Gold Arrow Camp
Gold Arrow Camp
Currently recruiting for the season from June 2nd, 2026 to August 15th, 2026.
Since 1933 we have been one of the premier children's summer camps in California. We value a technology-free experience, where campers and staff can focus on making friends without the distractions of the modern world. We believe in getting outside and experiencing the awe of nature.
Located in the Sierra National Forest we live and work in the natural splendor of the High Sierra. Yosemite National Park lies to our north, while Kings Canyon and Sequoia is to our south. Our main camp is located on Huntington Lake, at 7000 feet. We also operate an island outpost on Shaver Lake.
- Location
- California
- Season
- Summer
- Staff size
- 150
- Housing
- Whether included in the compensation package or provided at a cost, housing is provided for staff.
- Housing details
- Most staff live in canvas sided tents with campers. Support staff live in 2 person canvas wall tents.
- Family housing available
- No
- Single occupancy housing available
- No
- Pet friendly
- No
- Meals
- Provided
- Cell phone service
- Some, ask for details
- Internet access
- Good
About Gold Arrow Camp
"I couldn’t imagine doing anything other than returning to GAC this summer.” - 2025 Staff Member
Since 1933, Gold Arrow Camp has provided three generations of campers with a supportive community where their lives are enriched through the friendships they form and the experiences they have at camp.
Campers and staff return to Gold Arrow Camp year after year because of the feeling of tradition, community, and belonging that they experience. For many campers, their time at camp is what they look forward to all year long. The fun and the friendships that are built at GAC provide life-long childhood memories for our campers.
Campers gain valuable life skills from their experiences at camp. The independence, perseverance, and confidence they build at camp benefit them in all areas of their lives. Through their participation in our structured program of over 20 different non-competitive water sports and traditional camp activities, campers are encouraged to try new things, build their skills, and take risks. The result is improved confidence and a “can do” attitude!
In our beautiful setting on Huntington Lake, in the heart of the Sierra National Forest, campers have a chance to enjoy a traditional outdoor camp, complete with rustic living and nightly campfires and getting “unplugged.” The break from cell phones, iPods, television, computers, and all electronics is one of the things that makes their time at camp so special. Campers have a chance to bond with others, build their social skills, and have fun just being a kid.
The Employee Experience
“Working at GAC is an amazing experience. I study at a university full of incredibly driven students competing for the best internships and entries for their resumes. Coming here, I realized that a resume full of internships isn’t everything. Getting away from it all and spending nine weeks here at camp with an awesome group of people is one of the best things I’ve done in years. You can’t go wrong with the people you meet here. After all, it takes a special kind of person to become a counselor at GAC.” - 2025 Counselor
The primary responsibility of Gold Arrow Camp counselors is the care and safety of all campers. We are looking for counselors who are positive role models, who enjoy working with kids and being outdoors, who genuinely want to invest in the lives of young people and commit to their growth, happiness, and friendship.
Counselors live in a rustic cabin or large tent with 8-10 campers and at least one other counselor in the cabin. There will be a lack of privacy some people aren’t used to, but you will have your own bed and area to store your personal items. In addition to a lack of personal privacy, this job is 24/7 and hard work. There are other summer jobs that will be less demanding and maybe even offer higher pay. You have to ask yourself why you want to be a camp counselor – if it is to have a fun, easy job this summer, you want to rethink what you consider easy and fun.
We do structured activities at Gold Arrow Camp, which means that campers go to activities in the morning and afternoon with their cabin groups. We’ve found that campers, when faced with a challenging activity, are more likely to push themselves if they’re around people they know and trust who are going to encourage them. In each activity, our main focus is always on the camper. While we do offer a wide range of fun, challenging activities, the primary goal of each activity is the growth and development of our campers. While waterskiing is a fun activity, it’s about the life lessons they’re learning – failure hurts, attitude is everything, growth and accomplishment take work.
“In a nutshell, get ready for the best summer of your life and get ready to go all-out, all day, every day! You will have the opportunity to positively impact kids’ lives while undoubtedly being positively impacted yourself.” - 2025 Counselor
Ideal Candidate
The ideal Gold Arrow Camp counselor is a selfless, positive role model who is deeply committed to the personal growth and safety of children. We look for leaders who can thrive in a rustic, "unplugged" outdoor environment and who possess the resilience to maintain a positive, "can-do" attitude through the challenges of a demanding summer season. Our successful candidates are authentic, inclusive, flexible, and excellent communicators who prioritize building a sense of belonging and community. Above all, we seek staff who are passionate about teaching independence and perseverance while maintaining the highest standards of professional conduct and child supervision.
