Falling Creek Camp

UPDATES: Hiring for Summer 2025!

Hiring:

Being a summer camp counselor is one of the most rewarding, challenging and enjoyable jobs you will ever have. If you want to make a difference in the lives of children while building life skills, there’s no better place to spend your summer than Falling Creek Camp. 

Falling Creek is an overnight summer camp for boys, founded on Christian values. We exist to shepherd the journey of personal growth through love and adventure. We believe that the boys we serve (grades 1-12) are best able to maximize their potential through intentional community, fun activities, and connection with the natural world, which we provide through our world-class staff, stunning 900+ acre campus, and a heavy emphasis on outdoor recreation. Falling Creek is situated on a mountaintop in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, where boys are unplugged from technology and allowed to be themselves. Sessions range from one to four weeks.

As a camp counselor, you will be responsible for facilitating the residential experience for a cabin of (typically) eight boys. Our camp staff members serve as both cabin counselors and activity staff. They are responsible for teaching and coaching in various activities including outdoor adventure activities, target and team sports, arts like woodworking and blacksmithing, and individual pursuits like farming and outdoor skills. In addition to your pay (see below), we provide ample pay bonuses for certifications, completion of orientation and the entirety of the contract, and education. 

As a camp counselor, you'll be a role model, a big brother/sister, teacher, coach, mentor, listener, memory maker, problem solver, and superhero. Your job is to help boys have a great experience at camp, whether you're joining them at meals, teaching in activities, leading an outdoor trip, encouraging a homesick camper, or helping them get ready for bed after a day of adventure. The day may be long, but you can't beat the type of day you'll have!

Explore the range of jobs: Outdoor Adventure Jobs • Classic Camp Jobs • Sports Jobs • Art Jobs • Media Jobs

Benefits

We offer a competitive and progressive pay schedule that is determined based on your experience, age, education, certifications, and other factors. 

See the 2025 Estimated Pay Sheet here for a breakdown on how much you’ll make each week.

Staff working the full summer (Orientation plus 4 sessions) will have a base pay of $4000, not including additional pay, experience, and bonuses. 

Visit our “What You Get” page to see the full pay scale, read more about the value of an internship at camp, learn how to translate your camp experience to your resume, and find more resources.

Being a Falling Creek alumni also connects you to a network of former staff and parents who are business owners and employers. We are frequently asked to refer our most talented staff members, which can help jumpstart your future career goals.

Hear about the perks and what being a Falling Creek Camp counselor is like from the staff themselves in these testimonials. 

In addition to housing, food, and pay, each day at camp brings adventure, physical recreation, and endless opportunities for personal, spiritual, and professional growth. You are welcome to use the camp facilities and participate in activities during your free time, so long as it does not take away from a class or camper.

Housing

Male camp counselors live in a cabin with one other counselor and about eight campers. In addition to their activity instruction, male counselors will have an assortment of responsibilities related to the management of their cabin. Female camp counselors also serve as activity staff, but don’t live in cabins with the campers, and are responsible instead for organizational tasks during the times that male staff are busy with their cabins. Outdoor Adventure staff live in cabins with campers when not on their overnight trips. Trip Leaders are responsible for the planning and logistics of outdoor adventure trips, and do not live in a cabin with campers

What’s a Typical Day Like?

Each weekday at camp has a schedule with 6 structured activity periods and 2 free choice periods. Each day at camp begins with waking up as a cabin and gathering as a community at Morning Watch. Next we enjoy a hearty breakfast and an exciting Morning Assembly on the porch. Then it’s off to the first three activity periods of the day (your morning block), followed by a period of Free Choice before lunch. On a typical day, each counselor will be assigned a specific area to supervise during one Free Choice period, and have the other Free Choice period to themselves as their “Self-Care Time”. Rest Hour happens after lunch, before the three activity periods in the afternoon (your afternoon block). Then there is the second Free Choice period, dinner, and a fun Evening Program! A typical day ends with Milk and Cookies, followed by Evening Embers, a discussion time with your cabin mates to talk about the day’s adventures. Everyone is tired and happy by the time it’s Lights Out. On weekends, we take a break from our regular activity instruction, sleep in an extra hour, and play games as a whole camp community.

If you teach an Outdoor Adventure Activity, you'll also be leaving camp property to take boys on half day lessons to 5-day long trips. You’ll make announcements after breakfast about upcoming trips or prep lessons each day, and campers can choose to leave their daily activity schedules behind and sign up to join you.

Time off

Each week you’ll receive a scheduled time-off period of approximately 34 hours, typically in one block of time. For example, in 2025 a time-off period started at 1 pm on a certain day and ended at 11 pm the next day. For example, someone with a Monday time-off period would be off from 1 pm Monday to 11 pm Tuesday. Staff are also able to take an hour of “self-care time” each day at camp, where you are free to read, workout, nap, or do anything you need to “recharge your batteries” daily. Everyone gets the same amount of time off; the schedule is based on your position and role at camp. Being well-rested and refreshed is a must! (During session changeover weeks, this schedule is altered slightly.)

