History, Accreditation, and Affiliations
How long has the camp been operating?
The property has been a camp for almost 70 years. It is under it's current ownership since 1990, and the current program has been running since 1995 under the direction of Kathy Ann and Greg Joseph.
Is the camp accredited? Is the camp licensed?
Yes, Sandy Hill Camp is an ACA (American Camp Association) accredited camp.
Sandy Hill Camp is also a licensed youth camp in the state of Maryland. We also hold numerous county and state licenses for the pool, beach, stable, kitchens, conference center and camp.
How many campers are there each week?
For summer 2024, there are approximately 400 campers and 200 staff on site during each week.
Is the camp affiliated with or owned by a larger organization?
No, the camp is family owned and operated and is not associated with any other organizations.
Does Sandy Hill serve campers with special needs?
Sandy Hill Camp strives to provide a positive camp experience for children with various needs whenever possible. However, Sandy Hill does not provide programs that are rehabilitative or therapeutic in nature, and does not specialize in serving children with special needs, including children with severe emotional, social, or behavioral difficulties. Campers must be able to properly care for their own hygiene, live cooperatively with other campers and staff, and actively participate in the camp's daily activities. Campers cannot have a condition which, in the judgment of the camp, is beyond the camp's capability to provide proper care or poses an unreasonable threat to or adversely affects the physical or emotional health or safety of themselves, other campers, or staff.
Sandy Hill Camp reserves the right to refuse enrollment or cancel the reservation of any camper. If your camper has special needs, please call the office before you register your camper to discuss whether or not the Sandy Hill Camp program is appropriate to meet the specific needs of your child. Your honest disclosure of information about your child's needs is important in determining if Sandy Hill Camp is a fit for your child.
The Registration Process
How do I sign up for camp?
Registration for camp is done through our online registration system. You are able to instantly reserve a space for your camper and pay the required deposit with a Visa or MasterCard. Click here to register online.
Can I register without using the online registration system?
We do not accept paper applications. If you cannot register online, please call the office at (410) 287-5554 to make alternative arrangements.
How do I find out which programs are still available?
Click here for the latest information on availability. This is the same information that we can see in the camp office and is accurate as of the time stamp at the bottom of the availability page.
Can I pay my final balance due by May 1st online or over the phone?
Online - yes. Fax or phone - no. You can pay your final balance online by credit card (online fees per camper apply). To pay online, login to your camper's home page and choose the link for "pay balance online." To avoid the online convenience fee, you can pay by check or money order through the mail. Payments by check must be postmarked by May 1st.
Partial payments can be accepted via the online payment system as well as by paper check or money order.
For security reasons, credit card payments cannot be taken verbally over the phone or by fax.
The session I want is full. How can I get on a waiting list? How do the waiting lists work? How/when will I know if I got in?
We are taking online applications for waiting lists for those sessions that are already full (red on the availability charts). To get on a waiting list, you must complete an online application. There is no fee for being on a waiting list nor is any credit card information required. Indicate any and all sessions that you are interested in attending. We cannot take registrations or hold spots over the phone.
As spaces become available (due to cancellations), the next name on the waiting list is called and offered the space. If you are the one to receive the call, you can accept or decline the offer. If you accept, you will go online and "complete" your registration by paying the deposit online (see refund and cancellation policy). You can decline the offer for any reason with no penalty. We simply call the next name on the waiting list. An additional advantage of being on the wait list in 2023 is that even if you do not get into camp, you will be in the first batch of people to receive the 2024 registration information the following fall because you will be considered a "returning camper."
Your name stays on a waiting list until the day that that session begins. You can remove yourself from a waiting list by calling or emailing the office.
What are the chances of getting into camp from a waiting list?
Getting in from a waiting list is based solely on cancellations. Cancellations are unknown, random, and unpredictable events that occur at any time up to and including the arrival day at camp. On average, there were 5-6 cancellations for each session per gender. For example, in week 5 of 2022, there were 5 cancellations for one-week girls. Because we allow people to sign up on multiple waiting lists (more weeks than they are interested in coming), the number that you are down on the waiting list is actually a little inflated. For example, you may be fifth on the week 3 female traditional camp waiting list. A spot opens in week 2 for someone who is on both the week 2 and week 3 wait lists. They accept the spot in week 2 and so their name comes off of the week 2 and week 3 lists. You are now fourth on the female traditional camp wait list even though no spots actually opened up in week 3.
SUMMARY - Our rule of thumb is...
If you are in the top 5 on the wait list, you stand a very high probability of getting in due to cancellations. If you are in the top 10 on the wait list, it is probably about a 50/50 chance. Much beyond 10, the chances start to get pretty slim.
Last summer, many sessions had more than 10 campers on a wait list. Because there is no risk associated with being on a waiting list, we strongly encourage you to get on as many lists as you could possibly attend. Then cross your fingers, and we'll hope to be in touch with you with some good news!
As a courtesy to others, if your plans change such that you are no longer interested in being on a particular session's waiting list, please call or email the office and let us know so that we can remove you from that session's wait list.
How many waiting lists can I be on?
