2000s: Voyaging Into a New Millennium

Camp Voyageur by the Decades

In many ways, the 2000s cruised with the momentum of the 1990s, with many campers from the previous decade returning as staff for a number of years. And, in that, new campers and new counselors found a community of experienced staff that was eager to teach and share the timeless Voyageur Spirit. The 2000s also saw an extension of many core elements of the camp experience that had been established in previous decades: Trips in the Big Banana proved particularly popular in this decade, as did backpacking treks on Isle Royale and the Superior Hiking Trail. Also, dozens of groups traversed the Border Lakes in trips that ranged from a few days to nearly two weeks in length.

The 2000s were also marked by some creative flair that would continue to blossom for many years. Elaborate role-playing games—framed by “Clue,” Klondike, casino, CV Commando, and pirate scenarios—were initially envisioned as just evening programs, but their popularity propelled some to all-day (and sometimes multi-day) activities. Camp Voyageur now possessed a more robust catalog of in-camp programming than it ever had before, all buttressed by trail offerings that were second to none in the new millennium.