Transportation

Safety is Camp Echo’s number one priority when it comes to transportation of campers and staff. Camp Echo performs routine maintenance checks on all camp-owned vehicles and requires any outside service providers do the same. Learn more about the various ways campers are transported below.

To & From Camp Echo

Transportation between Camp Echo and the McGaw YMCA in Evanston via air-conditioned, restroom-equipped coach buses (240 miles, 5 hours) is included in the summer camper fee. The McGaw YMCA is the only pick-up and drop-off location for Camp Echo’s buses. Parents have the option to drop off their child at camp or pick-up their child from camp. Adult and family campers provide their own transportation.

Bus Departure for Camp Echo

Campers arrive at the McGaw YMCA in Evanston at 8:00 am on the first day of the session. First, luggage is taken to any available bus – the camper does not have to ride that same bus. Then the camper comes inside and pick up his/her bus pass. Medicine being sent to camp is collected and a final check will be made that all camp forms have been received and fees are paid. The friendly “Camp Echo Spirit Team” and Y staff will be on hand to provide assistance and answer any questions. Please make sure to label all luggage with name and address. Do not tie sleeping bags to luggage – sleeping bags are often put in the overhead compartments to conserve space.

Campers turn in their bus pass when they board the bus. Every camper should board the bus with his or her bag lunch in hand. Luggage need not be on the same bus as the camper. Once campers board the bus, they may not get off. Parents who wish to view the bus interior may do so between 8:00 and 8:30 am. Parents may not board the bus once campers begin boarding at 8:30 am.

Buses depart at 9:00 am sharp. Buses are air-conditioned and restroom-equipped. Camp Echo staff members serve as monitors on each bus. Campers who miss the bus must provide their own transportation to Camp Echo.

Bus Arrival from Camp Echo

The buses leave camp promptly at 11:00 am (Eastern). The long distance and potential for unusual traffic conditions on the Skyway and I-94 make it impossible for us to guarantee an exact arrival time. Shortly after 12 noon (Central), parents can access a web log detailing the progress of the buses, as well as Adventure Trip vans, trains, and planes, by clicking on the Bus To/From Updates. The log is updated every 30 minutes or so, and more frequently once the buses reach the Chicago Skyway. The McGaw YMCA will have the same information as the web log; please refrain from calling the McGaw YMCA unless you don’t have web access. Please pick up all campers on time! Any delay makes extra work for the Y staff and has the potential to turn a good camp experience bad.

Camper Pick-ups and Drop-offs at Camp Echo

Parents are welcome to pick-up or drop-off their campers at Camp Echo. For Drop-offs at the start of the session, we ask parents to arrive at camp between 1:45 PM and 2:15 PM, to avoid the arrival of the buses at 2:30 PM. Pick-ups at the end of the session are asked to arrive before 10:45 AM or after 11:15 AM, to avoid meeting the departing buses on our narrow Main Road.

Adventure Trips

All of Camp Echo’s Adventure Trips start at Camp Echo. Each trip will spend a couple days at camp reviewing basic trip skills, coming together as a group, and preparing equipment and gear for the upcoming trip. Once the trip is ready to go, they will travel in a recent year (2008 or later) 15-passenger van or Chevrolet Suburbans. All vans used by Camp Echo are equipped with computerized vehicle-stabilization technology.

Camp Echo performs DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) checks on all staff before clearing them to drive vehicles. If they clear the DMV check, they then receive training specific to driving the vehicles they will be using throughout the summer.

To & From Camp Echo

Adventure Trips

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