Registration Basics
All four camps have programming for both age groups, 11-13 years old and 14-17 years old. Campers must be the minimum age by December 1 in the calendar year to attend camp. The cost of attending a one-week session is $350 and includes all meals and trips during camp; it does NOT include transportation to & from camp. You can add the funds to your online registration account throughout the year but in order to register for a specific week, full payment must be made.
DEC Summer Camps uses an online registration program to register campers and communicate with families and sponsors during the year. Payment must be made online with either a credit card (Mastercard, Visa, Discover), debit card with credit card logo, or e-check. Before a camper can be registered, a family account must be set up. You may set up your family account and add campers at any time during the year. All registration and paperwork is done through this online account.
We highly recommend that families fill out all the required camper forms and waivers before registration opens. Completing all forms and waivers ahead of time will significantly speed up your registration process. All forms, documents and waivers that you need are available online in your document center in the camps. Space is limited, so interested campers are urged to register early. If there is no space for your camper, you may sign up for the waiting list and you will be contacted if a spot becomes available.
Navigating the Online Registration System
You need an active email address to create an account in the online registration system. We send information through the system to this email address, so you must be able to check it.
All applications are done online through our online registration system. We highly recommend creating an account and completing the documents in the document center before registration opens, this will greatly speed up the process and give you a better chance at the week you seek.
The registration process can take 30 minutes or more for first-time registrants, and includes filling out camper's information, medical history, and all permission forms. This requires access to the camper's medical history and health insurance information. If the paperwork is not complete, the camper will not be allowed to attend camp.
NOTE: If you've forgotten your password or email address for your account, please contact us at 518-402-8014 or [email protected]. Please DO NOT make a new account.
Required Forms
All forms and waivers are completed online, before or during registration and are available on DEC's online registration system in the 'Document Center'. The Document Center can be found by clicking the menu icon on the top left of the screen in the online registration system. All forms must be filled out before you arrive at camp. A camper with incomplete forms may not be able to stay at camp. If there is no signed Health Care Provider Form, the camper cannot check-in and remain at camp.
These forms and waivers must be completed in order to complete registration for a week of camp:
- Accommodation Request Form
- Camper Medical History Form
- Camper T-shirt size Form
- Completion Acknowledgement Form
- Custody Information Form
- Model Consent Waiver
- Movies at Camp Waiver
- Off-site Swimming Waiver
- Permission to be tested for COVID-19 while participating in a NYS Summer Camp Program Waiver
- Permission to Shoot Waiver (for campers taking Hunter Education)
- Refunds and Cancellations Waiver
- Transportation Waiver
- Cabin-Mate Request Form (optional)
- Camper's Ethnic Group Form (optional)
- Dear Counselor Letter (optional)
Health Care Provider Form and Insurance Card
Camp Specific Health Care Provider Form must be completed, printed and signed by your child's physician and signed by a parent or guardian prior to coming to camp. You can find this form in the "Document Center" on your account page. It is also attached as a PDF in your reservation confirmation email.
Please note: Other forms such as patient visit summaries or school physical forms will not be accepted. The NYS DOH requires the camp specific Health Care Provider form to be on file and does not recognize another form. If your camper is attending two different DEC camps in one summer, they will need each camp specific form to be submitted. To attend multiple weeks at the same camp, the camper does not need more than one Health Care Provider form completed.
Please bring the signed form with your child to check-in at camp and give it to the Health Director. Campers without this form will NOT be allowed to check in at camp.
You will also need to provide a copy of your health insurance card (front and back). Please bring a copy with your child to check-in at camp.
Alternative Internet Locations to Register
We realize that with an online registration system, this requires parents to have stable internet access and an active email account. Public libraries have internet and computers that the public can use. There you can set up a free email account and once you have your email account, go online to create your account in our online registration system and start the registration process and deposit the funds in your account via credit card, debit card with credit logo, or e-check.
If these options are not available, please contact our staff at 518-402-8014.
Cancellation & Refund Policies
Cancellations may occur up to 23 calendar days, by close of business, prior to the day your child is scheduled to check into camp and still receive a refund. In order to cancel a camp registration, you must call the Summer Camps Business Number at 518-402-8014, Monday-Friday between 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM. The cancellation process must happen over the phone using this main number, not by contacting individual camps. And you will receive a confirmation via email in the Online Registration System.
NOTE: Refunds will not be credited to credit or debit cards. A check will be issued by DEC. It may take up to 60 days to receive a refund check.
Medical Refunds
- Refunds due to medical illness or injury occurring while at camp will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- If you child is unable to attend camp due to a medical reason, you may request a full refund at anytime prior to the start of the camp week they are registered for by providing a doctor's note. The doctor's note must state that the child is unable to participate in camp activities due to a medical excuse. It must be signed and dated by the doctor.
- Refund requests made after camp closes for the season will not be honored.
Scholarships & Sponsorship Opportunities
Parents who would like their child to be sponsored should bring the program to the attention of an organization in their area. More than 50 percent of DEC campers are sponsored by organizations and groups; however, if a sponsoring group is not available, parents may pay for the child's stay at DEC camp. Parents must find a sponsor; the DEC does not maintain a list of sponsoring organizations. Check for hunting and fishing clubs, gardening clubs, schools, fire associations, and other community organizations in your area to see if they sponsor children to camp. If they don't but would like to learn about it, they can visit the Sponsor page for more information on becoming a sponsor.
Changing Youth With Sponsor Code
If your child is sponsored by a local organization but is unable to attend camp this summer, you need to work with the sponsoring organization about who can use the code. It cannot just be handed over to a friend without the sponsoring organization's approval.
Changing Weeks After Registered
After you have registered your child for camp, if you need to make changes or cancellations, you need to call the Summer Camps Business Number at 518-402-8014, Monday-Friday between 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM. If you register your camper for an additional week, you will be charged an additional $350. It can take up to 60 days for your refund to be processed from when you call to cancel your first reservation.
Waitlist & Attending Multiple Weeks
Waitlist
Yes, there is a waiting list for each session. If the week you would like to attend is full, you can request to be added to the waiting list. You will be notified by email if a spot becomes available. You should check your email, including your SPAM folders regularly for this email. You will then have THREE (3) days to make the reservation. If you do not register within THREE (3) days, the spot will be given to the next child on the waiting list. We can not restore anyone to the waiting list.
Attending Multiple Weeks
No, you may register your camper for only one week.
Accommodations to Attend & Inclusivity for All Campers
All campers should feel welcome and safe at DEC camps. Camp staff are versed in acknowledging diversity, conveying respect to all people, being sensitive to differences, and promoting equitable opportunities. During registration, you are given the opportunity to elaborate on your child's specific circumstance.
If you have questions specific to your child or accommodations needed, please contact the Summer Camp Administrative staff by calling 518-402-8014, Monday-Friday between 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM, or emailing [email protected].
