Staff FAQs

Staff FAQs

Have Questions?

Frequently asked questions

Camp Nicolet is located outside of Eagle River, Wisconsin within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Eagle River is approximately seven hours north of Chicago, Illinois.  Airport pick-up is available from Rhinelander-Oneida County airport (RHI), Central Wisconsin Airport (CWA), and Iron Mountain airport (IMT).

Camp has a capacity of 95 campers per session. East End campers range in age from 7-10 and West End campers are ages of 11-14.  Senior, or Leadership Program, Campers are ages 15-17.

Just like Staff, campers join Nicolet from across the US and Internationally.  International Campers travel from Mexico, Germany, France, & Russia to attend.  You never know who you’re going to meet at camp – and from where!

Staff also come from all over the world. While most of our staff live stateside, approximately 75% come to us internationally from places like England, Ireland, Mexico, Denmark, New Zealand, Columbia, Australia, and more. Our team ranges in age from 18 to over 70.  Everyone has a passion for working with children, and by the end of the summer you’ll feel like you’ve found a second family in our Staff Team!

Our camper cabins house 8-12 campers and 2-3 counselors each. They are fully equipped with bunkbeds, dressers/drawers, a table and chairs, a fireplace, a screened-in porch, and a bathroom with sink, toilet, and running cold water.

Counselors live in a room separate from the main “bunk room” by a curtain or small door.  Showers are taken in our nearby shower house facility.

The Staff Uniform consists of a traditional forest green Staff Uniform Polo shirt. There is no charge for the shirt, and it’s yours to keep as a memento of a great season in the North Woods, and your accomplishments as a Staff member.  We’ll ask you your preferred size in pre-season Staff communication.

You’ll also need to bring tan shorts, pants, or a skirt – to wear along with white tennis shoes or sneakers.

Any Camp Nicolet Staff member working in a water-related activity is asked to wear predominantly red at all times while on duty.  Water-related activities at camp include: Water Skiing & Wakeboarding, Swimming, Smallcraft (canoeing, kayaking, stand-up-paddling, and windsurfing), and select Wilderness Trips.

Our Leadership Team can help you locate a red swimsuit, appropriate to camp, if you’re having difficulty finding one to purchase.

Waterfront Staff shall also bring their own whistle.

Yes.  Please bring your own approved Riding helmet and boots with a heel for riding, and for barn work.  For grubbier jobs, Nicolet has “muck boots” you can borrow.  Please bring your own, preferred boots for riding horses, however.

No, there is nothing required you have to pre-order, however, we will ask you your polo shirt size in pre-season communication, so we can have a Camp Nicolet Staff Polo shirt waiting for you upon arrival.

If you wish, you may use our clothing vendor to order a red Charles River Anorak Pullover jacket – which sports the Camp Nicolet logo and your name, embroidered on the jacket.

Use the Clothing Order Form, available in MY STAFF ACCOUNT, to order this jacket.  The cost is deducted from one of your summer paychecks.

At time of hire, and through the course of the Winter season, employees are provided with lots of resources and information about the forthcoming summer.  You are sent (via e-mail) a Staff Packing List, helpful when getting ready for camp.

However, the link below takes you to the Camper Packing List and webpage, which provides a basic understanding of what to bring.

Packing List

Camp Nicolet provides use, free of charge, of washers and dryers on-site.  Staff are asked to provide their own laundry detergent and dryer sheets, however.

A perk of the job is you may also send your clothes to the commercial laundry once per week, when Camper laundry is sent to town.  You’ll have clean clothes back within 24 hours!  Hooray!

Absolutely! We encourage you to bring your car to camp for use on time off.  When at camp, all vehicles shall remain in the Parking Lot – located on the “back road” of camp.

For those without vehicles, Camp Nicolet provides daily van transportation to and from Eagle River for those with scheduled time off.  Sign up for a seat in the van on the rideshare board in the camp office.

For every six days worked, a Staff member receives a full 24-hour period off.  This time can be spent in or out of camp, however we recommend to take full advantage of time off that Staff leave the camp property for at least a portion of that time.

In addition to the full 24-hour period, Staff members also receive personal time in the evenings from 10pm (or from when cabins go to bed) to Midnight.  This personal time may be spent in or out of camp. Evening van transportation to/from Eagle River can be arranged with advanced notice.

Staff and Administrators rotate through “Patrol” and “Administrator On Duty” each evening.  Patrol walks the sidewalk by the cabins ensuring campers are in bed and sleeping.  The Administrator On Duty posts in the office in case of emergency.

From 10pm to Midnight, the Staff Room is open, and Staff can watch movies, check e-mail, and relax.

The Camp Nicolet experience, as a Camper or Staff member, is “tech free.”

