Founded in 1919, Camp Manito-wish YMCA has grown from a wilderness summer camp into one of the most respected youth and leadership programs in the world. Our goal is for everyone associated with us to have a “Manito-wish Experience.”

What is a Manito-wish Experience?
A Manito-wish Experience is an opportunity for growth. Our mission is for participants to grow in four aspects of their lives: wisdom, stature, favor with God and favor with one another.

How that happens at Manito-wish is what makes the Manito-wish experience so unique and special. The culture, people, and place are the keys. At Manito-wish, we live, work, and play together which creates a strong sense of community. The staff and campers are role models of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility. Lifelong friendships are formed from the shared experience. There is a close connection with nature and the wilderness that surrounds our location. Even the cabins were built to facilitate the community growth.

As a result, the Manito-wish culture and setting are safe, fun and enriching physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. And the experiences are progressive, fun, and life-enriching.

Manito-wish Mission
At Camp Manito-wish YMCA, our mission is to provide fun, life-enriching experiences for our campers. We will work to see that all those who are associated with us have a “Manito-wish Experience” where each participant grows in wisdom, in stature, in favor with God and in favor with one another. (Luke 2:52).

Location
Camp Manito-wish YMCA is a scenic five-hour drive from Milwaukee. Located in Wisconsin’s Northwoods near the town of Boulder Junction, Manito-wish has approximately 300 acres of land and 2.5 miles of shoreline along the south bay of Boulder Lake. In addition to the main campsite, Manito-wish owns several satellite properties in Wisconsin and Michigan for use as canoe campsites.