YMCA Hayo-Went-Ha Camps is an arm of the State YMCA of Michigan which administers a pair of camps in northwestern Michigan. Founded in 1904 with the establishment of YMCA Camp Hayo-Went-Ha for Boys, the organization offers year-round outdoor activities. The primary focus of both camps is the summer program, which offers two- to four-week, single-gender camp experiences for children in 3rd through 11th grades. Other functions include outdoor education and challenge-course retreats for local schools, as well as cross-country skiing.
The arches on the veranda of the Boathouse, a building near the center of camping activity that houses waterfront activities, the camp store, and a common area. The Boathouse, built in 1907, is the oldest standing building at Hayo-Went-Ha and a recognizable symbol of the camp.
Camp Torch Hayo-Went-Ha for Boys lies in Central Lake Township in Antrim County, Michigan along the northeastern shore of Torch Lake (Antrim County, Michigan), occupying 640 acres (2.6km2) on a cape called Hayo-Went-Ha point. Founded in 1904 by the State YMCA of Michigan, the camp has operated continuously as a summer camp for boys between 4th and 11th grades. Buildings on the boys' camp have been named for generous donors and past campers, including Bonbright Lodge, given by a Flint Industrialist, the Dow Building, and the Stanley S. Kresge Lodge.
Summer programs
The camp offers overnight programs for different age groups, ranging from finished 3rd grade to 11th grade, as well as 2- or 4-week programs. These programs will go on various trips ranging from an overnight stay in the meadow on camp property for the youngest or 3 weeks of exploring the Alaskan wilderness for the oldest boys. Each group is categorized with a unique name under 3 divisions:
Pioneer Division
Adventurer (Finished 3rd Grade, 2 Weeks)
Trailblazer (Finished 4th Grade, 2 Weeks)
Pathfinder (Finished 5th Grade, 2 Weeks)
Pioneer (Finished 5th Grade, 4 Weeks)
Voyageur Division
Voyageur (Finished 6th Grade, 2 Weeks)
Bushwhacker (Finished 6th Grade, 4 Weeks)
Trekker (Finished 7th Grade, 2 Weeks)
Viking Sailor (Finished 7th Grade, 4 Weeks)
Viking (Finished 7th/ Grade, 4 Weeks)
Bush Division
Islander (Finished 8th Grade, 2 Weeks)
Kayaker (Finished 8th Grade, 4 Weeks)
Isle Royale (Finished 8th Grade, 4 Weeks)
Rover (Finished 9th Grade, 2 Weeks)
Bush Ranger (Finished 9th Grade, 4 Weeks)
Navigator (Finished 9th/10th Grade, 4 Weeks)
Alaska (Finished 10th Grade, 4 Weeks)
Leadership Corps
This program is for completed 11th-grade campers who are preparing to become future Hayo-Went-Ha staff.
YMCA Camp Arbutus/Hayo-Went-Ha for Girls
During the 1980s, the State YMCA attempted to include girls in camping activities. In the early 1990s, a girls' camp was formed at nearby Bows Lake. This facility, however, proved to be insufficient for long-term use. The state YMCA then acquired Camp Arbutus (44°40′00″N85°30′50″W / 44.666728°N 85.513808°W / 44.666728; -85.513808), a camp south of Traverse City, Michigan, on Arbutus Lake, which became the new site of YMCA Camp Arbutus Hayo-Went-Ha for Girls.
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