What Trout Lake Camps does

Trout Lake Camps is a nonprofit Christian camp ministry operating since 1945 across 325 acres in Pine River, Minnesota, owned by Converge North Central — a fellowship of over 250 covenant churches. It serves children in grades 1-12 through three age-specific summer camp communities — Wild Woods (grades 1-3) with an immersive storybook theme, The Point (grades 4-6) on a 4,300-foot Big Trout Lake peninsula, and Timber Ridge (grades 6-8) with high-adventure activities — plus a Senior High week for grades 9-12. Capacity is approximately 598 campers per week across the three camps and 1,000+ campers per summer, with multiple weeks operating at or near capacity with waitlists at peak demand.

The organization runs a year-round retreat business (family, men's, women's, youth, staff, district, and CNC events), rents its facilities to external church groups and organizations, and operates ancillary revenue streams including a camp store, canteen, soda fountain, trail rides, horsemanship classes, and care packages. The underlying technology stack is built on a standard set of SaaS platforms — UltraCamp for registration and waitlist management, Raiser's Edge and Financial Edge for nonprofit donor and accounting operations at the parent level, Asana for internal coordination, Buddy Punch for time tracking, PreSearch for background checks, and MinistrySafe for child safety training and certification. Matterport 3D virtual tours support prospective-family sales.

The business model combines camper registration fees (tiered unit pricing from $275 to $915 per week depending on camp level and session length, with optional add-ons), donations (Project 365, Project Next, Project Scholarships monthly giving covering approximately 15% of expenses), facility rentals, and ancillary store/activity revenue. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via online and phone registration, augmented by church partnerships through the Converge North Central network and word-of-mouth referrals from returning families. Volunteers are a structurally important input: approximately 350 student Disciple Team volunteers serve annually alongside a year-round staff of around 40 and a large seasonal summer workforce.

Name

Trout Lake Camps

Legal name

Trout Lake Camps

Website

https://troutlakecamps.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Trout Lake Camps is a nonprofit Christian camp ministry operating since 1945 across 325 acres in Pine River, Minnesota. It serves children grades 1-12 through three age-specific summer camp communities, year-round retreats for families and churches, and facility rentals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Christian Summer Camps and Retreats

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps) (MPAKAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Group Camping & Scout Camps (THAGAOAI)

Keywords

• Christian summer camps
• Youth retreat ministry
• Faith-based camping
• Facility rental retreats
• Church group retreats

Headquarters

HQ city

Pine River

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Camper Registration Fees: Week-long summer camp programs with tiered pricing based on camp level, week, and duration. Fees cover lodging, meals, activities, trained staff, and camp resources.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Financial contributions from supporters including Project 365 monthly giving, Project Next for building projects, and Project Scholarships for camper financial assistance. Approximately 15% of overall expenses covered by donations.
3. Facility Rentals: Church groups, organizations, and families can rent camp facilities (The Point, Timber Ridge) for their own retreats and events with optional staffing, activities, and food services.
4. Camp Store and Canteen: On-site retail including merchandise (t-shirts, sweatshirts), snacks, ice cream, and specialty items. Trail rides, horsemanship classes, and care packages provide additional ancillary revenue.
5. Care Packages: Pre-ordered mid-week surprise packages delivered to campers including items like drawstring backpacks, treats, water bottles, and snack bundles.
6. Volunteer Program Services: Volunteers provide essential staffing support across all camp operations including cabin leadership, kitchen, maintenance, and program areas at no cost, significantly reducing operational labor costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Trout Lake Camps operates week-long, age-segregated Christian summer camp programs for children in grades 1 through 12, alongside year-round programmed retreats for families, youth groups, men, women, and church staff. It also rents its facilities (The Point and Timber Ridge) to churches and Christian organizations for their own retreats, and runs recruitment and ministry training programs including Disciple Team volunteering and the Apostleship internship.