As many as you like. We want you to be able to get into camp, and if your summer schedule is flexible enough to be on multiple waiting lists, then go for it! As a courtesy to others, we do ask that if you make other plans such that you can no longer come to a session for which you are on a waiting list, please call or email the office and let us know so that we can remove you from that session's wait list.
It looks like the program I want is full, and I'm not interested in being on a waiting list.
How and when can I sign up for next summer?
If you are on a waiting list for this year or if you have attended Sandy Hill Camp in the past, you are already on the mailing list. You will be eligible for early registration for 2023. Registration for returning campers and their siblings begins on November 15th. If you choose not to go on a waiting list for 2023, please send us your name and address to be added to our mailing list for 2024. Being on the mailing list will ensure that you get the mailings in the fall of 2023 for summer 2024.
Two-Week Sessions
How many weeks of camp can I come in a summer? Do I have to go home on the weekends?
You can come for one, two or three weeks of camp per summer in any combination of one and two-week sessions. Here are the different combinations you can consider:
A one-week session
Two one-week sessions
Three one-week sessions
A two-week session
A two-week and a one-week session
Please note that a camper can only stay for a maximum of two weeks (12 nights) straight through. There are no weekend programs offered for campers attending a one-week session.
How old do I have to be to attend a two-week session?
Campers are eligible to attend a two-week session once they have completed the 5th grade (a rising 6th grader) - this typically is when they are at least 11 years old. Campers are no longer eligible to be a 'camper' once they have completed 11th grade or turned 17 years old.
What is the difference between a two-week session and two one-week sessions?
Campers in a two-week session attend camp for 12 consecutive days. They will have the same cabinmates and counselors for their entire time at camp. Two-week campers participate in special weekend day trips and activities but do not go home on the weekend between their weeks of camp. Campers coming for two one-week sessions will have different cabinmates and counselors each week, and they go home on the weekend. They can also attend one-week sessions that are separated in time by more than a weekend - for instance, weeks 2 and 7.
Is the daily schedule different for two-week and one-week campers?
Yes and no. The types of activities offered are the same, but the times at which they are offered are somewhat different.
How will campers staying for a two-week session do their laundry?
Sandy Hill contracts with an outside laundry company to do the campers' laundry for them one time during their stay at camp midway through the session. Campers will only be able to have clothes and towels laundered, not bedding. The cost for the optional laundry service (approximately $24) will be deducted from their store account.
Is the housing for two-week campers different than one-week campers?
Yes. Two-week campers live in lodges (click here for photos and details). One-week campers typically stay in cabins.
Preparing for Camp
I need the packing checklist and/or health form?
Click here to download the Parent Handbook including your packing checklist. The health form is completed online via your Camper's Home Page. There is a Physician's Page that must be signed by the camper's physician, and, for camper's bringing any medications with them to camp, a Medication Administration Authorization Form for each medication must be completed as well.
Can campers bring electronic devices such as cell phones, tablets, laptops, or e-readers? Do campers have access to internet or wifi?
We have a “no cell phone” and “no internet” policy at camp. This also includes any other wireless communication, internet, e-readers and gaming devices. First, these items are expensive and can get lost or stolen, and the physical camp environment is not kind to such items. Second, there is the issue of trust. When children come to camp, campers and parents are making a leap of faith, temporarily transferring their primary care from parents and guardians to the camp staff. As children learn to trust other caring adults, they grow and learn, little by little, to solve some of their own challenges and rely on other adults outside of their immediate family. Third, we want our campers to be fully engaged in the camp experience and become a part of this special community during their time here. They need to be “unplugged” from their headphones, cell phones, and gaming devices to make the most of their camp experience. We will let parents know if a camper is experiencing a challenge in his or her adjustment to camp. We encourage parents to help by talking with their child before they leave for camp and telling them that there is always someone they can reach out to, whether it be a counselor, a trusted activity leader, a unit leader, a camp director or camp medical staff. Please check out our Parent Handbook to learn how families can communicate with their campers while they are at camp including letters, care packages, one-way emails, and phone calls. We also post photos to a password-protected website to give families at home a flavor of what is happening at camp each day.
How much storage space is underneath the bunk beds?
For the two-week lodges, there is 12” of clearance under a bunk bed.
For the one-week cabins, there is 15” of clearance under nearly all bunk beds. Two of the older one-week girls’ cabins, Sassafras River and Susquehanna River, and one of the older boys’ cabins, Whitehall Bay, have 12” of clearance.
What sports equipment should I bring?
You may want to bring the equipment for any of the activities below that you have requested. You can find out which of your preferences you have been scheduled for by logging into your family's account on the Thursday before you arrive at camp.
REQUIRED EQUIPMENT
- Field Hockey: stick, shinguard, and mouthguard
- Horseback Lessons: long pants (jeans are fine) and shoes with a heel. Riding helmets are provided. If you have your own riding helmet, breeches, jodhpurs or riding boots, you can bring them too.
- Lacrosse: mouthguard
- Soccer: shinguards, mouthguard, and outdoor soccer shoes
OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT - the camp has the basic equipment for the following activities, but if you prefer to bring your own, you may.
