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    • Mar 31-Apr 1 Sounds of the Mountains Story Festival
    • April 15 Spring Workday
  • Home
  • About
    • Our Mission and Ministry >
      • Virlina District Church of the Brethren >
        • GAG
    • Connect >
      • Meet Our Team
      • Contact Us
      • donate
      • TradingPost
      • jobs >
        • Summer Program Jobs
        • Seasonal Grounds and Kitchen Jobs
        • Summer Kitchen Staff
      • Camp Reps
      • News >
        • Subscribe to E-News >
          • Subscribe
        • Print News
      • Summer Staff Adoption
    • Parent Info
    • payment
    • Summer Camp Scholarships
    • jobs at camp >
      • Summer Camp Counselors and Program Staff
      • Summer Grounds Crew
      • Summer Kitchen Crew
    • Our Newsletters >
      • eNewsletter
      • Printed Newsletters
    • Trading Post
    • Upcoming Events
    • videos
    • Disc Golf Course
  • Summer Staff
    • Counselors >
      • Adventure Counselors
      • Senior Counselors
      • Junior Counselors
      • Counselors in Training
    • Coordinators
    • Summer Staff Information >
      • Staff FAQs
      • StaffResources
      • Why Work At Camp
    • Kitchen & Grounds >
      • Kitchen Staff
      • Grounds Crew
    • Staff Adoption
  • Camps
    • Summer Camps by Date
    • Parent-Child Overnight & Day Camp
    • Young Elementary Camps >
      • Knee-High Day Camp
      • Mini Camp
      • Parent-Child Overnight Camp
    • Older Elementary Camps COPY >
      • Elementary Resident Camps
      • Elementary Resident + Equestrian
      • Elementary Resident + Tubing
      • Elementary Adventure Explorers
      • Elementary Adventure Explorers + Tubing
      • Elementary 3-Day Sampler Camp
      • Elementary Day Camp
    • Middle School Camps >
      • Middle School Adventure Camps >
        • MS Adv Explorers
        • MS Adv Canoe + Climb
        • MS Adv Canoe + Tube
        • MS Adv Canoe + Cave + Climb
        • MS Adv Cave + Climb + Tube
        • MS Adv + Tube
        • MS Adv WWRaft + Tube
        • MS Adv Bike + Canoe + Tube
        • MS Adv Bike + Canoe + Climb
        • MS Adv Biking + WWRafting
        • MS Moonrise Adventure
      • Middle School Resident Camps >
        • Middle School Resident Camps
        • Middle School Resident + Equestrian
        • Middle School Resident + Tubing
      • River Adventures for Middle Schoolers >
        • Paddlesports Adv for Middle School
        • James River Canoe Adventure
        • Kayaking Adventure for Middle School
      • Skills Camps for Middle Schoolers >
        • Digital Arts Camp
        • Kayak Camp for Middle School
        • Paddlesports Camp for Middle School
      • Trips for Middle Schoolers >
        • Backpacking MS
        • James River Canoe
        • New River Canoe Trip
        • MBB Trip
        • BUMAT Trip
    • Trips and Skills Camps >
      • Backpacking Trip
      • Brethren United Mountain Adventure Trip
      • Digital Arts Camp
      • James River Canoe Adventure
      • Kayaking Adventure
      • Mountains to Beach to Bay Trip
      • New River Canoe Trip
      • Paddlesports Adventure
    • High School Camps >
      • High School Resident Camp
      • High School Resident + Tubing
      • High School Adventures >
        • HS Adv Canoe + Climb
        • HS Adv WWRaft + Tube
        • HS Adv Bike + Canoe + Tube
        • HS Adv Bike + WWRaft
        • HS Adv Bike + Canoe + Rock Climbing
        • HS Moonrise Adventure
        • New River Trip 7 High School
        • RAP
      • River Adventures for High Schoolers >
        • Paddlesports Adventure for High School
        • New River Canoe Trip for High School
        • Kayaking Adventure for High School
      • Skills Camps for High Schoolers >
        • Digital Arts Camp HS
        • Kayaking Camp for High School
        • Paddlesports Camp for High School
      • Trips for High Schoolers >
        • Backpacking Trip HS
        • Brethren United Mountain Adventure Trip HS
        • Mountains to Beach to Bay HS
        • New River Canoe HS
    • ParentInfo >
      • Parent Information
      • Pay for Camp >
        • pay
        • Financial Assistance
        • Church Good-as-Gold Assistance
      • About Summer Camps
      • Health
      • request brochure
      • Scholarships For Camp
      • Camp Songs
    • Virlina Churches Good-As-Gold
  • Outdoor Ed
    • Feb 24 VA Adventure Education Conference
    • Feb 25-26 Wilderness First Aid Training
    • ACA Courses >
      • ACA Kayak Instructor Course
      • ACA Canoe Instructor Course
      • ACA Trip Leader Course
    • KinderCritters
    • Your Outdoor Classroom
    • River Otters Paddle Sports
    • Disc-Golf
  • Groups
    • Facility Rental
    • Facility Photos
    • Food Services
    • DiscGolf
    • Band Camps
    • Camp Bethel Events
    • inquiry
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Feb 11 Camp Supporter Lunch
    • Feb 24 Virginia Adventure Education Conference
    • Feb 25-26 Wilderness First Aid
    • March 9 Sow the Seed Banquet
    • Mar 31-Apr 1 Sounds of the Mountains Story Festival
    • April 15 Spring Workday
If you are able, please give a donation to help Camp Bethel bridge these challenging months. Thank you!​
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Click here to download/print the information for GPS Trail 1.
Color Code: Green (small metal plates on stakes - are bordered in green)
Estimated time to complete: 1 ½ - 2 hours
Description: This adventure takes you through fields and woods with some gentle hills.  Find interesting challenges for your photos.  The estimated time includes your photo challenges.  This is a multi-stop adventure.  Each stop will give you a challenge to photograph as well as the next set of coordinates to keep you on your way.
Special Equipment: You will need a GPS unit OR a smart phone with google maps or a GPS app.  You will also need the first set of coordinates provided below.  It is not necessary to have a Camp Bethel Site map for this adventure, but you may want one to keep track of where you went on your adventure! If you have a GPS unit already, Great! You can do this adventure by inputting the coordinate points following the instructions for your device.  You do not have to have a GPS unit – Your smart phone with Google Maps will do the same job!

