HIKING & PLACES TO SEE
Get outside during your visit and check out these awesome places!
HIKING TRAILS
We have several hiking trails in an area called The Prayer Tree Maze. Located just north of the Johnson Lodge is a walking path into the woods. Follow it for 5-10 minutes and you'll reach something so special to the history of Hidden Acres: The Prayer Tree Cross
Up until a few years ago, this carved wooden cross was a giant old oak tree. Around this tree in the late 1970s, a group of people looking to start a camp prayed over the land, asking God if this might be the place to purchase. And here we are over 40 years later! The giant oak was dying in the late 2010s, so it was carved down into the Prayer Tree Cross you see today.
Keep heading deeper into the Prayer Tree Maze and you'll reach Jonathan's Treehouse. This special cabin, mostly used as a campout spot during our summer camps, features a unique design and a stunning lookout over the nearby ravine. It was built in memory of a former camper, Jonathan Hintz, who passed away in a motorcycle accident.
If you find yourself near Lechler Lake, check out Ben's Trail. Built in memory of Ben Peterson, a young man who loved creation and conservation, Ben's Trail is a park-quality trail that begins just past the blob deck, across the lake dam. Phase 1 has been completed and will take you through the woods to the Prayer Tree Cross. Expect to walk up and down ravines and across small creeks.
OTHER PLACES TO SEE
Though not on hiking trails, there are several other places around Hidden Acres to note. If you're walking near Lodge 139, check out the pond here and the Three Crosses nearby. This is a perfect spot for quiet time, prayer, and reflection.
In between the Family Life Center (FLC) and the Tower Area, you'll first see the large FLC Playground which is a great place to stop with your children. Keep heading toward the Tower Area and you'll come across a small gathering of fruit trees called Joe Hove Grove. This peaceful grove and the benches there are all given in memory of Joe Hove, a young man who applied to work on our summer staff years ago but passed away before he could serve as a counselor.
When you arrive at the Tower Area, you'll find the Big Swing, an oversized porch swing that can seat 8-10 people. Keep walking past the Tower Area, toward Lechler Lake, and you'll come across Jenny's Chapel on the hill southeast of the lake. This beautiful outdoor chapel area was built in memory of a summer camp counselor, Jennifer Van Horssen, who passed away in the 1990s.