Skills Needed

Counselors must be at least 19 years of age, or completed one year of college or comparable life experience away from home.

Our mission states that we exist to shepherd the journey of personal growth through love and adventure. Staff must be dedicated to live by the Falling Creek Code, a set of enduring traditional values that provides the framework for this growth. We are always looking for staff that exemplify the characteristics of our Code, which include Warrior Spirit, Servants Heart, Moral Compass, and Positive Attitude.

Patient. Flexible. Team Player. Genuinely Enthusiastic. Friendly. Eager to Grow. Open to Offer and Receive Feedback. Able to Think on Your Feet. Good Decision Maker. Hard Working. Get-It-Done Attitude.

While individual dates may differ based on your personal contract, our summer season is from mid May to mid August, and our preference is to hire for the full season. For the 2025 season, we begin WFR certification training (for Adventure Staff only) on May 17th, followed by Leadership Training (for Line Leadership, Activity Leaders, Adventure Staff, Lifeguards, and Horseback Staff only) on May 26th.

All-Staff Orientation begins on May 30th (Friday, arrive by 10 am). Closing Day is August 15th after the final session.

See more on our staff FAQs page.

The ideal camp counselor enjoys being around children, prioritizing their safety and well-being, while supporting their goals, interests, and growth. Our staff members must possess the highest moral character and serve as positive role models while living with and supervising our campers.

At Falling Creek, we recruit as wide a variety of personalities as possible. With as many campers as we have, our boys resonate uniquely with counselors, whatever identity they bring to the mountain. That being said, there are certain qualities that are more conducive to success over the course of the entire season. Chief amongst these are perhaps flexibility and work ethic. It is hard to predict the exact course of a day, but our staff should be engaged and creative enough to roll with whatever challenge might come their way. Unselfishness is what we call “the spirit of Falling Creek”, and one must be able to prioritize the needs of our community over themselves.

Backpacking instructors at Falling Creek are able to spend time enjoying the rugged beauty of Western North Carolina firsthand, admiring waterfalls, open vistas, rhododendron tunnels, and hardwood stands dating back hundreds of years. Throughout the summer you’ll lead a variety of trips, ranging from short half-day adventures to epic five-day expeditions.

Each member of our Backpacking and Hiking staff becomes Wilderness First Responder certified, and will learn valuable knowledge of the local area. We hike in beautiful and famous locations near Falling Creek, including Pisgah and Nantahala National Forest, the Appalachian Trail, the Art Loeb Trail, and Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest.

While you are welcome to bring any of your own gear, we provide all the supplies and gear you’ll need for backpacking.

Required – Passion for hiking and being in the outdoors

Added Bonus –  Wilderness First Responder or higher (we can train you if needed), LNT master educator, Van Driver Certification, lifeguard (we can train you if needed)

Hit the trails and join us for a summer of adventure as a camp counselor and mountain bike instructor at Falling Creek. Zipping through the trees, splashing through creeks, and flowing down bermy singletrack trails - it’s hard not to smile while riding a mountain bike. Get paid to play this summer at camp!

Mountain biking instructors at Falling Creek are able to spend time enjoying the fast, flowy, and famous trails of Western North Carolina firsthand. We ride in places like Dupont State Forest, Pisgah National Forest, Tsali Recreational Area, Paris Mountain, and more. But, with over 900 acres and 25 miles of private trails at Falling Creek, you don’t even have to leave camp property to get in plenty of great riding! Throughout the summer you’ll teach bike handling skills, basic bike maintenance, and lead a variety of trips, ranging from short half-day adventures to epic five-day expeditions.

We are looking for assistant trip leaders for the Mountain Biking program. While you are welcome to bring any of your own gear, we provide all the bikes, supplies, and gear you’ll need for mountain biking.

Required – Passion for mountain biking & basic bike mechanic knowledge. 

Added Bonus – Wilderness First Responder or higher (we can train you if needed), PMBIA certification, Van Driver Certification, Lifeguard (we can train you if needed)

The climbing program at Falling Creek climbs on a wide range of rock faces in Western North Carolina and throughout the Southeast. During the summer you’ll guide and teach skills associated with single-pitch and multi-pitch climbing, including knot tying, movement skills, bouldering, risk management, and problem solving, to a wide range of ages and skill levels. You’ll be leading a variety of trips, ranging from short half-day adventures to epic five-day expeditions. 

