ABOUT CLN
Camp Little Notch is a non-profit summer camp for girls owned and operated by Friends of Camp Little Notch. Our beautiful property is situated on 443 acres of pristine Adirondack wilderness that includes a breathtaking 80-acre private lake.
Outside of summer there are opportunities for all to enjoy everything camp has to offer from CLN-sponsored retreats and family programs, to private rentals for individuals, families, weddings and businesses.
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OUR MISSION
Camp Little Notch provides wilderness experiences to children and adults, shaped by fun and friendship, empowering self-discovery, collaboration within a diverse community, and an appreciation of nature.
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OUR VISION
A future where people transformed by Camp Little Notch experiences become confident, thoughtful, compassionate, independent thinkers who are accepting of others, and are steadfast stewards of nature.
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OUR VALUES
Harmony with Nature - Environmental Stewardship
Harmony with Each Other - Community Building, Social Consciousness, and Inclusivity
Harmony with Self - Growth and Wellness
Friends of CLN Story
From 1939 to 2008, the Girl Scout council servicing the greater Albany, NY area owned and operated Camp Little Notch. During these years, CLN became a beloved place to countless girls and young women who experienced it as a special place to grow, make memories and have adventures. In 2008, the camp was closed by the Girl Scouts with intent to sell the property.
After learning of the impending sale, Friends of Camp Little Notch was formed by an energetic group of former campers and staff in 2010. This group successfully conserved the property through a relationship with the Open Space Institute and the property was reopened for summer camp and rentals in 2012. By January 2015, Friends of Camp Little Notch raised enough money to purchase the property from Open Space Institute and now fully owns the Camp Little Notch property, ensuring that countless more people can experience all it has to offer.
CLN Girl Scout Camp History (1939-2008)
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July 1, 1939
Camp opened with:
5 staff, 37 campers
Tents, kitchen tarp, 2 rowboats
Camp centered in the waterfront area
Director: Miss Eleanor Ault
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1940:
40 campers, 10 staff.
Rafters (the original dining hall) was built.
1941:
The property was officially named Camp Little Notch for the notch that can be seen in of the mountains over the lake.
1944:
8 weeks of summer camp was offered.
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1952:
A telephone installed at the entrance gate.
1959:
Electricity installed at camp.
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1964:
Lachenwald (the new dining hall) was built.
A new health center (a gift from State Bank of Albany) was built.
1965:
Pine Point unit was destroyed by a fire and rebuilt in 1966. The fire is part of why Pine Point is mostly a wide open, grassy area today.
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1980:
Brookhaven (staff house) was built – a year-round facility dedicated to the memory of Jeannette Rafter, former Executive Director.
1984:
Tall Timbers Unit House was destroyed by heavy snow, but luckily rebuilt in time for summer camp.
1987:
Upper “2-lane” section of the camp entrance road was built.
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1994:
Camp drinking water was taken from Lakes Pond up until this point. Two wells were dug this year to provide a new drinking water source.
1995:
Imagination Station was built to replace the old dining hall (Rafters) that stood in its place, now the arts & crafts building.
1996:
Pooh Bridge and the Floating Bridge were replaced.
1998:
A new unit house was built at Sleepy Hollow and ramps were added to the dining hall, health center, and Pine Point Unit House to improve accessibility.
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2000:
New boathouse was built after the prior one was destroyed by a fallen tree.
2008:
Girl Scouts make the decision to divest Camp Little Notch.
2009:
Girl Scouts list the property for sale.