LREI | Camping Trip FAQ

LREI 30th Annual Camping Trip

Delaware Water Gap

June 6-8, 2025

Registration opens: APRIL 16, 2025 @ 12PM

Overview

All LREI families and siblings are invited to the 30th Annual LREI camping trip June 6-8, 2025 on the beautiful Delaware River in New Jersey, just over an hour from the school. There will be an online sign-up that will be available on April 16, 2025 at 12:00pm. NOTE: We expect this year’s camping trip to fill up quickly (2024 was FULL in less than 60 minutes).

Registration

We have the campground for Friday and Saturday nights. In the past, most families have chosen to come for just one night, arriving Saturday morning and departing on Sunday. Families are welcome to come on Friday night as well. The Camping Committee will arrive Friday afternoon. Families arriving Friday must bring their own food, and a cooler to store it. (or eat dinner along the way)

Packing List

Necessary gear
- Tent (with a rain fly; larger is better with car camping)
- Sleeping bags/bedding (air mattresses/blankets optional)
- Flashlights
- Water bottles (we provide water, but only small cups; NOTE: The water comes from a hand pump well.)
- Cooler (for storage of any food/beverages you bring)
Recommended gear
- Mattress pads (highly recommended; inflatable or foam; a yoga mat will do in a pinch)
- Camp chairs
- Eating utensils (save on plastic waste)
- Swimsuits and towels
- Water shoes (the river bank is full of rocks and branches)
- A fleece jacket/layers (it can be chilly in the morning)
- Bug spray and sunscreen
- Sandals and backup shoes (Shoes get wet with the dew in the morning)
- Games, frisbee, badminton, etc.
- Acoustic instruments
Please do not bring
- Amplified music: bluetooth speakers, etc.
- Water guns (our drinking water is wasted filling these up)

Renting gear
Here are a few places that rent camping gear (NOTE: This is not a comprehensive list, and the Camping Committee cannot vouch for any of these providers):

Purchasing gear

Sporting goods stores (including REI, Dick's Sporting Goods, etc.) sell camping equipment, as do many big-box and online retailers such as WalMart, Target, and Amazon. They all have gear, ranging from entry-level to high-end.

Directions

How far away is the campsite?

The campsite is called River Bend Campgrounds, and it’s located at National Park Service Rd 615, Walpack Township, NJ 07881. The site is in the Delaware Water Gap area, near the NJ-PA border. According to Google Maps, driving from the LREI Lower School to the campsite should take less than 90 minutes without traffic.

How do I get there?

Here are the links to the pin for Google maps and directions for Waze.
Step-by-Step Instructions:

Take the Holland Tunnel and follow signs to I-280W.
Go 16 Miles on I-280
Continue onto I-80W for 34 mi and Take exit 12 from I-80W for County Rd 521N toward Blairstown
Take Hope Rd, Millbrook Rd and Old Mine Rd to Blake Ln in Walpack Township
Continue onto Hope Rd
Left onto NJ 94S
Turn right onto Stillwater Rd
Slight left onto Bridge St
Sharp right onto High St 190 ft
Slight left onto Millbrook Rd
Continue onto Blair Millbrook Rd
Continue onto Millbrook Flatbrook Rd
Turn right onto Old Mine Rd in 2.0 mi
Turn Left onto Blake Ln
The camp will be on the right

Public transportation

Unfortunately, there is no convenient public transportation. For families that do not have access to a vehicle, please contact us. If you have extra room in your vehicle and can take additional campers, please let us know.

Menu

Provided food
The Camping Committee will provide food for:

- Saturday breakfast
- Saturday lunch
- Saturday dinner
- Saturday evening s’mores
- Sunday breakfast

Meal schedule

Friday dinner:
- BE PREPARED TO HELP OUT. We will likely still be setting up.
- We will have a grill to cook anything you bring.
- If you bring food, you MUST BRING YOUR OWN COOLER to store it. (DO NOT use the community coolers, which are for the communal meals only.)
- The nearest stores are at least a 20/30 min drive away.
Saturday breakfast:
- Eggs
- Cereal
- Dairy and plant-based milk
- Coffee and hot chocolate
- Juice
Saturday lunch:
- Build-your-own-sandwiches
- Hummus
- Cheese
- Snacks
Saturday dinner:
- Fruit and crudité (veggie platter)
- Hamburgers
- Cheeseburgers
- Veggie burgers
- Hot dogs
- S’mores
Sunday breakfast:
- Eggs
- Bacon
- Bagels
- Cereal
- Dairy and plant-based milk
- Coffee
- Juice

We will have vegan/vegetarian options at all meals. Please contact us if you have any specific dietary questions or concerns.

Volunteering

Everyone participating in the trip is a volunteer, we ask that the adults in each group sign up for at least one meal prep or cleanup. We will email a sign up sheet to all the participating families prior to the trip.

FAQ

Information session

Look for an in-person info session in late May

What if it rains?

The event is rain or shine. All tents should come with a rain fly to help keep water out of the tent, so make sure you have it. If the weather forecast calls for inclement weather, pack accordingly (rain gear jackets, etc.).

Can I bring pets?

Unfortunately, the campgrounds do not permit pets.

Can I bring musical instruments?

Yes! And your singing voice, harmonica, and other acoustic instruments. Please no amplified music or bluetooth speakers.

Can I bring fishing gear?

Yes. The campsite is located next to a river.

What does it cost?

We hope everyone can come! Please pay what you wish. The suggested contribution is $50 per adult, $40 per child.

Safety information

Bears: While we have NEVER had a problem with bears on the trip, there are bears in the area.
- Make sure to put all food garbage in the bear proof trash containers
- Do not keep food in your tent (REMIND YOUR KIDS)
Ticks are pervasive in this part of the world
- Do tick checks
- Pack some DEET or Picaridin bug spray