Camp Manitowa, located in beautiful Southern Illinois just 90 minutes from St. Louis, is your child’s happy place.It’s the place they dream about every night and talk about every day. Our campers embrace new experiences with new friends and discover a new sense of independence and self-confidence. Every adventure stays with them forever. When campers leave Camp Manitowa, they immediately start counting down the days until they return. Camp is where kids can be creative, brave, bold, and find joy.
Kids can jump in our lake, fly off the zip line, tie-dye a shirt, play Ga-Ga, hang out with their friends, get advice from their counselor, and sing and dance at the campfire—all in one day! As they grow older, their dreams of camp and the friendships they’ve made always stay with them. At Camp Manitowa, kids learn to be leaders and best friends. It’s the place where you become you.
Camp Manitowa serves kids entering 2nd–10th grade. We offer a small community of 75–125 campers so each child feels like they’re part of the Manitowa family. Campers choose their core activities throughout the day, giving them control over their experience and the opportunity to improve their skills.
Our staff and counselors embrace their roles as mentors, role models, and fun-loving leaders. They’re trained in all the skills needed to run our activities and are cool, caring young people who love working at camp.
Our Program
For more than 100 years, summer camps have given kids a place to grow, explore, and discover who they are—all while having FUN. Over time, the camp experience has continued to evolve. For more than 35 years, the Brown family and the Grabel/Reyes Mason family have worked to carry that tradition forward.
We’ve seen time and again how powerful it is when groups of campers spend two or three weeks fully immersed in camp life. A true “session” has its own rhythm—a beginning, middle, and end—purposefully designed to build community, spark friendships, and create unforgettable memories that happen when the group is together for the long haul. We wholeheartedly believe the most meaningful camp experiences come from the ebb and flow of a full session.
At the same time, we know today’s families juggle busy summers, packed calendars, and real financial considerations. An overnight camp experience provides time off screens, a variety of awesome activities, and opportunities to quickly make strong friendships. That’s why we’ve always believed in the importance of offering a one-week option. We want camp to be accessible and work for all families!
Starting in 2026, there will be two ways to experience Camp Manitowa:
1. Camp by the Session – In the first half of the summer, traditionally known as “first session”, campers can join us for a traditional 2 or 3-week session, diving fully into the pace of camp. We’ll offer all our awesome programs and activities, as well as unique programming, including Spirit Cup color wars, off camp trips to local state parks, the Benton farmers market, and the Custard Stand!
2. Camp by the Week – In the second half of the summer, families can choose from several 1-week options. Campers are welcome to sign up for multiple weeks if that’s the best fit—each week is affordable, full of all our classic camp activities including tubing off our pontoon boat, ropes course and zip line, swimming pool, and new faces to meet!
We’re excited to continue offering flexibility while building on what makes Manitowa so special. However your family chooses to join us, we can’t wait to welcome your camper into the Manitowa family next summer.. REGISTER HERE
Our Activities
From high adventure to more relaxed options, we offer a wide variety of safe and fun activities that appeal to the interests of all our campers.
On the Land
Gaga · Basketball · Soccer · Volleyball · Capture the Flag · Football · Outdoor Living Skills · Fire Building & S’more Making · Roof Ball · Unique Arts & Crafts + Tie-Dye · Frisbee Golf · Driving Range · Archery · Drum Making · Music · Drama
In the Air
50’ Rock Wall · High Ropes Course · 400’ Zip Line · Jump Shots & Home Runs
In the Water
Swimming Pool · Canoeing, Kayaking, Paddleboarding & Aqua Jump on our 40-acre lake · Pontoon Boating, Jet Skiing, Tubing & Beach Trips at 20,000-acre Rend Lake
Special Trips & Programs in Southern Illinois
Our intimate 40-acre property has so much to offer—and we also take advantage of the incredible adventure opportunities surrounding us, shuttling campers in our two tie-dyed hippie buses.
Rend Lake – A spectacular 70,000-acre recreation complex with a 20,000-acre lake. We provide daily shuttles where campers can enjoy the beach, visitors center, boating, hiking, frisbee golf, biking, driving golf balls, and more!
Farmers Market – Each week we take campers to the local Benton Farmers Market, where they can buy fruit, artisan bread, pastries, and souvenirs.
Custard Stand – Cabin groups enjoy delicious outings to the Custard Stand in Sesser, IL, home of the world-famous Dream Cone!
Beautiful Southern Illinois – Campers explore nearby state parks for hiking and canoeing adventures.
Smoky Mountain 9th Grade Adventure Trip – Scroll down for details!
Smoky Mountain Adventure Trip - June 29-July 5
For the past 13 years, Camp Manitowa has offered an amazing Tennessee Smoky Mountain trip for campers entering 9th grade. This unforgettable 1-week adventure challenges campers in ways unlike anything else we do at camp. It provides a unique opportunity for them to build meaningful bonds, develop lifelong friendships through shared experiences, and gain a deeper appreciation for the great outdoors.
Click here to Register for the TN Smoky MTN Trip & CO Rocky Mtn
Our Program
We partner with locally-based professional outfitters, and experts who work alongside our Camp Manitowa trained trip staff who all provide a safe, high-quality, and unforgettable adventure.
We partner with locally based professional outfitters and experts who work alongside our Camp Manitowa-trained trip staff to provide a safe, high-quality, and unforgettable adventure.
Campers meet at Camp Manitowa on Sunday, tie-dye special Smoky Mountain t-shirts, pack up gear and food, and hit the road early Monday morning. The first stop is at Ijams Nature Center in Knoxville for kayaking, followed by awesome zip lining at Navitat zip line park. he next few days include incredible hikes in the Smokies, cliff jumping, camping out, cooking meals together, and wrapping up with an epic whitewater rafting trip with the Ocoee Adventure Center
Join us on this great trip and create memories that will last a lifetime!
Food
Food is a big part of the camp experience—you eat every day! We offer a balanced menu with a variety of foods that kids enjoy. Camp Manitowa is a nut-free facility, and because of our small size, we can accommodate almost every food allergy or special dietary need.
We partner with the local Benton Farmers Market to source fresh produce, and each summer we hire a professional chef who can meet individual dietary needs or food allergies. We try to avoid frying foods in our kitchen, opting to bake items that are typically fried.
At camp, we focus on mindful eating—taking enough food to fill your belly without creating waste. We teach campers the importance of food and how it keeps us healthy. At Camp Manitowa, no one goes hungry!
Medical
Our Health Center is staffed by a licensed registered nurse with experience in both school and camp nursing. One of our RNs dispenses all medications as prescribed by your family doctor and provides care whenever a camper is ill or sustains an injury.
Parents are always notified if a child stays overnight in the Health Center, needs to see a specialist, or requires prescription medication. In the unlikely event of a serious illness or injury, Camp Manitowa is just 5 minutes from Franklin Hospital in Benton. Parents are always welcome to contact our nurse before camp begins and throughout their child’s stay.