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The following photos illustrate Dog Scout Camp in St Helen Michigan, where the summer camps and the Fall and Winter outings are held. Members of DSA may use this facility by reservation when it is not being used for camps or outings. For a better idea of the overall layout of the camp, see the camp property map.
These photos show the best side of camp. It is considered a "rustic" camp. There is no air conditioning in the camp buildings. Only beds are provided in the bedrooms (no sheets, blankets or pillows) and no phone, TV or temperature controls in the rooms (other than the window you can open.) Indoor space is limited and there are times when your dog will need to be close to other dogs if he or she is in the building. You also need to be prepared for mosquitoes and other bugs, heat, humidity and lots of sand (which gets into and onto everything.) Please read through the pre-camp pages as well as the "top 10 reasons NOT to come to camp" before you pay your non-refundable deposit. When you are prepared and know what to expect, you can have a GREAT camp experience! But that's up to you and how you handle things!
This is the main lodge. It contains the kitchen, bathrooms, lodging (group and private rooms) and the main activity room/dining room.
This will be the angle you first see the lodge when you arrive at camp. Please do not park where the red van is shown (on the left) in the photo. Instead, follow the driveway around the building till you get to the side where the grey van is shown (on the right.) Due to the septic field, vehicles can't take a direct route to the parking area, so you must circle the lodge.
This is the camp fire area. You'll pass by this as you circle the lodge to the parking area. Weather permitting, we try to have a camp fire each evening if there is interest.
You can just barely see a vehicle parked at one of the RV's you can rent (behind the head of the person on the far right.) Those two RV's are between the picnic area and the craft barn.
Another view of the camp fire, this time being used to cook one of the meals- foil potluck dinners that you prepare yourself! You can see the road that you'll take to the parking area just past the camp fire. The rally obedience field is just past that, surrounded by the low white chain fence. Just beyond that, not visible in this photo is the pond.
Off to the left, where you can see the front of the truck, is the main RV and tent area. Other primitive tent spots are scattered around the area and you can choose which you like (1st come first reserved.)
Here's a view from the pond, looking toward the lodge. Just behind the people on the far right is the rally obedience field. The camp has a pontoon paddle boat, a row boat and a few kayaks for campers to use after they attend the water safety OandS class. Children MUST wear a life jacket when in/on any watercraft at camp. Adults need to have one with them (and wearing it is recommended.)
Another view of the rally area. You can see an RV in the distance, just across the entry road. There are more behind the trees to the right of that. This photo is taken from the walkway to the pond shown in the next photo.
Taken at a quieter time in early morning, showing the light fog caused by the cool water. The lodge is directly behind the photographer.
Here's a photo of the RV and tent area just across the camp road from the lodge. The lodge, fire area, rally field and pond are to the right (east) of the photographer. This area looks different from camp to camp depending on how many people choose to use or bring an RV or tent. Sometimes it's wide open like this, other times it gets full.
View down the camp road (that is also the main trail) that takes you past the RV and tent sites and out to the lure coursing and general purpose field as well as on to the rest of the trails. The trails are flat and mostly packed sand, though some parts have been covered with grass. They are passable to a powered wheelchair and golf cart. However, the thinner wheels of bicycles and push type wheelchairs do not do well on some parts of the trail where the sand is more loose. A power chair, if needed, will get you to almost all of the camp property, but there are a few spots where the sand is loose enough to cause it to bog down. If you like to bike, or you are working on your biking badge, we recommend Nestel road (and the paved road it joins with if you need more miles.)
View of the lure coursing and general purpose field. In this photo, it is being used for advanced rally obedience. You can see the snow fencing of the steeplechase course on the right. Lure coursing and steeplechase availability during camps is dependant on the weather (it can't be too hot or raining) and availability of an operator for the lure coursing machine.
The steeplechase course really gets the dogs going! They chase a moving plastic bag (bottom center) tied to a string pulled by a machine. In steeplechase, they have the low jumps to go over. Lure Coursing is a circular course in the open area with no jumps.
Another view of the trails showing the grassy part. The trails at camp pass through several different geological areas from grassy areas to forests with ferns to areas of primarily pine as well as some bog and "swampy" areas. They are beautiful in any season. If you want to learn more, just walk with Beth, she is on staff and is a naturalist that can tell you all kinds of facinating details about the flora and fauna. She usually leads the daily hikes.
