All three camps are similar to each other with many of the same facilities and programming. Each camp has staff shows, camper talent shows, age group activities, guest speakers, swimming pools, Kub Korrals, art, hiking, and music programs.

The primary difference between the camps is the size and the layout: Camps Blue and Gold are very similiar to each other, as each accommodates about 325 campers in tent/cabins that are randomly located throughout the camp. Both Blue and Gold have tennis courts -- Oski doesn't, yet Oski campers can use the tennis courts at Blue or Gold. During the week at Blue and Gold, campers of all ages enjoy athletic tournaments and games, such as tennis, basketball, horseshoes, bridge, backgammon, trivial pursuit, etc., and strive to win the wonderful little Lair trophies which are presented at the Friday evening campfire show. Camps Blue and Gold also compete against each other each week in softball and in volleyball - no trophies, just glory.

Camp Oski's tent/cabins are arranged in circles, and each tent circle has a fire pit in the center, providing an ideal camping atmosphere (great for making night time s'mores!). Camp Oski is smaller, holding about 145 campers, and has a large beautiful pool, but no tennis courts and no tournaments. Oski has the same great children's programs and campfire traditions as Blue and Gold, and a higher staff to camper ratio.

There is limited cellphone coverage at the Lair. Some cell services work in certain areas of camp, such as Verizon – however, others get very little or no reception.

• Ice (at no cost) for your coolers
• Daily mail delivery and pick up
• Healthcare professionals
• Weekly creekside service
• Limited business center
• Laundromat
• Daily mail service
• Pay phones
• Limited wheelchair access (please call for details)

Yes! We do require one attending adult in each tent to be a Cal Alumni Association member, and you do not need to be a Cal grad to join—membership is open to the public. Learn how to join »

You won’t go hungry at the Lair. We serve 3 meals a day, family style. There’s a lot to chose from, and peanut butter and jelly is always available.

Contact the Lair office »

A renewable tent is one that a family has the right to camp in again the following summer provided the family signs up before the February 28 deadline. Most tents at the Lair are renewable to families.

All tent or session change requests will be included in our new Lair reservation lottery. Returning campers who request a change and had a renewable tent can be assured they’ll get their last summer’s tent back if they don’t get a requested change, provided they rebook by February 28.

The lottery will be run in early March and tents will be assigned based on availability after returning campers have signed up by February 28.  For booking requests placed online before February 28, the priority is as follows:

The lottery will be run in early March and tents will be assigned based on availability after returning campers have signed up by February 28.  For booking requests placed online before February 28, the priority is as follows:

1. First Priority—Requests for tent or week changes by last summer’s campers who were in renewable tents will have top priority for the tents that are open after the February 28 deadline.  These campers may also request to keep their tent from last summer in case they don’t get their tent change request(s).
2. Second Priority—Campers who were on the Wait List last summer and did not get to camp as well as families in non-renewable tents will have next priority through the lottery system.
3. Third Priority—Campers who didn’t camp last summer.

• Decide upon a name for your group (i.e. the Mike Yaley Group) to identify yourselves.  When you book, you will enter this group name under Special Requests.
• Each family in the group should submit an online reservation and make the exact same booking requests, with everyone using the same group name.
• The Mini-Week and 2nd Week are your best bets for getting several tents in the same camp, and be sure to submit your online booking request by February 28.
• Also, be sure your last request is Any Area, Any Tent for a specific session—the less specific you are in your requests, the higher the likelihood you’ll get tents.

If the lottery does not initially book everyone in the group into the same camp and session, you can request to be on the Wait List, and this group name will then be our way to match you with the group as we get cancellations and changes.

The lottery will be run in early March, so it’s important to submit your booking request by February 28.  Booking requests made after February 28 are subject to availability, and after this date there is no priority for returning campers. 

Unfortunately we cannot accommodate campers taking a year off. If you wish to find another family on your own to use your renewable tent this summer, you may do so by booking your reservation online by February 28, and entering the subletting family’s names and contact information as the campers.

Important! keep your name and contact information as the primary camper, so the reservation is still in your name and next year the tent is available for you to rebook and camp!  If you do sublet your tent this summer, please note that as the primary camper, you will still be responsible for booking on time and for final payment on time.

No – all future correspondence regarding your reservation will be sent via email only. Please be sure you provide us your best email address, and if you change your email address, please remember to update it in your online Lair profile.

Yes! You can sign up for a Daily Guest Pass. Guests staying offsite (such as at the Pinecrest Chalet) and wishing to join us for meals and activities (including age group activities) can do so by signing up at the Blue Office or at any of the camp stores and buy a Daily Guest Pass.