-trained, caring staff. Many facilities, like our theater and gymnasium, are among the finest that you will find anywhere. But Surprise Lake Camp does not try to be like an exotic theme park, full of bright lights and glitter. We don't emphasize material things because we believe that the true magic of camping is rooted in intangibles like the beauty of nature, the guidance of a highly trained staff, and helping children to grow into well-rounded adults.

Camp is a supportive, caring community with an upbeat Jewish flavor. We sing a lot and we cheer a lot, and we make the most of the unique opportunity camp affords to create a model of the world as it should be—joyous and at peace, achieving the human potential for successful group living.