For Campers, this is defined as “phones remain at home” or are turned in to the camp office if brought for purposes of communication with parents during travel.  Campers are not allowed to have devices with cellular or WiFi signal in their possession while at camp.

For Staff, this is defined as phones and electronic devices are used out of the sight and earshot of Campers.  Staff do use phones for in-season communication using a Staff WhatsApp group.  This must be done with discretion, as not to create a double-standard with Campers.

Employees using devices in front of Campers or with Campers receive a warning and are reminded of camp’s policy.  Repeat violations result in further action and discussion with the Leadership Team & Camp Director.

Staff may purchase snacks and drinks for themselves, but such items are kept in the Staff Room in sealed containers. Food and drink is not allowed in cabins, as our location in the North Woods is a prime spot for critters. They love to eat your snacks (as much as you do)!

Camp Nicolet offers paychecks in paper and Direct Deposit form.

Direct Deposit is available for domestic Staff members only.

International Staff are given the opportunity to cash check in town at camp’s local bank on time off, and can wire money home to personal accounts.

Camp Nicolet doesn’t charge for Direct Deposit.  The local bank does charge a Wire Transfer fee, but nothing to cash International Staff member paychecks.

You are paid by check or Direct Deposit on roughly the 1st and 15th of each month.  Payday often depends on how weekends correspond with the monthly calendar.

Working at camp is challenging, but it’s really fun and you make a big, positive difference in the lives of many when you are a Staff Member.

If you would like more information, please contact Jeremy Starz, Owner & Camp Director, at 608.469.3091 or jstarz@campnicolet.com.

Annually, we release a “Staff Fast Facts” document that outlines many additional nuances of this unique summer job.  A copy of this document is e-mailed to you when you inquire.

Indeed there is.  In 2022, AT&T built a wireless tower somewhat close to the camp property which now provides us with excellent cellular and wireless broadband coverage.

Camp Nicolet itself does not provide WiFi to Staff members.  Our office does have a network, but too many users causes it to be non-functional for business purposes.

With the construction of the AT&T tower, we recommend all employees have an AT&T compatible device, service, or SIM card.  Check with your current carrier for details.  Connectivity to WiFi and cellular will be on your own while you’re at Camp Nicolet.

Enjoy Activities like Arts & Crafts at Camp Nicolet Summer Camp for Girls in Wisconsin!!

Cabin Life

FAQs

Activities

Senior Campers

Packing List

Testimonials

Testimonials

One day, I will return to gather Nicolet up into my arms. One does not forget, ever, being so very lucky to have grown up with such a friend as Nicolet. I treasure it always.
Alumni

The fact that you are able to slow these girls down, detach them from their electronics, and show them all that Nicolet has to offer is amazing to me and very lucky for them. You have not only kept the very special legacy of Nicolet going, but you have added to and changed camp in such a way that you have kept it relevant to this next generation. Thank you for that.

Alumni
Camp means more to me that you will ever know. My best friends/sisters are the most important people in my life. I am forever grateful to you for providing me (and my mom!) with nine wonderful summers. I would not be who I am today without Nicolet.
Alumni

As a preteen who struggled to find her place in school— I absolutely flourished at camp and was forever changed. Camp Nicolet helped me discover who I was and how powerful one girl could become.

Alumni

Because of camp, I have been able to meet so many different people with all different backgrounds. Camp is just a magical place where girls from all over come to be girls, and I can honestly say there has not been a day at camp out of all my years that I did not feel like I had best friends who really cared for me.

Alumni

My 9 years at Camp Nicolet are some of the highlights of my life.  I think of my time on Lake Franklin, laughing, singing, learning new skills, and making lifelong friends. The memories are a source of pure joy and happiness buffering the inevitable challenges of life!

Alumni
Our daughter would not be the strong, confident person she is today without the experiences she had at Camp Nicolet. Thank you a thousand times over!
Parent of Camper

Cannot begin to thank you enough for giving my daughter a chance to have the most amazing summer of her young life. she thoroughly enjoyed her time at camp, made so many nice friends, and had so many wonderful experiences (including the backpacking trip along Lake Superior) that she can’t stop talking about it.

Parent of Camper

Everyone was so kind and attentive. I enjoyed getting the letters and seeing the excitement in our daughters handwriting. She survived without her phone! We have camp as a reference now, as we remind her of how much she accomplished without devices or streaming media

Parent of Camper

Camp Nicolet is a tremendous gift, not just for our daughter, but for our whole family. It’s always nice to remind our daughter that her favorite time of year is the one month she doesn’t have a phone in her hands. Camp is a huge part of who our daughter is – for that we are thankful.

Parent of Camper