Our Beautiful Location

This is heaven... and if it's not, then it's in the same zip code.
- HVC Parent

Our beautiful summer camp in Maine provides a multitude of opportunities on 350-acres of meadows, classic Maine woodland, and a large private lake. Acres of pasture and miles of trail support our thriving equestrian and animal care programs.

Hidden Valley’s serenity and open space are a lovely gift that has always stayed with me.
- HVC Former Camper

Our privately-owned waterfront provides the perfect spot for a summer swim or windsurfing... One of the few summer camps in Maine with a private lake

Our nights are clear and bathe us in starlight... Night sky

Take a dip in our solar heated Olympic sized pool.

I am sure that I am one of the many hundreds of former campers who dreamt of moving to Maine – or perhaps moved to Maine – because of their time at HVC. I think that Hidden Valley’s serenity and open space are a lovely gift that has always stayed with me.
- HVC Alumni

Our Land Acknowledgement

Maine is the home of the Wabanaki people. Closer to home, the Wawenok and Penobscot bands of the Wabanaki confederacy lived in our coastal area for thousands of years. They believed that the Earth had always existed and called it their “Grandmother.” We have learned that we live near what was once a valued hunting ground and that what is now the camp road was a trading route for indigenous people.

About 400 years ago, Europeans arrived and, through ensuing war and disease, the population of indigenous people declined drastically and was forced to live in small areas of what became Maine. We acknowledge the Wabanaki - "people of the dawnland" - for their historical stewardship of the land, their current struggle for sovereignty, and for their continued contributions to Maine's culture.

Our Commitment to the Environment

Hidden Valley Camp is a participant in the Maine Youth Camp Sustainability Initiative. Many summer camps in Maine are striving to reduce their carbon imprints and use aspects of the camp experience to teach children about the many ways in which individuals and groups can conserve and recycle resources.

Sustainability Initiative

  • Our dining hall limits food waste and delivers what is left to a local pig farm
  • Campers and staff recycle paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, and metals. (Our town has one of the highest recycling rates in the State.)
  • Campers participate in environmental community service projects each summer.
  • We have installed energy efficient lighting in all buildings.
  • Our organic garden uses HVC compost and produce some of the vegetables used at camp.
  • We've installed motion sensitive lighting at night.
  • Lumber for construction at camp is harvested and milled right here at HVC.
  • We purchase local produce where possible.
  • Our HVC shopping bags mean that camp shoppers do not need to use plastic ones when procuring supplies.
  • Peter's participation on the local Planning Board has us deeply involved in local land use, stewardship and preservation issues.
  • Hidden Valley teen campers have planted over 2,000 trees at Acadia National Park.

HVC doesn't just provide the opportunity to improve canoeing or tennis skills, but also raises important community questions for kids to ponder and solve. Questions about sustainability, diversity, and conflict resolution -- these are real issues and the kids at HVC are invited to contribute their own thoughts on them.
- HVC Parent

The camping tradition in Maine has long connected children to the natural world through experiences that promote simple living in an outdoor setting. Maine Summer Camps is committed to sustainability practices among member camps, believing that our summer communities must promote this lasting legacy.

cartwheel

Forward-looking Maine camps recognize that our children will soon become stewards of the planet. The lessons they learn and practice while at camp will influence their communities and beyond.

We were very impressed with the facility, grounds, lake, good vibes, quiet, very friendly, inviting, warm – a good feel for Peter & Meg – they knew our kid.
- HVC Parent

Summertime, oh, summertime, pattern of life indelible, the fade-proof lake, the woods unshatterable, the pasture with the sweet fern and the juniper forever and ever...
- E.B. White

A Quick Look at HVC Life

Mid-Coast Maine

Hidden Valley is a few miles inland from the lovely coastal towns of Belfast and Camden, home to working waterfronts, galleries and restaurants, and Maine's breathtaking coastline. Come Visit Us!

map of Maine

What the Experts Say

The combination of open fields, meadow hills, water and deep woods is just fantastic. I love all the creative and artistic touches, plus the whimsy of your signs and building names. I smiled and laughed a lot as I walked around, encountering that creativity at every turn.
-New England Camp Association Director

Seen at HVC

Sun Set

A beautiful Maine summer sunset.

Older campers go for a creek walk.

Older campers go for a creek walk.

skateboarding

Heelflip at the skatepark.

Sign

Which way to go?

Girl Planting

This camper helps a little sapling strengthen its roots.

HVC Through the Seasons

Peter and Meg Skiing on the LAKE!

Llamas huddling in the winter.