Two-Week and Four-Week Camp Sessions

Camp Nakanawa is an all-girls camp that offers two-week and four-week sessions for young women ages 8 to 17. If sisters are enrolled, a discount of 10% off the total tuition will be allowed, deductible from the final payment.

Two-Week Session 1

*Junior Camp Only*
May 31-June 12, 2026

Junior 8-11 years (Completed Grades 2-5)

 

Two-Week Session 2

June 14-June 26, 2026

Junior 8-11 years (Completed Grades 2-5)
Intermediate 11-14 years (Completed Grades 6-8)

Two-Week Session Cost

$3,200  Total Tuition
$500 Registration Fee to be included with the application

About Two-Week Camp Session

Our two-week program is an excellent introduction to camping at Nakanawa. The two-week session is for ages 8 to 14. The girls participate in activities, draw to become an Amazon or Valkyrie, have team meetings, special events, and activity meets. For the camper who has never been to Nakanawa before or away from home for any length of time, this is a wonderful opportunity to gain confidence and independence in a caring and active atmosphere.

Four-Week Session

June 29-July 25, 2026

Junior 8-12 years (Completed Grades 2-6)
Intermediate 13-14 years (Completed Grades 7-8)
Senior 15-17 years (Completed Grades 9-11)

Four-Week Session Cost

$5,400  Total Tuition
$500  Registration Fee to be included with the application

About Four-Week Camp Session

The four-week program is designed to build self-confidence in our campers and a total feeling of independence and leadership gained from living in a different environment with girls from all over the country. The four-week session is for ages 8 to 17. The campers have to learn to live with their bunkmates and be caring and considerate.  The friendships that evolve from the longer four-week stay at camp are one of the very special rewards of Nakanawa. The girls acquire skills in the various activities and gain a feeling of accomplishment. It is a beautiful environment in which to live, work on activities and skills, and in which to play.

Admission Eligibility

  • Girls who will be eight years old before July 1 are eligible for admission to junior camp for both the two-week and four-week sessions.
  • Girls who will be eleven by January 1 or have completed the sixth grade will be eligible for intermediate camp for the two-week session.
  • Girls who will be twelve by January 1 or have completed seventh grade will be eligible for intermediate camp for the four-week session.
  • Girls who will be fifteen by January 1 and have completed the ninth grade will be eligible for senior camp.

Should there be any question as to which camp will be most suitable for a camper, it would be best to discuss placement with the director before reaching a decision.

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activities

Over 40 activities
for all adventure

We have over 40 activities available across our centres, some of which are pictured below. For full list please visit the activities section.

Tone Chimes

Durable and simpler to learn than hand bells, tone chimes provide Junior campers a hand-held percussion instrument to learn in a group and play for church and special programs. Part of Glee Club, tone chimes introduce campers to musical timing, note recognition and ensemble experience. At bedtime, the soft notes of Taps played on the tone chimes ring out in the peaceful night air over Junior Camp.

  • Easy
  • Junior
  • 2 Week, 4 Week

Ceramics / Pottery

Get your hands messy in Senior Camp where we teach both hand-building and wheel-thrown ceramics. From concept to glaze to kiln-firing, pieces are ready to take home at each session’s end. Many Nakanawa campers develop a life-long ability in pottery from their early enjoyment here.
  • All Levels
  • All
  • 4 Week

Nature

Rabbits and turtles and snakes - oh my! In Junior Camp, the Margaret Matens Nature Hut is home to fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, insects and woodland creatures from whom campers learn identification, responsible care-taking and respect for the natural world. Certified Wildlife Rehabilitators guide campers in safe understanding of all facets of the Nakanawa ecosystem. Exploration of private trails, so rare today, ignites an early sense of adventure and love for the outdoors. We also teach beginning camping skills such as fire building, safety and pathfinding.
  • Easy
  • Junior
  • 2 Week, 4 Week

Musical Production

In Two-Week Junior and Intermediate Camps, final activities include brief, clever thirty-minute musicals involving every camper. Teaching groups, arranged by age,  each have a singing role and simple costume for these cooperative productions.

  • All Levels
  • Junior, Intermediate
  • 2 Week

Operetta

From the earliest days of Junior Camp, the Operetta has been a meaningful musical gift performed for the sister Camps in Intermediate and Senior; parents and guests enjoy the production on the closing day of Four-Week Camp. Consistent group effort among the staff and Junior campers produces hand-painted sets, creative props and original costumes, The all-inclusive cast takes the stage in the Junior Council House for an hour of song, dance and drama that no former camper ever forgets. Nakanawa’s collection of scripts, music and set designs includes adaptations of well known musicals such as The Lion King, Annie, Mary Poppins and Aladdin.

