Gretna Glen Camp & Retreat Center

What Gretna Glen Camp & Retreat Center does

Gretna Glen Camp & Retreat Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit outdoor camp and retreat center owned by the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of The United Methodist Church, situated on 200 acres of Pennsylvania woodland in Lebanon County, near Mt. Gretna. Founded in 1892 as the Mt. Gretna Campmeeting under the United Brethren Church and established at its permanent site in 1959, the organization has operated continuously for more than 130 years. It is one of four camps within the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference alongside Pocono Plateau, Innabah, and Carson Simpson Farm. Gretna Glen serves families, churches, schools, corporate groups, and senior adults through a portfolio of programs including summer day and overnight camps for ages 4-18, year-round retreat facility rentals (Raab Retreat Lodge, Chalet, Wesley Lodge, Mainsite Cabins, Carrie Lodge Suites, and meeting spaces), outdoor education aligned with Pennsylvania Education Standards, accredited challenge courses including a climbing tower and high ropes, and seasonal community events such as the Gretna Gritty mud run.

The business operates on a multi-stream revenue model combining camper fees ($250-$800 per camper on a voluntary three-tier pricing model), retreat rental income (200+ retreat groups served annually on a custom-quote basis), outdoor education field trip pricing starting at $15 per person, challenge course fees from $75 per group, donations and planned giving, and fundraiser event revenue (Gretna Gritty 2025 target $25,000). Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the CampBrain online registration portal for camp programs, an inquiry-and-quote model for retreats handled by the Office Manager, direct sales to school administrators, and RunSignUp for the mud run. Marketing is conducted primarily through the website, email newsletter, Facebook, and Instagram, supplemented by church partnership materials (Camp Sunday), community events, and a refer-a-friend program. Operations are run by a year-round staff of 6 supplemented by approximately 40 seasonal summer staff and 100+ volunteers.

Gretna Glen holds American Camp Association accreditation covering 300+ health, safety, and program quality standards, is a member of the United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries Association, and maintains Ministry Safe / Safe Sanctuary compliance for child protection. The organization is currently expanding capacity with the May 2025 opening of Carrie Lodge / Wellness Center and a Meadow Restrooms capital campaign targeting a Spring 2027 completion.

Name

Gretna Glen Camp & Retreat Center

Legal name

Gretna Glen Camp & Retreat Center

Website

https://gretnaglen.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1892

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Gretna Glen is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit camp and retreat center on 200 acres near Mt. Gretna, Pennsylvania, owned by the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church, serving families, churches, schools, and corporate groups with summer camps, year-round retreats, outdoor education, and challenge course programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Camp and Retreat Center Services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (7212)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Recreation Campgrounds (Amenities/Activities Focus) (THAMAJAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cabin & Cottage Campgrounds (THAGAOAD), Mountain & Wilderness Lodges (THAAAHAE)

Keywords

• Summer camp programs
• Retreat facilities
• Outdoor education
• Challenge course
• Nonprofit camping

Headquarters

HQ city

Lebanon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Summer Camp Programs: Week-long overnight and day camp programs for ages 4-18. Pricing ranges from $250-$800 per camper depending on program type and tier selected. Deposit required at registration ($50 day camp, $100 overnight).
2. Retreat & Rental Facilities: Year-round facility rentals including Raab Retreat Lodge, Chalet, Wesley Lodge, Mainsite Cabins, Carrie Lodge Suites, and meeting spaces. Custom pricing based on group size, facilities used, and services required.
3. Outdoor Education Programs: Field trips and outdoor education programs for schools. Starting at $15 per person for 3-4 activity sessions. Add-on activities available at $50 per hour.
4. Challenge Course Activities: Accredited challenge course programming including Team-Building, Climbing Tower, and High Ropes. Trust Trail starting at $75 per group; Challenge courses starting at $10 per person.
5. Donations & Fundraising: 501(c)(3) nonprofit accepting charitable contributions. One-time and recurring gifts accepted online. Capital campaigns for facility improvements. Planned giving options through bequests and trusts.
6. Gretna Gritty Mud Run: Annual 5K mud run fundraiser with 20+ obstacles. Registration $60-$75 competitive, $35 for kids' Nitty Gritty run. 2025 fundraising goal of $25,000 for ministry support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Gretna Glen Camp & Retreat Center operates summer camp programs (overnight and day camps for ages 4-18 across themed adventure, arts, leadership, and aquatics tracks) and year-round retreat facilities (lodges, cabins, meeting spaces, dining) for church, school, corporate, and family groups. It also delivers ACA-accredited outdoor education field trips, challenge course programming (high ropes and climbing tower), and seasonal community events on 200 acres of Pennsylvania woodland.