Product overview

Trout Lake Camps operates as a Christian summer camp and year-round retreat ministry offering three age-specific summer camp programs (Wild Woods for grades 1-3, The Point for grades 4-6, Timber Ridge for grades 6-8, plus Senior High for grades 9-12), multiple retreat programs for families, youth, men, women, and church groups, and facility rentals for external groups. The organization also runs youth volunteer programs (Disciple Team), full-time and seasonal staff employment, an Apostleship Program internship, and a monthly giving initiative (Project 365/Next/Scholarships) for fundraising. Summer camp registration and waitlist management is handled through the UltraCamp platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wild Woods Summer Camp Week-long overnight summer camp for children in 1st-3rd grade featuring an immersive storybook world with themed cabin accommodations, Bible character activities, and age-appropriate outdoor experiences.
• The Point Summer Camp Week-long overnight summer camp for children in 4th-6th grade located on a peninsula with skills classes, free time activities, swimming, boating, and horsemanship.
• Timber Ridge Summer Camp Week-long overnight summer camp for children in 6th-8th grade featuring high-energy adventure activities including zip line, mountain bikes, high ropes, and laser tag.
• Senior High Camp Week-long overnight summer camp for students in 9th-12th grade housed at Timber Ridge, featuring intense activities, large games, deep chapel sessions, and worship experiences.
• Family Retreats Programmed retreat weekends designed for families to grow closer to God and each other across multiple seasonal events and themed weekends.
• Women's Fall Refreshment Retreat Programmed retreat weekend specifically designed for women seeking spiritual renewal and fellowship.
• Men's Retreat Programmed retreat weekend specifically designed for men seeking spiritual growth and fellowship.
• Fall Youth Retreats Programmed retreats for youth groups during the fall season featuring all camp activities and spiritual programming.
• Winter Youth Retreats Programmed retreats for youth groups during winter featuring winter-specific activities.
• Staff Retreats Retreats designed for church staff and ministry teams to reconnect and grow spiritually.
• District Blitz Special retreat event for church districts and groups held at Trout Lake Camps.
• The Point Facility Rental Facility rental option at The Point camp for churches and organizations, featuring cabins, dining hall, chapel, and activities with 4,300 feet of shoreline on Big Trout Lake.
• Timber Ridge Facility Rental Facility rental option at Timber Ridge featuring modern log cabins, Stoneridge dining hall with largest fireplace in Minnesota, The Barn, and chapel.
• Disciple Team Youth Volunteer Program Youth volunteer program for 7th-12th graders serving alongside summer staff, developing faith and leadership through service, mentorship, and ministry with flexible scheduling for 1-12 weeks.
• Apostleship Program Internship 12-15 month salaried ministry internship including weekly leadership and Bible training plus a 12-day trip to Israel.

Quantifiable outcome

• Typically less than 5 instances per summer where campers need to be sent home due to severe homesickness
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Converge North Central (CNC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCNC is the owning organization of Trout Lake Camps - a fellowship of over 250 churches that covenant together to reach people for Christ. CNC provides denominational oversight, theological alignment (Affirmation of Faith), and strategic direction. Four objectives: plant/revitalize churches, serve churches, provide excellence in camping/retreats, and support pastors.
• MinistrySafecoreTechnology or IntegrationChild sexual abuse awareness training provider. Trout requires all staff (full-time, summer, volunteers 18+) to complete MinistrySafe training or equivalent. Certification valid for three years and meets church standards for child protection training.
• PreSearch Background Services, Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationBackground check services provider for all year-round staff, summer staff, and volunteers 18 and older. Critical component of child safety screening process.
• International Summer Staff Exchange ProgramsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExchange programs (IENACamp Leaders, Camp Leaders, and others) facilitate international staff recruitment for summer positions. Programs handle visa sponsorship and placement coordination for international applicants.
• Christian Camps and Conference Association (CCCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association for Christian camps. Active membership provides industry standards, networking, and credibility. Trout references this membership as part of their accreditation and industry standing.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pine Cove Camps: Multi-location Christian summer camp operator with age-segmented programs and year-round retreat facilities. Broader scale but directly comparable in faith-based youth programming model and church network distribution.
• Camp Lebanon: Minnesota-based Christian camp and retreat center offering summer youth programs and group rentals. Direct regional peer with similar faith-based programming, age-specific camps, and church retreat offerings.
• Kanakuk Kamps: Multi-location Christian youth summer camp operator with age-specific programming (K-1, K-2, etc.). Directly comparable in faith-based summer camp model targeting children grades 1-12 with similar pricing tiers.
• Covenant Point Bible Camp: Converge-affiliated (same denominational family as Trout Lake's parent CNC) Christian camp in Michigan offering similar summer youth camp programming and year-round retreats with shared theological alignment and referral ecosystem.
• Word of Life Camps: Large Christian camp and retreat organization with summer youth programs, group rentals, and conference center operations. Comparable in mission-driven nonprofit structure, age-segmented programming, and church partnership distribution.
• Camp Forest Springs: Upper Midwest Christian youth camp operating summer camps and retreats on a similar scale. Comparable in faith-based programming, age-segmented offerings, and reliance on church partnerships in Wisconsin/Minnesota region.
• Hume Lake Christian Camps: Established multi-site Christian camp operator with summer youth programs and year-round retreat/conference center business. Comparable in faith-integrated programming, age-segmented offerings, and rental of camp facilities to churches.
• Eagle Lake Camp: Christian youth camp with summer programs and year-round retreat/conference operations. Comparable in faith-based programming, group rental offerings, and reliance on church network referrals.

Regional players

• Crescent Lake Bible Camp: Upper Midwest Christian camp and retreat center with summer youth programs and church group rentals. Operates in the same geographic footprint (Minnesota/South Dakota region) but does not directly compete in Trout Lake's immediate territory.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA Camp Various (e.g., Camp St. Croix): Established multi-location youth camp operator with summer programming, family retreats, and group rentals. Broader portfolio including non-faith-based programming but overlapping on age-segmented summer camp experience and retreat facilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TroutLakeCampsVids
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Trout-Lake-Camps/33106142263
• Instagraminstagram.com/troutlakecamps
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/trout-lake-camps

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Trout Lake Camps