Room and Board
Room and board are a part of your compensation. Counselors live in large tents on platforms with campers. Our cabins do not have electricity or plumbing. There are bathrooms with individual shower stalls, electricity and hot water near every cabin.
All of your meals will be provided on our covered dining porch, overlooking Big Creek. Meals always have a vegetarian option, and there are plenty of options for vegans as well.
In addition to the hot items in the buffet daily, at breakfast there is always a bagel station, cold cereal, oatmeal, yogurt options and granola (in addition to the necessary coffee station!) A well-stocked salad bar (with a rotating selection of fresh vegetables and non-animal proteins) is present for every lunch and dinner.
Employee Perks
Easy access to three top tier National Parks
Ample outdoor recreation near by
Sponsored staff night off events
Room and Board included
Summer completion bonus (if conditions met)
Certification bonuses, if applicable
Travel stipend, if applicable
Getting Here and Getting Around
We will arrange to get you to camp from Fresno (the airport, bus terminal, or train station) when you first arrive at camp. If you have a personal vehicle, we do provide a parking lot, and personal vehicles are popular, so that staff can easily get to Fresno or explore the epic surrounding wilderness and National Parks for days off.
We do have organized staff night off events for which we provide transportation.
For Fun
Our Camp is located on Huntington Lake, which is directly adjacent to three wilderness areas: Kaiser, Dinkey Lakes, and John Muir. We are also centrally located between Yosemite, Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Parks. There are plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreational activities on days off, including hiking, backpacking, swimming, boating, camping, climbing, birding, fishing, trail running, mountain biking & road cycling, and more! Additionally, the city of Fresno is about 1.5 hours away, and staff members can find plenty of great farm-to-table restaurants as well as major retailers and services.
Current Job Openings
Currently enrolled (or completed course work) as a nursing student or similar program.
Current CPR and first aid certifications.
Experience working with people, preferably including children.
Ability to originate, update, and/or monitor health care, maintain records, log care administered to campers and staff, and implement the Gold Arrow Camp Health Care Plan.
Neat and professional appearance.
Enthusiasm for the outdoors and the programs Gold Arrow Camp offers.
Compatibility with Gold Arrow Camp’s philosophy and policies.
Concern for the safety and well-being of others.
Lead others by being an authentically positive role model for children and peers in character, appearance, behavior, and language.
Maintain focus on children’s needs above personal needs.
Demonstrate an ability to interact with people of varying backgrounds and needs.
Accept diversity in religions, ethnicity, culture, and race. Able to treat all campers and staff fairly.
Keep campers safe by knowing and enforcing safety rules and guidelines.
Communicate effectively with children ages 6-14 and provide necessary instruction to campers.
Communicate effectively and ask for assistance when necessary.
Maintain a positive attitude and outlook. Be proactive when faced with problems.
Maintain integrity in dealing with confidential matters.
Must possess agility, strength and endurance required (at 7,000 feet elevation) to complete duties and responsibilities, including walking at least 2 miles per day.
Must possess the ability to work in outdoor environments including: navigating uneven terrain, working in or around water, managing both hot and cold temperatures, and encountering insects, spiders, and other animals in the forest.
Visual and auditory ability to identify and respond to environmental and other hazards related to camp activities.
Able to lift and carry at least 50 pounds.
Able to assist campers in an emergency (fire, evacuation, illness, or injury).
Schedule health screenings for arriving campers and staff, as well as for campers leaving for/returning from out-of-camp trips (outpost).
Assist in following appropriate medical routines including record keeping in the daily medical log (separate logs for campers and staff) and online camper files, and disposal of medical waste.
Follow up with counselor, camper, and/or Head Counselor for any late/missed medications.
Contact Camp Director when necessary for medical/dental appointments.
Help monitor the health of all camp staff and campers.
Contact Camp Director regarding all illnesses and injuries of a camper or staff. Log ALL parent communication (in-coming and out-going calls) on camper’s computer record.
Monitor logs for repeat visits from the same camper and notify Camp Directors.
Monitor/evaluate camp procedures, facilities, and conditions, and suggest modifications that would create more healthful conditions at Gold Arrow Camp.
After each session, return all previous session paperwork and medication cards to the Camp Office.
Conduct inventory of Wellness Center medical supplies and notify camp nurses to place orders when necessary, ensuring timely arrival of supplies.
Post hours for daily medications and health care.
Check first aid kits, re-stock when necessary.
