2025 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!

Where community is a state of mind.

Camp Kawanhee is a residential summer camp located on the eastern shore of Webb Lake in the Town of Weld, nestled among the Appalachian Mountains of western Maine. In operation since 1920, Kawanhee welcomes boys ages 7 to 17 from all corners of the United States and abroad. Kawanhee is committed to a broad-based camp program, offering an evolving and rich mixture of enduring traditions and innovation…of intentional learning and spontaneous, unbridled joy. Operating Kawanhee is the sole mission of the George & Raymond Frank Foundation, a Section 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

Kawanhee is a place where trying out new things and pushing beyond the familiar are celebrated, and where life-changing interests are born.

Where boys check their cell phones at the door and instead lift their eyes to infinite possibilities around them.  Where they come to know, or are reminded, that star-gazing from a sleeping bag in the casual company of one’s friends is more satisfying than any text message or YouTube video.  Where there is nothing virtual about the exhilaration of a sweaty hike to a mountain summit.

And most importantly, where boys make enduring and honest friendships, daring to embrace their new-found brothers and their quirky summer community.  It’s no wonder that camp friendships often last long after a camp career has given way to college, a livelihood and a family of one’s own.

Kawanhee gives boys some distance from their identities back home and at school, allowing them to catch their breath and create a vision for the bigger picture of their lives.  It’s why we do camp, and why we so fervently believe that boys of the 21st century need such a place more than ever. Our shared goal is to return campers to their lives back home more confident and resourceful, eager to pitch-in, having made fast friends with people from all over, and having developed a broader and deeper sense of what is possible.

Kawanhee is a place where trying out new things and pushing beyond the familiar are celebrated, and where life-changing interests take root.
Where boys check their cell phones at the door and instead lift their eyes to infinite possibilities around them.  Where they come to know, or are reminded, that star-gazing from a sleeping bag in the casual company of one’s friends is more satisfying than any text message or YouTube video.  Where there is nothing virtual about the exhilaration of mountain biking in Maine’s backwoods.
And most importantly, where boys make enduring and honest friendships, daring to embrace their new-found brothers and their quirky summer community.  It’s no wonder that camp friendships often last long after a camp career has given way to college, a livelihood and a family of one’s own.
Kawanhee gives boys some distance from their identities back home and at school, allowing them to catch their breath and create a vision for the bigger picture of their lives.  It’s why we do camp, and why we so fervently believe that boys of the 21st century need such a place more than ever. Our shared goal is to return campers to their lives back home more confident and resourceful, eager to pitch-in, having made fast friends with people from all over, and having developed a broader and deeper sense of what is possible.
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The Camper Experience

Community & Lodge Life

Community & Lodge Life

A camper’s lodge group is his family away from home.

Freedom Within a Framework

Freedom Within a Framework

Although a typical day at camp conforms to a schedule and has a predictable rhythm, each day offers its own abundant opportunities for adventure and learning.

Maroons & Greys

Maroons & Greys

Campers are inspired by personal goals quietly set and by the often-rowdy Maroon-Grey competitions.

Outdoor Living and Stewardship

Outdoor Living and Stewardship

At Kawanhee’s core is an appreciation for the natural world and our place in it. The hope is that all Kawanheeans will become more conscientious citizens, walk more lightly on the earth and practice “leave no trace” in the wild.

Tripping

Tripping

“Keep close to Nature’s heart…and break clear away, once in a while, to climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” John Muir

Water Sports

Water Sports

Lake Webb, fed by mountain streams, is home to several activities that teach boys how to be comfortable and safe in and on the water.

Field and Target Sports

Field and Target Sports

Kawanhee offers team and individual sports with an emphasis on skill-building, fair play and sportsmanship.

Shop & Arts

Shop & Arts

“Every child is an artist.”  Pablo Picasso

Leadership Training Program

Leadership Training Program

An innovative program designed exclusively for 16 and 17 year-olds, featuring extended wilderness trips, community service, counselor training and helping each participant to identify a personal and effective leadership style.