Discover the Magic of Swift Nature Camp

A Natural Playground in Northwestern Wisconsin

Nestled in the heart of beautiful Northwestern Wisconsin, SNC is a true sanctuary for children who love the outdoors. Our 80-acre campus of lush pine, oak, and birch borders an incredible 1,500 acres of protected county forest—offering endless room for your child to explore and discover. With a private sandy beach and nearly a half-mile of shoreline on the Minong Flowage, our campers enjoy the perfect setting for water skiing, canoeing, fishing, and sailing. At SNC, nature isn't just a backdrop; it's the foundation of everything we do.

An Intentional, Child-Centered Community

We believe that a small summer camp environment is the best place for your child’s ideas and creativity to flourish. In our supportive, non-competitive community, your child is celebrated for exactly who they are. Through guided challenges and the mentorship of positive staff role models, we help campers develop essential 21st-century life skills—including teamwork, leadership, compassion, and effective communication.

Building Independence and Resilience

While you spend the school year guiding your child’s choices, summer camp offers a rare, safe opportunity for them to practice self-reliance. By stepping into a new environment, children learn to act on their own and try new things. Our dedicated counselors act as "near-peer" mentors, modeling perseverance and an appreciation for differences. This unique bond helps set new standards for behavior and personal growth that stay with your child long after they leave the woods.

Nurturing Grit for a Modern World

At Swift Nature Camp, we are on a mission to enhance every child’s sense of self-worth and appreciation for nature. By encouraging campers to take healthy risks and expand their boundaries, we help them build the "grit" and resilience needed to navigate today’s fast-paced, media-centered world. Your child will return home with greater confidence, a deeper understanding of the environment, and the realization that they can have a profound, positive effect on the world around them.

Our Vision: A Partnership with Your Family

With over 30+ years of experience at Swift Nature Camp, we’ve been lucky enough to help thousands of children create the kind of memories that last a lifetime. Our mission is simple: to create a safe, supportive, and beautiful space where kids find a healthy balance of creative fun and a genuine appreciation for the world around them.

At SNC, we focus on timeless values. In a world full of academic pressure, celebrity culture, and constant screens, we offer a technology-free retreat where kids can just be kids. Our activities aren’t just about the "win"—they are about life skills. For example, during archery, we don’t just teach how to hit the bullseye; we talk about the patience and focus needed to get there. Our goal is to encourage campers to try their best, rather than feel the pressure to be the best. We believe that trying new things and supporting friends through challenges creates the perfect blueprint for healthy relationships.

Meet Your Directors: Jeff & Lonnie

We aren't just directors; we are parents who understand the journey of helping a child grow emotionally, spiritually, and physically. We view our role as a partnership with you, and we take the time to truly get to know every family that joins our community.

• Jeff spent eight life-changing summers at Camp Minocqua before completing his ACA Director course in 1994. With a background as a Red Cross Instructor and years spent on the board of the Midwest Association of Independent Camps, Jeff’s life has been dedicated to the outdoors. He loves nothing more than sharing that enthusiasm with a new generation of campers.

• Lonnie brings a heart for education to SNC. Back in her homeland of Poland, she spent ten years as a grade school teacher and was a devoted leader in the Girl Scouts. Now a U.S. citizen, Lonnie is the soul of our camp programming. Whether she’s dreaming up an innovative new activity or playing her guitar and leading a campfire sing-along, her patience and love for children are at the center of everything she does.

More Than Just a Summer Camp

While we are deeply committed to environmental consciousness, we are just as passionate about the social opportunities that empower children to strengthen their character. We tell every camper: "Strive to be your best self while you enjoy and learn from the nature all around you!" We want to help your child build the independence and kindness that will serve them long after the summer ends. We are so confident your child will thrive here that we even offer a Camp Guarantee.

We’d love to chat about what your child is looking for this summer. Give us a call and let’s talk camp!

In 1964, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, as part of the Youth Conservation Corp, officially dedicated the Ernie Swift Youth Camp in Minong, Wisconsin, and continues to own and manage the property. Today, with over 30 years of hands-on experience as Camp Directors, Owners Jeff & Lonnie Lorenz say “We have enjoyed helping thousands of children create memories of a lifetime with their new camp family here at Swift Nature Camp." Our emphasis is to continue the work of Ernie Swift by making environmental learning fun and exciting for every camper. At SNC we blend recreational activities including: Canoe & Backpack Trips, Horseback Riding, Swimming, Arts & Crafts, Team Course, Archery, Sailing, Skiing, Tubing and Sports. Our Nature program incorporates a Nature Center, Pet Zoo and DNR sponsored programs. Our goal is to have every child leave camp with an enhanced feeling to preserve and protect nature. Swift Nature Camp was the site of a full length movie. The filming took nearly a month at camp with over 200 hours of recording. Then it was over a year of editing before it was in the theater. How exciting to go to a movie theater with your friends and see yourself at camp. Today, the movie has limited distribution and can be found at times on the internet. Click the poster to learn more.