  • All Levels
  • Junior
  • 4 Week

Choir / Octet

We take singing seriously at Nakanawa, and we do it - in harmony - all the time. Young melodious voices are heard daily throughout Camp.  In Junior and Senior Camp, we learn treasured camp songs as well as music for church, vespers and team gatherings. Junior campers perform a musical revue in Two-Week Camp and an inclusive Operetta in Four-Week. These theatrical experiences include costumes and a bit of dance for every camper. Choir in Intermediate and Senior Camps is an elective for all who love group singing; they prepare lovely selections for both church and Fine Arts Day. Stars are indeed born at Nakanawa! While Choir is open to anyone on the Senior side of the lake, the elite eight singers of Octet are chosen based on auditions. Nakanawa commemorates special gatherings and awards ceremonies with beautiful songs written for Camp and performed by Octet.
  • All Levels
  • Intermediate Senior
  • 4 Week

Drama

Get on stage and let your inner star shine! Nakanawa’s Intermediate and Senior drama program familiarizes campers with both the performance and technical aspects of theater as they memorize lines, change scenes, design costumes, apply make-up and manage the stage. Everyone who signs up receives a part. Creative and critical group thinking result in innovative, enjoyable plays performed for families and the camp community on Fine Arts Day.
  • All Levels
  • Intermediate, Senior
  • 2 Week, 4 Week

Climbing Wall / Zip Line / Ropes Course / Giant Swing

The 40-foot climbing tower in Senior Camp commands a choice spot along the lake where the correct use of gear and the combination of physical and mental acuity challenge novice and seasoned climbers alike. A thrilling zip line which soars over the lake waits at the summit. Senior campers also train on an indoor climbing wall and have the opportunity to problem-solve with creativity and teamwork as they traverse the challenges of our low ropes course in the woods. For sheer enjoyment, a 30-foot giant swing offers the free-fall of a lifetime.
  • All Levels
  • Intermediate, Senior
  • 2 Week, 4 Week
view all activites

Daily Camp Schedule

ALL TIMES CDT

7:00 AM

Wakeup

7:25 AM

Flag Raising

7:30 AM

Breakfast

8:30 AM

1st Bell

8:35 AM-10:45 AM

Tennis, Swimming, Canoeing, Diving, Games, Riding, Glee Club, Arts & Crafts, Drama, Riflery, Dance, Sailing, Archery, Soccer, Softball, Fencing, Nature, Climbing Wall, Tumbling, Handbells, Table Tennis, Running, Golf, War Canoe, Outdoor Adventure

10:45 AM

Milk Break/Apple Break

11:00 AM-12:40 PM

Activity Classes Continued

1:00 PM

Lunch

2:00 PM

Rest Hour

3:00 PM-4:00 PM

Free Swim

4:00 PM-5:30 PM

Activity Classes Continued

5:30 PM-6:25 PM

Clean Up for Supper/Free Time

6:25 PM

Flag Lowering

6:30 PM

Supper

7:35 PM

Evening Entertainment Such as Amazon and Valkyrie Team Meetings, Sunday Evening Vespers, Council Ring, Skits and Games

9:00 PM

Taps: Junior Camp

9:30 PM

Taps: Intermediate & Senior Camp

Free Day Trips from Camp

Free day trips are planned and groups of the girls go to visit the Cumberland Cove overlook which is 2 miles from camp.  Other popular free day trips are canoe trips to the dam on our lake and hikes around the lake, dam, and to the opposite camps. There are trail rides, fishing trips, and a picnic lunch as well. 

We also like to explore scenic areas in Tennessee close to Nakanawa. Four-week trips include hiking at Fall Creek Falls State Park and Cumberland Caverns, rafting the Hiwassee River and Ocoee, and canoeing the Caney Fork River. 

testimonials

Safe, fun and
exciting

"Being the third generation of women who has attended in my family, Camp Nakanawa has been a magical place all my life. It has given me a love for nature, a positive sense of self and community worth, life-long friendships and the confidence that I can do anything I set a goal for. I am so grateful for the opportunity to attend this amazing Camp, and for all of my experiences as a camper, counselor, alum, and now as a parent. I am so thankful that Nakanawa’s legacy remains strong for my daughter and future generations of girls and women."
Blair Rissing
Camper / Counselor / Alum
As a young girl and into my teens Camp Nakanawa taught me about setting goals, being part of a team, and friendly competition. Most importantly, it gave me life long friends. Today, Nakanawa is providing those experiences for our girls. The gift of a Nakanawa summer will bless a girl’s life for a lifetime.
Emily Blake
Camper
As a former camper, I am lucky to have three daughters who now share in the Nakanawa tradition that their great-grandmother started in the 1920s. For my daughters, camp is equal parts wonderful friendships, friendly competition, exciting activities and the pride of being 4th generation campers. The beauty of being part of 100 year old traditions is not lost on my girls and is a frequent source of material for school writing assignments and conversations about values that matter. Camp Nakanawa is an opportunity our girls have each year to slow their lives down to focus on making friends, navigating social interactions independently, trying new activities and setting personal, measurable goals that can be achieved in a month’s time. We value that they do this in a simple, unplugged environment that is solely focused on good old fashioned fun and being one’s best in a supportive all-girl setting.
Carol Kennedy McCormack
Camper / Alum
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