Other duties as assigned
Supervise campers and provide a fun and safe sailing experience for each camper.
Provide quality instruction/coaching following Gold Arrow Camp guidelines.
Demonstrate excellent sailing ability.
Demonstrate ability to stay calm in stressful/emergency situations as trained.
Approved Lifeguard Certification (Preferably before arrival, skills checked at camp)
CA Boater Card (online course)
Prior sailing experience a plus
Comfortable in and around water
Essential Functions & Physical Requirements:
Employees must be able to perform the essential functions and meet the physical requirements of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Lead others by being an authentically positive role model for children and peers in character, appearance, behavior, and language.
Maintain healthy personal relationships and demonstrate an aptitude for building relationships with peers and children.
Create a positive, fun, inclusive culture at camp.
Maintain focus on children’s needs above personal needs.
Demonstrate an ability to interact with people of varying backgrounds and needs.
Accept diversity in religions, ethnicity, culture, and race. Able to treat all campers and staff fairly.
Keep campers safe by knowing and enforcing safety rules and guidelines.
Demonstrate mature judgment.
Communicate effectively with children ages 6-14 and provide necessary instruction to campers.
Communicate effectively with supervisors and peers and ask for assistance when necessary.
Accept feedback on your job performance and make necessary changes.
Maintain a positive attitude and outlook. Be proactive when faced with problems.
Prepare food, as trained and instructed, in a safe manner
Dispose of excess food after service after consulting with Kitchen Manager
Use common kitchen utensils (knives, mixers, food processors) to prepare raw ingredients for service
Safely operate, as trained and instructed, commercial ranges, ovens, and other appliances
Safely and hygienically serve meals on the dining porch
Respond to requests for menu items from staff and campers
Wash dishes
Safely store un-served food
Remove trash from trash cans
Wash tables and sanitize food preparation areas
Sweep the dining porch floor
Lead others by being an authentically positive role model for children and peers in character, appearance, behavior, and language.
Maintain healthy personal relationships and demonstrate an aptitude for building relationships with peers and children.
Create a positive, fun, inclusive culture at camp.
Maintain focus on children’s needs above personal needs.
Demonstrate an ability to interact with people of varying backgrounds and needs.
Accept diversity in religions, ethnicity, culture, and race. Able to treat all campers and staff fairly.
Keep campers safe by knowing and enforcing safety rules and guidelines.
Demonstrate mature judgment.
Communicate effectively with children ages 6-14 and provide necessary instruction to campers.
Communicate effectively with supervisors and peers and ask for assistance when necessary.
Accept feedback on your job performance and make necessary changes.
Maintain a positive attitude and outlook. Be proactive when faced with problems.
Nurse's Aid
General Responsibility:
Keeping campers healthy is key to making campers happy. The role of a nurse’s aide is to help ensure the health and wellness of staff and campers. The nurse aide assists camp nurses with various tasks such as ensuring campers report to the Wellness Center on time to receive routine medications, manage incoming visitors and assess order to be seen, maintain organization of supplies and reorder as needed, and assist with record keeping.
Responsible to: Camp Nurses/Doctors and Camp Directors
Knowledge, Skills, & Experience
Essential Functions & Physical Requirements:
Employees must be able to perform the essential functions and meet the physical requirements of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions, or to permit religious dress and grooming practices. Please speak with your supervisor or a Director if you require an accommodation.
Essential Functions:
Physical Requirements:
Specific Responsibilities:
Health and Wellness
Documentation
Wellness Center Operations
Sailing Instructor
Sailing instructors will be responsible for taking groups of 10 or more campers out on the lake and teaching them the basic skills of sailing. You will be trained on the job on the basics of sailing instruction per the USA Sailing curriculum and you will also learn how to operate small outboard powered chase boats.
Specific Skills/Responsibilities
Prerequisites
Kitchen Assistant
As a kitchen assistant you will be assigned to work in the preparation, serving, and clean-up of meals every day. You will have an assigned work schedule with time off and time on duty. The duty schedule will be posted. You may be assigned to additional duties in and around the kitchen area.
Specific Responsibilities:
Food Preparation
Food Service
Clean-up
Essential Functions & Physical Requirements:
Employees must be able to perform the essential functions and meet the physical requirements of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation.
How to Apply
If you are interested in working with us this summer, please take some time to look over our staff application information page as well as the "working at camp" section of our website. There you can find commonly asked questions, FAQs, and a link to our application.
Contact Info
- Gretchen Monke
- staff@goldarrowcamp.com
- (800) 554-2267
- goldarrowcamp.com