Product overview

Gretna Glen Camp & Retreat Center offers a portfolio of camp and retreat experiences centered on faith, community, and outdoor adventure. The core offerings include Summer Camp Programs (overnight and day camps for ages 4-18 spanning 7 weeks), Retreats & Rentals (year-round facilities for groups with multiple lodging and meeting space options), Outdoor Education (curriculum-aligned nature programming for schools), Challenge Course (accredited high ropes and climbing programs), Field Trips (day and overnight school visits), seasonal Events (Gretna Gritty mud run, Fall Fun Day, Winter Blast), and the Leaders in Training program for teen leadership development. All programs are rooted in Christian hospitality while welcoming guests of all backgrounds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Camp Programs Overnight and day camp programs for ages 4-18 spanning late June through early August with themed camps including adventure/wilderness, animals & nature, arts & creative, leadership, water/aquatics, and variety activities. Pricing ranges $250-$800 per camper based on program type and tier selected. Deposits required ($50 day camp, $100 overnight).
• Retreats & Rentals Year-round retreat facilities for groups of 2-200+ including lodging options (Raab Retreat Lodge, Chalet, Wesley Lodge, Mainsite Cabins, Carrie Lodge Suites), meeting spaces (Funk Program Center, outdoor pavilions, chapels), and dining services for church retreats, youth groups, family gatherings, and school programs. Custom pricing based on group size and services required.
• Outdoor Education Hands-on nature programming for school groups including pond & aquatic studies, guided nature hikes, outdoor living skills, team-building adventures, animal studies, S.T.E.M. activities, and pioneer living experiences, aligned with Pennsylvania Education Standards. Starting at $15 per person for 3-4 activity sessions, with add-on activities available at $50 per hour. Groups up to 75 participants.
• Challenge Course Accredited challenge course programs including team-building & personal challenge course, 35-foot climbing tower with three climbing sides, and high ropes course with elements set 20-60 feet high. Programs operate with trained certified facilitators and full safety equipment. Trust Trail starting at $75 per group; Challenge Courses starting at $10 per person.
• Field Trips Day field trips and multi-day class retreats for school groups featuring archery, climbing, team building, nature hikes, waterfront activities, ZEEC Nature Lodge, and outdoor chapels, with customizable scheduling and curriculum-aligned programming. Starting at $15 per person for 3-4 activity sessions.
• Gretna Gritty Mud Run Annual 5K mud run fundraiser featuring 20+ obstacles across hilly Mt. Gretna terrain, kids' Nitty Gritty run (ages 5-11), post-race celebration with food and music. Registration $60-$75 competitive, $35 for kids' Nitty Gritty run, free for spectators. 2025 fundraising goal of $25,000 for ministry support and scholarships.
• Seasonal Events Year-round community events including Fall Fun Day (free family event, October), Autumn Leaves Senior Adult Day (October, $25/person with +$65 overnight option), Run the Glen: Glow Run, and Children's Overnight Winter Blast, providing seasonal programming for families, seniors, and youth.
• Leaders in Training (LIT) Leadership development program for ages 13-15 providing first-step summer staff experience with real leadership skills, mentoring by program directors, and service as role models for younger campers. Includes a mandatory training day.

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of The United Methodist ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGretna Glen is owned and operated by the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of The United Methodist Church. The conference also operates three other camps: Pocono Plateau Camp & Retreat Center, Innabah Camp & Retreat Center, and Carson Simpson Farm. This denominational affiliation shapes programming values and provides organizational support.
• United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries AssociationminorOthersGretna Glen is a member of UMCRM, an association of United Methodist camps and retreat centers that provides resources, standards, and networking for camp ministries.
• American Camp AssociationcoreOthersACA provides accreditation standards (300+) for health, safety, and program quality. Gretna Glen maintains ACA accreditation meeting these comprehensive standards for camps.
• Ministry SafeminorOthersChild safety training organization. Gretna Glen requires all staff and volunteers to complete Ministry Safe online training (approximately 2 hours, completed every other year) as part of Safe Sanctuary compliance.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Camp Pinecliffe: Private girls' summer camp in Maine operating structured overnight programming similar to Gretna Glen's. Comparable in core product (sleepaway camp) and ACA-accredited operations, with overlap in Mid-Atlantic feeder families.
• Camp Towanda: Long-established private overnight summer camp in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, serving a similar age range of campers with comparable activity programming. Closely comparable in product offering and regional market overlap.
• Innabah Camp & Retreat Center: Another UMC Eastern Pennsylvania Conference camp offering summer camp and retreat programming. Comparable in scale, faith-based model, and target customer base of families, churches, and schools.
• Carson Simpson Farm: Fourth camp in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of The United Methodist Church network, offering summer camp and retreat experiences. Directly comparable as a sibling conference-owned facility serving similar audiences.
• Camp Chen-A-Wanda: Pennsylvania-based co-ed residential summer camp offering similar activity programming including swimming, climbing, and team-building. Comparable in regional market, ACA accreditation, and target family demographic.
• Pocono Plateau Camp & Retreat Center: Fellow camp owned by the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of The United Methodist Church and operating summer camp and retreat programs in Pennsylvania. Directly comparable in mission, denominational ownership, and customer segments.
• Camp Tecumseh: YMCA-operated sleepaway camp in Indiana offering traditional summer camp activities comparable to Gretna Glen's programming. Comparable as a multi-season residential camp serving similar family segments.

Regional players

• Sky Lake Lodge & Resort: Faith-based retreat and conference center operating year-round group lodging and meeting space with similar retreat-booking model to Gretna Glen, but serving a different (Western U.S.) geographic market.

Others

• American Camp Association: Industry association and accreditation body that defines the 300+ standards Gretna Glen meets. Included as an ecosystem enabler and peer benchmark for compliance, training, and industry standards rather than a direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA of the Pines: YMCA camp in southern New Jersey offering summer camp and group retreat programming with similar activity mix. Comparable as a broader, more diversified incumbent offering overnight camp and retreat rentals in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/gretnaglenpa
• Instagraminstagram.com/gretna_glen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gretna-glen-camps

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 Gretna Glen Camp & Retreat Center