On the back side of the lodge is the parking area, agility field (shown here) and the fenced play area (shown in photos below.) You can see the parking area logs in this photo just in front of the fence. The agility field has several trees, but still gets plenty of sun (make sure you bring sun screen!) It's relatively flat, but watch out for the occasional tree root. 
Next to the agility field is the fenced play yard. The fence is "farm" fencing, so tiny dogs may be able to get through it. It's on our "to do" list to get a smaller opening fence for the bottom of the existing fence (or to replace the fence) to prevent this and to make the fence more visible to fast moving dogs.
Another view of the play yard. Please read the pre-camp materials to learn the rules and safety information for this off-leash play area. You'll likely want to use it as soon as you arrive to let your dog stretch his legs, so be prepared! You are expected to know and follow camp rules as provided in the "for campers" section of the "camp info" part of the website (link at the top of the page.)
Between the play yard and the lodge is a picnic area. When the weather is nice, it's a quiet place to eat (if you don't mind missing the auction and being "out of the loop" because you missed the announcements.) Classes are often held in this area in front of the stage as well. 
Across the road from the picnic area is the craft building. Space is at a premium here, so craft class is a great time for your dog to take a nap in his crate in the lodge. There is a larger craft "barn" behind this building where the dogs learn to paint and where campers work on cratfs that need moe space (like when we learned how to make some agility equipment out of PVC pipe.)
Yes, guys attend camp too! Campers are asked to help with meal prep and clean up (each camper is assigned one day of camp when they should help.)
Camp is not complete without burgers from the grill! We also have grilled hotdogs for lunch one day. But it's not all grilled food. We also often have lasagna, fried chicken, pizza and build your own tacos with all the fixin's! And there's a dessert at each lunch and dinner. Vegetarian options are available if we know you have that preference before we buy the food for camp.
The food is popular! This shows you what the "help yourself" style buffet looks like at each meal. Space is limited, so dogs are not allowed through the food line. Meals are another good time to give your dog a nap (believe me, they will need it!)
Enjoying a meal in the dining room (which is also the main activity room.) The kitchen is in the back ground. If you have your dog in the dining room with you, we ask that you change seats for each meal. This helps prevent the dogs from feeling like they "own" a particular spot in the room and reduces the chances they will try to guard it. It's also a great way to meet new campers!
There are NO assigned or reserved seats in the dining room (you can hold a seat for a friend), however, the table near the door and the table near the hall are designated for people without dogs. This prevents dogs at the table from being confronted by a dog walking in the door or up the hall where space is tight.
View of the main room and demo area looking toward the kitchen.
Same room looking the other way (toward the bedrooms.) You can see two private bedroom doors.
The camp store is the first door on the right as you start down the hall. It's always open and everyone has a "camp tab" page in a binder kept in the store. On YOUR page of the tab book, you write what you take from the store and pay for it before you leave camp.
This is a small class in the main room, and shows in the background a better view of the hall. You can also see the rack where all the badge forms are kept (just behind the heads of the ladies in pink and tan.) Feel free to help yourself to the badge forms you need during camp. However, if you want to have badge form pages that are printed in color as shown on the website, you'll want to print them from the website before you leave home (recommended.) We only have a black and white printer to print them at camp.
Empty group room. We usually only fill 4 of the 5 beds to allow a bit more space in each room. There is only ONE outlet per room, but a multi-outlet power strip is provided. An extension cord is recommended. The first people in the room get to pick the beds they want (and how they want to configure the room.) A benefit for arriving early!
Beds in the group rooms take 'full' size sheets.
Group room occupied (4 beds used.) 
Private room occupied. This is an older photo. The private rooms now have either bunk beds or real beds (box springs and mattress.) If you are in a private room, be sure to check with Lonnie regarding what size sheets to bring (twin, full or queen.)
Camp is also filled with friends! It is such a positive atmosphere that friendships are sure to develop. Even when campers are separated by many miles, they often stay in communication with each other and try to attend the same camp the following year!
A photo CD is available for purchase so you can remember your camp experience, but we still recommend you bring a camera for those one of a kind photos of you, your dog and/or your friends that the photographer might not be around to capture.
We hope to see YOU at a Dog Scout camp!
