What Is Camp Gray?

Updated

Camp Gray is a Catholic summer camp in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, run by the Diocese of Madison. It offers ten sessions of summer camp for campers in 2nd through 12th grade, along with weekend retreats in the fall. Its stated purpose is to foster "an experience of what is real through Christ-centered community, outdoor living, and moments of true joy."

Who It Serves and What It Offers

The camp describes two main program tracks:

  • Summer camp — ten sessions across the summer, open to campers from 2nd grade through 12th grade.
  • Weekend retreats — held in the fall, separate from the summer camp season.

Both are presented as expressions of the same mission rather than unrelated products. The summer program is the larger of the two, and the retreats extend the camp's format into a shorter, seasonal offering.

What the Experience Looks Like

Camp Gray frames itself around three commitments: Christ-centered community, outdoor living, and joy. The activities named on the site are typical of a traditional outdoor camp — archery, climbing, swimming, and an event called the Cassidy Games.

Two voices on the homepage give a sense of how the camp is experienced:

  • A summer camp staffer, Carynne, describes having been a camper for years before joining staff, and calls serving on the team "a dream come true."
  • A 5th-grade camper, Gianna S., says she loves Camp Gray "because I can be myself and the counselors are amazing."

Bishop Donald Hying, the 5th Bishop of Madison, describes Camp Gray as "a model Catholic camp, looked to around the country as an example of how to manage such a camp and offer quality programming."

Who Might Consider It

Camp Gray is likely a fit if you are looking for:

  • A Catholic-affiliated camp rather than a secular one.
  • A program that accepts a wide age range, from early elementary through high school.
  • A camp within the Diocese of Madison network, in or near Reedsburg, Wisconsin.
  • A mix of structured outdoor activity and faith-based community.

If you need a non-religious camp, a day-camp-only option, or a program outside Wisconsin, this camp's stated identity and location would not match.

Practical Notes

The homepage does not list session dates, pricing, registration deadlines, or payment options. Those details would need to come from the camp directly or from pages not included here. The site does indicate ten summer sessions, so families comparing schedules should confirm specific weeks before planning around them.