Camp Shohola for Boys is a sleepaway camp in Greeley, Pennsylvania, on 75-acre Lake Greeley in the Pocono Mountains. Since 1943, the Barger family has run Shohola as a summer home for boys ages 7 to 16. Each summer, about 120 to 150 campers choose their own activities from more than 40 options and live 8 to 10 to a cabin with two or three counselors. They spend their days unplugged from technology and outdoors.

Camp Shohola at a Glance

Location 105 Weber Road, Greeley, PA 18425 (Pocono Mountains)
Ages Boys 7–16
Sessions 7-week season, plus 5-, 4-, 3- and 2-week options
Camp size 120–150 campers and about 80 staff
Cabins 8–10 campers with 2–3 counselors
Accreditation American Camp Association; inspected and licensed annually by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Getting here Optional bus from Philadelphia; airport pickup available

A Pocono Mountains Camp for Pennsylvania Families

Camp Shohola sits in northeastern Pennsylvania, about 120 miles from Philadelphia. Families who prefer not to drive can use our optional bus service from Philadelphia. Airport pickup is also available for an additional fee. See full directions to camp.

Pennsylvania is also part of the program itself. Shohola campers go rafting on the Lehigh and Youghiogheny rivers and take canoeing and kayaking trips on the Lackawaxen and Delaware. They hike and camp on the Appalachian Trail and in state parks, and they take climbing trips in northeastern Pennsylvania.

What Your Son Will Do at Camp

At many camps, boys go to activities as a cabin group. At Shohola, each camper builds his own schedule. He picks ten instructional activities for his session from more than 40 choices, and each activity meets three times a week. Swimming is required for everyone. Everything else is up to him.

  • Land Sports: Tennis, baseball, basketball, soccer, street hockey, golf, volleyball, archery and riflery. Shohola competes in the Pike County Camp Athletic Association, and any boy who signs up for an activity can also sign up for its team.
  • Watersports: Swimming instruction for every camper. Waterskiing, wakeboarding and tubing take place at our property on Lake Wallenpaupack, 20 miles from camp. A waterski and wakeboard specialization is available for an extra fee. It runs all day, three days a week, for two weeks.
  • Outdoor Adventure: An extensive ropes/initiative course, plus out-of-camp trips for whitewater rafting, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, rock climbing and camping.
  • Equestrian: Instruction in English horseback riding.
  • CommTech: Electronics, computer programming, telecommunications, photography, radio, sports broadcasting, acting and video production. Shohola runs a licensed amateur radio station, WB3DGR, and operates one of the first camp radio broadcasting stations in the country.
  • Arts: A complete arts department.
  • Evening and Special Programs: Evening activities and special events round out the program.

Want to see how it fits together? Read about a typical day at camp or browse the camp photo gallery.

Safety, Staff and Daily Life

Shohola is big enough to offer a full program and small enough to get to know your son personally.

  • Experienced leadership: Director Duncan Barger has led Shohola since 2002. His grandfather bought the camp in 1943, and a Barger has run it ever since. Meet the directors.
  • Accredited and inspected: Shohola is an accredited member of the American Camp Association. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania also inspects and licenses the camp every year for drinking water, swimming facilities and food service.
  • Trained staff: Many staff are teachers or college students who were once Shohola campers. All waterfront staff and trip leaders are Red Cross certified, and all staff are trained in Red Cross first aid and CPR.
  • On-site health care: Two full-time medical staff run a six-bed infirmary, and every camper gets a weekly health check. Infirmary care is included in tuition.
  • Food allergies: Our chef works with families of campers with food allergies to build a plan. Camp can go fully peanut-free when a camper needs it.
  • Meals and laundry: Meals are served family style. There is a breakfast bar every morning and a salad bar at every lunch and dinner. Each cabin’s laundry is washed weekly on site, and the cost is included in tuition.

Pennsylvania Communities We Serve

Camp Shohola welcomes boys from across Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Bethlehem, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Stroudsburg and Erie. Most of our campers come from the mid-Atlantic states. We also serve families in New York and New Jersey, along with campers from across the U.S. and around the world.

FAQs About Our Pennsylvania Sleepaway Camp

Camp Shohola is at 105 Weber Road in Greeley, Pennsylvania, on Lake Greeley in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern PA.

Camp is about 120 miles from Philadelphia. We offer an optional bus from Philadelphia to camp for an additional fee.

Shohola is for boys ages 7 to 16. Sixteen-year-olds join as Junior Counselors in Training and must have attended at least one previous summer.

Families can choose the 7-week full season or a 5-, 4-, 3- or 2-week session. The two 2-week sessions run back-to-back in the first month of the season.

Yes. Shohola is accredited by the American Camp Association and is inspected and licensed every year by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Yes. Each camper chooses ten instructional activities from more than 40 options, and each one meets three times a week. Swimming is the only required activity.

Yes. We welcome visits from parents and prospective campers. Contact us to arrange a time, and ask the director for names of current families you can talk to.