SUMMERS AT BCNY
Harriman Base Camp and Summer Cycle
Summers at BCNY are full of activities and excitement at the clubhouses and at Harriman Base Camp in Harriman State Park. Our clubhouses offer high quality and diverse programming with summer schedules that will keep your boy or young man active and engaged while Harriman Base Camp gives explorers, juniors and teens the opportunity to experience sleepaway in upstate New York and connect to the arts and sciences of the wilderness. Explore BCNY’s Harriman Base Camp and our Summer Cycle.
Harriman Base Camp
The Boys’ Club of New York founded Harriman Base Camp with a mission to increase access to environmental and wilderness programming for New York City’s boys and young men. Building on over 120 years of experience offering sleep-away camp, Harriman Base Camp connects members to nature as they become active stewards of the environment. Campers develop crucial life skills while fostering emotional, physical and ethical growth.
Harriman Base Camps offers a supportive environment that brings boys and young men everything that has made BCNY special for nearly 150 years. Our staff partner with campers to build a brotherhood that centers community, safety, and wellness. It is no exaggeration to say that this experience and the friendship that campers make over the summer last a lifetime.
Discover Harriman Base Camp
2023 Sleep-Away Camp Session Dates
- Session 1 (Juniors, grades 5-8): July 16th – July 28th (Session 1 is currently full)
- Session 2 (Juniors & Teens, grade 5-11): July 30th – August 11th
Summer Cycle at the Clubhouse
To join BCNY’s high-quality and fun summer programming , please visit this page in the spring of 2024
Until then, BCNY is open for Fall and winter programming! Join Boys’ Club at the link below
BCNY’s Harriman Base Camp FAQ
Why is BCNY’s camp facility in Harriman State Park?
Our location in New York’s Harriman State Park provides us with many advantages. In a beautiful natural setting, with only other camps for neighbors, our site between two lakes is isolated from commercial and private land use. We have easy access to all Harriman State Park amenities such as hiking on the network of trails maintained by the park, canoeing through adjacent lakes, and camping out at park sites. As part of the park system, we also have the added security of the very diligent Park Police Force.
Will I become a member when I attend Harriman Base Camp?
If you are not already a BCNY member, you will become one. To start participating in clubhouse programs, please contact your local clubhouse in Flushing, Queens or East Harlem.
How will members get to Harriman Base Camp?
Travel to Sleepaway Camp will be by van or bus. Pick-up and drop-off will be at BCNY Clubhouses.
What if my BCNY member is in summer school?
Schedule accommodations will be made for members in summer school. Please see your age-group director.
What will members do at Harriman Base Camp?
Members will enjoy camp activities like making s’mores by the fire, swimming, fishing, hiking and teamwork challenges. They will learn the basics of camping outdoors like setting up a tent, building a fire, plant identification, stalking and tracking and navigating with a map and compass.
What makes BCNY’s Harriman Base Camp different than other camps offered in New York?
BCNY’s Harriman Base Camp experience allows young men that live in the city to connect to the wilderness in beautiful upstate New York. Take a look at our trailer to see what makes Harriman Base Camp unique.
Additional Information
Camp Homesickness Policy
For over 120 years, BCNY has offered overnight camp programming. We understand that being away from home can be emotionally challenging for campers. As such, we have a parent check-in schedule that allows campers to touch base with guardians, without interrupting their opportunity to acclimate to their new environment.
We also have a homesick protocol in place to support campers and families. Our protocol aims to help campers accept and address their feelings while offering a period to resolve their homesickness with experienced staff and several touchpoints with their guardian.
If a camper’s homesickness cannot be resolved for any reason, we will ensure the camper safely returns home.
Emergency Information
Camp phone number: 845-915-3638
If a medical emergency happens while your BCNY member is at camp, you will be notified immediately. There is an EMT on staff who is able to provide emergency care. The closest hospitals to camp are Good Samaritan Hospital and VA Hudson Valley Health Care System.