2022 Berkeley Family Camp reviews?
We're longtime family campers at Echo Lake, but haven't been since 2019. How was family camp this year, either at Echo or at BTC? Does BTC feel too bare? Did Echo Lake feel like the stepchild family camp? Was programming the same as normal times? Hoping to gather some intel before making plans for 2023. Thanks!
Aug 9, 2022
Parent Replies
I've never been to Echo Lake but my family attended Berkeley Tuolumne Camp in early August - we are long-time BTC campers. We were worried about the denuded landscape but ended up having a blast.
1. The camp looks visually very different. Approaching the camp, you can see everything from one end to the other because of the loss of big trees. There are still trees along the ridges, and some trees along the river survived too. But entering camp, you can see all the cabins laid out in rows along the hills. Before, you entered a leafy valley and didn't see the structures until you were right up on them. Now you see everything. It's hard to get bearings. But the river and beach are the same, and the dining hall, rec hall, and amphitheater are where they used to be, only much more beautiful now. The camp is visually appealing, just visually different.
2. Only a handful of cabins are shaded by mature trees now -- most are in the open sun. Young trees are planted everywhere but for the time being, no shade. The week we were there it was in the mid-90's - very hot. All the cabins have canopies over their decks now, and people brought tarps and fabric to add shade. We spent a lot of time in the river or on the lovely shaded veranda of the d-hall, which also now sports a mister all along the front! There are water bottle filling stations everywhere.
3. The new buildings are gorgeous (cabins are still the same - wood platform with canvas roof.) The d-hall and rec hall have high ceilings with rafters and lots of windows and are customized for BTC activities. There are wrap-around verandas with rocking chairs overlooking the river, for your reading pleasure. Another camper told me the design is by an architect who's well-respected for parks and outdoor landscapes. There is soft lighting on the bridge and along main paths, which are now accessible for strollers and wheelchairs. The bathrooms are fantastic. The one near our cabin had FIVE shower stalls all in a row - all open to the sky and lined with river rocks like before, only twice as roomy! There was always a shower available whenever I got the urge, no waiting in line. The original Sun City bathroom survived the fire so you can better appreciate the new ones!
4. All traditions, arts and crafts, etc are all intact. The food was good - plenty of veggie and vegan options. The check-in and cabin selection process is much more organized than in the old days - you select one of the 4 areas in the camp ahead of time and then choose a cabin in your area when you arrive. However communication with the city camp office was terrible to non-existent, so be prepared. We chose a less popular time to go, but camp was near capacity and spirits were high, I suspect demand will be high next year. We are already planning to go next year!
5. The one big wrench in the works is the smoke and fire situation. The week before we were to leave, the Oak Fire in Yosemite was raging uncontained and the air quality near Groveland was in the hazardous zone at times. We watched purpleair.com all week and by our departure date the fire had been mostly contained and the air was back in the green range. But we were prepared to bail and go somewhere else if the air had been bad. I think this is just a reality going forward for a lot of places in the Sierras and near Yosemite.