- Fishing: rod and tackle box
- Guitar: acoustic guitar and pick (no electric guitars please)
- Tennis: racquet
When can I find out my schedule of instructional activities?
You can log into your family's account and go to your Camper's Home Page on the Thursday before your session begins.
May I repeat an instructional activity if I'm coming for multiple weeks?
We want campers to be exposed to lots of activities at camp. And, since the classes are the same each week, it would be repetitive for many of the classes to take the same class twice in most cases. For example, in crafts class, you would end up making the same crafts twice in a summer.
Although you cannot be scheduled in advance to repeat an activity during the summer, you can make changes to your schedule online on the Thursday and Friday before your arrival to repeat a class from a prior session if space is available.
What time is drop-off on Sunday? What time is pickup on Friday? Can I pick my child up early on Friday?
Arrival time for Sunday registration is from 3:45 PM to 5:00 PM. The security gate at the camp entrance will not open until 3:30 PM. PLEASE DO NOT ARRIVE EARLY. You will not be permitted to wait outside the gate when it is closed. So as not to cause a traffic hold-up along Route 272, early arrivals will need to turn around and drive back towards town. Camp is 10 minutes from the quaint little town of North East. If you find yourself ahead of schedule, please enjoy some time in North East rather than arriving early, only to be forced to turn back around at the camp gate.
For pickup on Fridays, campers will be ready to depart between 4:00 and 4:30 PM. Please do not arrive earlier than 3:45 PM as the gate will be closed. It is NOT permitted to wait at the camp entrance or alongside the road near camp. Traffic can be heavy on Friday afternoons, so please plan accordingly.
If you need to pickup your child early on Friday, you must do so during lunch. You may not pickup campers between lunch and the end of their closing ceremony. If you live in the DC area and you would like to have your camper transported to a central location in the DC-Baltimore area, you can use our Friday dropoff service.
Cabinmate Requests and Cabin Assignments
Please visit this page to learn about cabinmate requests and cabin assignments.
Final Payments
What forms of payment are accepted? Which are preferred?
Sandy Hill accepts payments by check, money order, Visa or MasterCard (fees apply for online card payments). Due to an unforeseen change by our online e-check vendor, we are no longer able to process online e-checks. On registration Sundays, cash is accepted for additional money in a camper's store account.
Payment by Paper Check or Money Order: Checks and money orders should be made payable to “Sandy Hill LLC” for the “Balance Due." You can also add any additional store account money you wish to add. Please write your camper’s name and the amount of any additional store account money you are adding in the memo section of your check. Checks and money orders should be mailed to the following address:
Sandy Hill Camp
Attn: Office
3380 Turkey Point Road
North East, MD 21901
Payment by Credit Card: You can pay your “Final Balance Due” with a Visa or MasterCard. For debit cards, there is a $10 convenience fee per camper when paying final balances online. For credit cards, there is a 2.70% surcharge. Partial payments by credit card cannot be accepted. To pay online, login to your camper’s account, go to your Camper's Home Page, and choose the “Pay Balance Online” link . Debit and credit card payments can be made in person at the Sandy Hill Office with no fee. Please call ahead to setup an appointment if you would like to pay in-person. For security reasons, credit card payments cannot be made verbally over the phone or by fax.
Can I make partial or installment payments?
Installment and partial payments can be made by paper check, money order as well as online by credit card or debit card (online processing fees apply). The entire balance is due by May 1st.
How do I find out my balance due?
Login to your camper’s account, go to your Camper's Home Page, and look in the Balance Due section.
When is the final payment due? When is the payment for waterskiing and/or horseback lessons due?
Final payment for all camp fees except for activity fees for waterskiing and horseback lessons is due by May 1st. Payments by check or money order must be postmarked by May 1st to avoid potential cancellation of sessions. Payments by debit or credit card must be made online or in-person by May 1st.
On the Thursday before you are scheduled to arrive at camp, you will be able to find out your camper’s instructional activity schedule by logging into your Camper’s Home Page. If, at that time, your camper is scheduled for waterskiing and/or horseback riding lessons, you should be prepared to pay those fees by cash or check upon your arrival. Your Camper’s Home Page will also indicate if you have a balance due. To save time at registration, you can also pay these fees online starting on the Thursday before your camper arrives.
Can I pay the balance due online by debit or credit card?
Yes, you can pay your final balance online by debit or credit card (for debit cards, a $10 convenience fee per camper applies - for credit cards, there is a 2.70% surcharge). To pay online, login to your camper’s account, go to your Camper's Home Page, and choose the “Pay Balance Online” link. To avoid the online convenience fee, you can pay by paper check or money order through the mail. Payments by check must be postmarked by May 1st. Partial payments can be accepted via the online payment system.
Can I pay the balance due over the phone?
No. For security reasons, Sandy Hill does not accept payments over the phone or by fax.
How can I find out if/when you've received my final payment?
Login to your camper’s account, go to your Camper's Home Page, and choose the “See Statement of Account” link in the "Balance Due" section.
What is the refund/cancellation policy?
Click here to read the policy.