Pierce Camp Birchmont

A day at Pierce Camp Birchmont begins with waking to morning reveille and the smell of fresh pine in the New Hampshire air. After a hearty breakfast we jump into activities. Our daily schedules are organized by age group and also offer many split activities to allow choice. We feel offering daily guided choice allows children to refine skills at activities they truly enjoy while also making sure they are exposed to new activities. Our campers finished 7th grade and older get additional choice in their activities through our Senior Select elective program which occurs every morning.

With over 20 daily activities, a day may include tennis instruction, a spirited game of soccer, flag football, or baseball on our expansive fields, a creative art session with a ceramics wheel or ziplining and rock wall climbing at our Adventure Center, or a riding session in our top-tier Equestrian complex. Campers will enjoy two daily swim periods in the crystal-clear waters of Lake Wentworth where everything from waterskiing to sailing to waterslides awaits.

After a fun-filled day and freshly prepared dinner, campers head to clubs where they participate in an extracurricular activity of their choosing such as fishing, gardening, ukulele, or rocketry just to name a few of the almost 15 options. Our days then wind down with campfires, a sky full of stars, and loon calls across the lake!

While we keep consistency with our stellar program, we also allow campers to opt in for specials such as the camp-wide summer theatrical production, intercamp competitions, the variety show, sailing regatta, and so much more! Additional special events include weekly off-grounds trips, DJ socials, Color War, Spirit Day, and Banquet.

We understand some families need flexibility in the summer, so we offer partial session options in addition to our traditional 7 week full session. 1st session is for the first 4 weeks and 2nd session is for the last 3 weeks. This flexibility is especially helpful for younger campers who often may start with a shorter session and then extend their time with us. It is equally helpful as campers get older and may need more flexibility in their summer schedule to accommodate other commitments. They can now do so without having to give up their second home at camp.

In camp terms, Birchmont draws from a very wide geography and has a wonderful mix of kids. Many camps are an extension of specific neighborhoods or towns, but that is not Birchmont. We are a non-denominational camp and draw campers from all over the Northeast where we are located, but we are also home to children from over 20 states! Birchmont also hosts several international families and campers each summer. In fact, just under 10% of Birchmont’s camper community hails from Europe, South America, and Asia!

Besides session lengths and our camper make-up, our property is truly unique. Of the more than three hundred acres comprising Birchmont’s campus, nearly two-thirds are left untouched. The 60 buildings housing our residential and indoor program facilities on the roughly 100 remaining acres, are maintained year-round by our full-time caretakers. All of our girls’ and boys’ residence cabins have pine floors and are paneled. Additionally, they are equipped with hot water, electricity, a shower, two sinks, and two toilets. All windows are screened and operable. Our lodge building is equipped with piano, theatre, ping pong and soccer tables for indoor recreation. All our athletic programs are conducted on impeccably-kept, regulation-size courts and fields, including 12 tennis courts, two basketball courts, a weights and fitness studio, roller-hockey rink, equestrian training ring and trails, volleyball courts, two baseball fields, two soccer fields and a professional 250 yard, 12 station golf driving range, sand trap, and 2200 foot state of the art 9 hole putting surface.

While Birchmont is an electronic device free environment, we believe in an open communication policy to set our campers up for success starting day one. Before camp begins our Group Leaders will proactively call parents to introduce themselves and learn about your camper. We feel this is critical to their success and your trust as a parent. At any time parents should feel welcomed and comfortable calling camp to speak to the Pierce Family Owners, Directors, Group Leaders, or Health Center. Group leaders will reach out a few times during the summer to give you updates on how the summer is going as well. Campers are allowed to make 2 calls home during the summer to simply say hello and tell their families about camp life. Additionally, they are given a phone call on their birthdays.

At Birchmont we take over 40,000 photos every summer by our professional photography team. Our camp app allows you to be notified whenever photos of your camper are uploaded into an Instagram style feed – giving parents a snapshot of their camper in action!

Outside of phone communication and photos, campers and parents are encouraged to write to each other frequently. These letters are delivered every evening after dinner. Weekly updates are also sent from the camp office and a video blog is sent out to give you a real idea of what the camp week looks like. And for our full session campers, parents are invited on grounds for the wonderful tradition of Parents Visiting Day too!