GPS TRAIL 1 COORDINATES:

N37 26.408  W79 46.809​

You will find the other coordinates as you go but, if you get lost, click here for the coordinate cheat sheet!

Instructions for using google maps on your phone:
(make sure you choose walking)  
In the search here bar type coordinates given.  Use capital N and W, and make sure to leave a space between the degrees and the minutes.  Also use a space between the N and W coordinates

How it works:
Your phone/GPS unit is in constant contact with satellites to provide data on where you are, where you are going, and how quickly you are getting there. 

The Earth is divided into grids based on Latitude (how for North or South you are from the Equator) and Longitude (How far east and west you are of the Prime Meridian).  The United States is ALWAYS North and West for this grid. 

The grid points are measured in degrees, with a part of a degree being a minute or second.  SO your coordinates will look (or read) like this:
        North 37 26.623  ( 37 degrees North and 26.623 minutes)
        West 079 47.212 ( 79 degrees West and 47.212 minutes)

North is measured from 0 degrees (the Equator) to 90 degrees both North and South.  East and West is measured 180 degrees each way from the Prime Meridian.

Accuracy depends on cloud cover, tree cover, and the number of satellites your unit can reach.  This means that you may have to search a bit for the challenge and the next set of coordinates.

Interesting fact: No matter how far you feel like you have gone on your adventure, you are only traveling a part of a minute along this grid, so you will mostly just be changing the last 3 digits of North and West for each point along your way!
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What to wear
  • Comfortable, close-toed shoes for walking
  • Comfortable clothing that provides protection from the sun/rain

What to bring
  • Plenty of water, snacks, maybe even a picnic lunch
  • Sunscreen
  • Bug/Tick Spray
  • A compass (only for the compass adventures) – your smart phone has a compass already installed!
  • A map of Camp Bethel. Downloadable here.  There are also a limited number of maps on the porch of the camp office.  We recommend a printed version of the map for your adventure.
  • A GPS unit or smart phone with google maps (only for the GPS adventures)
  • Hand sanitizer (these adventures are designed to be no touch adventures, but we recommend that you use hand sanitizer frequently)

Rules to follow while adventuring at Camp Bethel
  • All clues or challenges are outdoors, there is no need to enter any facilities. At this time, we do not have restrooms available-plan to go prior to your arrival and pack accordingly for any emergencies you may have.
  • You are looking for small metal plates on stakes that have different colored borders.
  • Leave all clues where you find them so others can enjoy.
  • Be mindful of the color code for YOUR adventure.  There are many adventures at Camp and we want to keep you on track!
  • Look before reaching into dark places.  Camp Bethel is home to many wild creatures.
  • Avoid going off trail.  Most clues or challenges are on trails or common spaces.  Help fight erosion by sticking to the paths.
  • All of God’s creatures are special and important.  Enjoy their habitat as an uninvited guest.
  • Take only pictures, leave only footprints. Keep Camp Bethel special for the next person or group.
  • Leave living things alone.  Use only dead and downed items for challenges.  (Dead standing trees are important to our ecosystem.)
  • If you encounter another adventurer, be polite but give them space – we have a lot of acres to adventure in!
  • Share your successes and adventures on social media and tag Camp Bethel! (#CampBethelVirginia)
  • Consider making a donation so we can continue to offer self-guided activities for all. Donations can be made here.
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Member of OMA
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WHAT PARENTS ARE SAYING:
"Our son and daughter have been coming to Camp Bethel since they were 5 years old--they are now 13 and 14 years old. We have found that your camp is one of the few that our kids continue to enjoy even as they are older. Other camps (sometimes a lot more expensive) are nice but for some reason the magic of Camp Bethel remains. We also really respect the way that your camp incorporates God and Bible study but in such a way that it is still cool--a rarity these days to find a place where kids can be kids and learn to love God and care for one another in God's creation. Thanks so much for the awesome experience for our kids and the ongoing magic that is Camp Bethel. Thanks, Gina and Chris Engel" 

CONTACT US  540.992.2940
CampBethelOffice@gmail.com
328 Bethel Road, Fincastle, VA 24090

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