We start with the basics on Gilbert’s Rock, which is our 160-foot-tall private granite dome. From Gilbert’s we travel to Looking Glass, Cedar Rock, Linville Gorge, The Obed, The Red and many other awesome crags in the southeast. While you are welcome to bring any of your own gear, we provide all the supplies and gear you’ll need for rock climbing.

Required – Passion for Trad Climbing 

Added Bonus - Wilderness First Responder or higher (we can train you if needed), van driver certification, higher level climbing certifications, LNT master educator, lifeguard (we can train you if needed)

Falling Creek offers an outstanding progression-based paddling program oriented toward single and multi-day trips on exciting whitewater rivers in Western North Carolina and throughout the region. Paddling staff at Falling Creek will be able to run and instruct on some of the most beautiful rivers and lakes in the Southeast. 

As campers progress, they advance to more challenging rapids, moving through rivers like the Lower & Upper Green, Tuckaseegee sections I, III & V, French Broad sections VI & IX, Chattooga sections II & III, Pigeon, Ocoee, Nolichucky, and New River Gorge. Once a camper has completed his progressions in a tandem canoe, he may continue his whitewater training in a solo canoe, C-1, or kayak. 

Throughout the summer you’ll teach canoeing and kayaking techniques to a wide range of ages and skill levels, and lead a variety of trips ranging from short half-day adventures to epic five-day expeditions. 

Each summer builds on the progression made previously, and as paddling staff, you’ll be equipped to continue teaching and offering new challenges, no matter the paddling level of the boy. We are looking for Assistant Trip Leaders for our whitewater program. While you are welcome to bring any of your own gear, we provide all the boats, supplies, and gear you’ll need for paddling.

Required – Passion for whitewater 

Added Bonus – Kayak instructor, Wilderness First Responder or higher (we can train you if needed), LNT Master Educator, Van Driver Certification, lifeguard (we can train you if needed)

Falling Creek offers an outstanding progression-based paddling program oriented toward single and multi-day trips, not just on exciting whitewater, but also on peaceful and scenic mountain lakes in Western North Carolina and throughout the Southeast. 

We take canoe trips to places like Jocassee, Fontana, and Tugaloo Lakes. Throughout the summer you’ll teach canoeing and kayaking techniques to a wide range of ages and skill levels, and lead a variety of trips ranging from short half-day adventures to epic five-day expeditions. These trips focus on offering a wilderness experience while traveling by canoe, exploring the numerous mountain lakes and river trails in this area. While you are welcome to bring any of your own gear, we provide all the boats, supplies, and gear you’ll need for paddling.

Required – Passion for canoeing/flatwater touring

Added Bonus –  Wilderness First Responder or higher (we can train you if needed), LNT master educator, Van Driver Certification, lifeguard (we can train you if needed)

As a horseback riding instructor at Falling Creek, you’ll be riding and caring for our herd of over 20 horses. You’ll also be instructing lessons in the ring, riding our miles of mountain top trails (across 900 private acres!), and teaching boys the basics of horsemanship. 

Not only will you be teaching campers about horses, but you’ll also be helping them learn life skills through horseback riding along the way, such as patience, perseverance, trust, communication, and confidence.

Although we ride English style at Falling Creek, we also teach many Western skills from the riding ring to the trails. We have our own horses and barn with about 25 miles of private trails and gravel roads. This role is perfect for someone looking to combine their love of horses with living in a close-knit community nestled neatly in the mountains of western North Carolina. This is a great opportunity for those who may be seeking a summer experience that allows them to begin building their resume with instruction and leadership experience. The minimum requirement for this role is that applicants must be at least 18 years old, have completed at least one year of college or similar life experience. CHA certification is not required for these roles, but pay will increase with additional certification.

Additional Information About Falling Creek Camp

Falling Creek is an overnight summer camp for boys, founded on Christian values. We exist to shepherd the journey of personal growth through love and adventure. We believe that the boys we serve (grades 1-12) are best able to maximize their potential through intentional community, fun activities, and connection with the natural world, which we provide through our world-class staff, stunning 900+ acre campus, and a heavy emphasis on outdoor recreation. Falling Creek is situated on a mountaintop in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, where boys are unplugged from technology and allowed to be themselves for ten idyllic weeks every summer.

Falling Creek was founded in 1969 as an independent Christian camp for boys. Longstanding traditions and a commitment to character development are hallmarks of the Falling Creek program. Boys and staff have the unique opportunity for physical, spiritual, and social growth at camp. The Falling Creek Code is a set of enduring traditional values that provides the framework for this growth. The camp experience balances high energy all-camp-games and outdoor adventure with time for reflection in cabin discussions and group gatherings. In addition to the classic camp activities, campers can choose to participate daily in a variety of outdoor adventure trips off-property.

Read more about Falling Creek Camp at https://fallingcreek.com/about-us.

2025 New Staff Interest Form