Give your Mooresville child an unforgettable mountain adventure in summer! Camp Tekoa offers Lake Norman families the perfect blend of outdoor exploration, spiritual growth, and character development in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains – building on the water skills they already love.
From Lake Life to Mountain Adventures
Convenient Mountain Location: Just 1.5 hours from Mooresville to the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains near Hendersonville, NC. Close enough for weekend visits and easy transportation, yet far enough for a true mountain experience.
Beyond Flatwater: Your child will build on their Lake Norman water skills while discovering new adventures including mountain lake activities, guided waterfall exploration, whitewater rafting and canoeing, stand-up paddleboarding on crystal-clear Lake Jocassee, rock climbing challenges, cave exploration, and mountain hiking and camping.
Programs Perfect for Water-Loving Kids
Young Explorers:
- Mini Camp (Ages 7-9): Sunday-Wednesday sessions perfect for first-time overnight campers
- NEW!! Older Elementary Mini (Ages 9-11): Sunday-Wednesday sessions perfect for the first-time overnight campers
- Elementary TKO (Ages 8-11): Full-week adventure with lake activities including swimming, paddle-boating, and our lake zipline
- Quest (Ages 8-11): Brand new elementary adventure camp featuring ziplining, rock climbing, and stand-up paddleboarding at Lake Jocassee
Growing Adventurers:
- NEW!! Middle School Starter Camp (Ages 12-14): Half week program for those older campers who would like to try us out before coming a full week.
- Middle School TKO (Ages 11-14): Features swamp canoes, lake activities, and off-site waterfall trips
- Water Adventure (Ages 12-14): Stand-up paddleboarding with cookout, tubing, waterfall hopping, and whitewater canoeing
- Overboard! (All boys, Ages 12-14): Fishing campout, whitewater canoeing, stand-up paddleboarding, and waterfall hopping
- Cascade (All girls, Ages 12-14): Waterfall hopping, tubing, horseback riding, and stand-up paddleboarding
Teen Water Adventures:
- High School TKO (Ages 14-17): Includes whitewater rafting and service projects
- Water Adventure (Ages 14-17): Two whitewater canoeing trips, whitewater kayaking, and flatwater canoe campout
- Expedition Extreme (Ages 15-17): Two-week program including stand-up paddleboarding, whitewater canoeing, scuba diving, and more
Why Mooresville Families Choose Camp Tekoa
Complementary Skills: While Lake Norman offers excellent flatwater experiences, Camp Tekoa introduces moving water adventures, whitewater skills, and mountain exploration. Your child will build on their existing water comfort to try new challenges.
Faith-Based Community: Through daily devotions, community service, and meaningful relationships, campers grow in their faith while having incredible adventures. Everything we do is built around our mission of touching hearts, changing lives, and sharing the light of Christ.
Water Program Spotlight: For children who already enjoy lake activities at home, our water adventures offer exciting new challenges. Middle school Water Adventure includes stand-up paddleboarding with cookout, tubing, waterfall hopping, and whitewater canoeing. High school Water Adventure features flatwater canoe camping, whitewater canoeing, and whitewater rafting. River Runners focuses entirely on various river crafts including tubing, inflatable kayaking, rafting, paddleboarding, canoeing, and riverside camping.
Summer Program Features
Camp Tekoa will offer eight weeks of programs from June through early August. We feature traditional favorites like talent shows and evening campfires, weekly off-site adventures, and family-style cabin groups led by caring, professionally trained counselors.
Outstanding Facilities
Our 145-acre campus in the Blue Ridge Mountains includes a 3-acre mountain lake (a different experience than Lake Norman!), multiple zipline courses, a 40-foot climbing tower, extensive hiking trails, swamp canoes, modern and clean cabins, and a dining hall serving nutritious meals. We maintain all equipment to the highest safety standards and hold accreditation from the American Camp Association.
Making Camp Accessible
We offer multiple session lengths from Sunday-Wednesday Mini Camps to two-week adventure expeditions. Financial assistance and scholarships are available through our generous donor program. Our 2% Promise program donates 2% of all registrations directly to scholarship funds, helping dozens of children attend camp each summer. We also offer special Hurricane Helene recovery scholarships for families impacted by the storm. No child should be excluded from the Tekoa experience due to financial concerns. Early registration is recommended as popular sessions fill quickly!
Easy Travel from Mooresville
The direct route via I-40 E to I-26 E makes for a simple drive. We offer convenient Sunday check-in times and coordinated arrival and departure schedules. Many Lake Norman families connect with each other for carpooling and travel coordination.
Weekend Preview Options
With our convenient location just 1.5 hours from Mooresville, many families combine a camp tour with a spring weekend in the mountains. Contact us about upcoming preview events and tours.
Opportunities for Mooresville Teens
Our Leaders in Training (LIT) program for rising high school seniors provides valuable leadership development experience. This free volunteer program allows teens to log hundreds of volunteer hours for college applications while gaining experience working with children. Summer staff positions are perfect for college students looking to build their resume while making a difference.
Start Your Mountain Adventure
Contact us to learn more about giving your child an unforgettable summer experience in the Blue Ridge Mountains:
- Online Registration
- Phone: (828) 692-6516
- Address: PO Box 1793, Flat Rock, NC 28731
For more information about our programs, visit our Contact Page.
Local Connections
Join our growing community of Mooresville and Lake Norman campers! Many Lake Norman families return year after year, creating lasting friendships.
Church Partnerships
Many Mooresville and Lake Norman area churches partner with Camp Tekoa for youth programs throughout the year. Ask your church youth leader if they have a relationship with Camp Tekoa, or contact us to learn more about our church partnerships.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are your water activities different from Lake Norman?
While Lake Norman offers wonderful flatwater experiences, Camp Tekoa introduces your child to moving water adventures including whitewater rafting, whitewater canoeing, whitewater kayaking, and river tubing. We also offer stand-up paddleboarding on the crystal-clear waters of Lake Jocassee, which provides a completely different environment than Lake Norman. Our 3-acre mountain lake offers swimming, paddle-boating, swamp canoes, and our exciting lake zipline.
What specialized water programs do you offer?
We have several water-focused programs. Middle School Water Adventure includes stand-up paddleboarding with cookout, tubing, waterfall hopping, and whitewater canoeing. High School Water Adventure features two whitewater canoeing trips, whitewater kayaking, and a flatwater canoe campout. River Runners is our most comprehensive water program, featuring tubing, inflatable kayaking, whitewater rafting, stand-up paddleboarding, canoeing, and riverside camping.
Will my child be safe on whitewater activities?
Safety is our top priority. All water activities include professional instruction, proper safety equipment, appropriate supervision ratios, and activities matched to age and skill level. Our staff undergo extensive training in water safety, and all whitewater activities are supervised by experienced adventure staff. We maintain strict safety protocols for every water adventure.
Can my child attend if they're already comfortable on the water?
Absolutely! Many Lake Norman children already have great water confidence, which means they're perfectly positioned to try more challenging water adventures. Our progressive programming builds on existing skills while introducing new environments and challenges. Children who are comfortable with flatwater activities often thrive in our whitewater programs.
What if my child wants both water activities and other adventures?
Our TKO (traditional overnight) programs offer a great mix of water activities and other adventures, including rock climbing, cave exploration, hiking, and challenge courses. Our adventure camps allow children to choose programs that match their interests, whether that's water-focused programs like Water Adventure and River Runners, or other specialized programs.
