LEADER’S PLANNING GUIDE

Hillcrest is located in Hardin County in southeastern Illinois near Cave-in-Rock on the Ohio River. This beautiful facility provides a unique and peaceful setting in the Shawnee National Forest overlooking the Ohio River. With about 2,000 professions of faith made at Hillcrest Baptist Camp, we are certain that it will meet your physical and spiritual needs.

Whether you are planning a summer camp, rally, retreat, reunion, church picnic, deacon retreat, training seminar, church planning meeting or other events, we are available to serve you. The office is open by appointment from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. throughout the year except on official holidays, but is closed Sundays and Wednesday afternoons. Call us to check the availability of your preferred dates.

For your information, the first piece of choice Camp property of 10 acres of land was originally given to Antioch and Big Saline Missionary Baptist Associations by Mr. Wiley and Mrs. Mary Addis Cochran on December 3, 1965. On August 31, 1987, 9 acres was sold to the Camp by Mr. John and Mrs. Joann Kunath. Mr. Kunath purchased the land from Mr. Cochran and sold it to the Camp for what he paid for it. Thus, the Camp owns 19 acres of prime land on the Hillcrest high above the Ohio River and almost on the border of Western Kentucky and Southern Illinois.

The two Associations deeded the land to Mid-Continent College on December 13, 1999, for one dollar so the Camp could be upgraded. After gaining 501-c-3 non-profit charity status, all required licenses in Illinois, incorporation, tax-exempt status, etc., renovating the property, organizing, promoting, and managing camping at Hillcrest the College deeded the property back to Hillcrest Baptist Camp-Assembly, Inc. on February 8, 2003. 

Map of Camp Area of Southeastern, IL 62919

Directions to the camp:

FROM THE NORTH: Take IL 1 South, turn left at the reddish brown “Baptist Camp” highway sign and follow the white Hillcrest signs to the Camp.

FROM KY AND SOUTH: Take the free ferry to Cave-in-Rock and go north on IL 1 approximately 2 1/2 miles. Turn right at redish brown “Baptist Camp” highway sign and follow the white Hillcrest signs to the Camp.

FROM THE WEST: Take IL146 East, turn left on IL 1 North, turn right at reddish brown “Baptist Camp” highway sign and follow the white Hillcrest signs to the Camp.

APPLICATION & REGISTRATION:

Please contact our Office to check the availability of your event dates. Click here to complete the Application Form on our website. Please send in this form along with your deposit ($5.00 per camper per day) by clicking on the the PayPal link to confirm your registration and deposit. We will hold the date for 10 working days to complete the whole process. Your event will not be confirmed until we receive the Application Form and deposit by PayPal. If we have not received the deposit by this time, we will notify you that you have been removed from our calendar and the date is now available for scheduling another group. Your Certificate of Insurance is required one week before arrival. Upon arrival the Group Leader must check in for the group at the Camp Office. At this time, the Camp Manager and Group Leader will take an inspection tour of the Camp and complete check-in. A billing statement will be prepared and full payment is to be made before the close of your event. At the close of the event, an inspection tour will be made by the Camp Manager and the Group Leader to check for any damages.

CAMPING GUIDELINES

1. WEEKLY CAMPING: 5 camper days or Monday through Friday. Groups are required to contribute $100 per camper for 5 camper days. The minimum size of group for camps normally is 40 campers. This contribution includes housing, insurance, utilities, etc. but not meals. All food and cooking supplies, programs and personnel, recreational supplies and equipment, hand soap and paper hand towels, garbage and waste basket liners must be provided by the visiting group. Bedding, towels, personal soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, and deodorant must be provided by the camper.

2. CAMPERS ONE DAY AND WEEKEND RETREATS: Friday and Friday night = 1 camper day, Friday – Saturday = 2 camper days, Friday – Sunday = 3 camper days. Contribution is $20.00 per camper per day. $100 per camper for 5 camper days.

3. CONTRIBUTION FOR RV AND POP-UP CAMPERS WITH A/C: $20.00 Per each RV camper in the RV per day.

4. DEPOSIT: $5.00 per camper per camper day.

5. WORKER & TEAMS: $10.00 per worker per work day.

STAFFING REQUIREMENTS

All staff members must be Christians. Each group is required to have an experienced adult GROUP LEADER. Also the State of Illinois requires an Illinois certified NURSE, EMT, or first aid person and an Illinois Certified COOK. The Group Leader will see that a responsible adult will be responsible for bagging, collection, and disposal of all garbage, sanitary products, and litter to the dumpster EACH DAY and at the close of camp. The Group Leader is responsible to see that the nurse has a good First Aid Kit sufficient for all health and emergency needs.

AGE AND SUPERVISION GUIDELINES:

Children (9-11) and youth (12-17). Campers should be 9 – 17 years of age. Adult Christian Counselors (over 21) are required to accompany youth and children, to stay in each dorm room with them, to be at their tables in the dining hall and supervise all activities. Each group is responsible for damages from negligence. We recommend a daily inspection of dorms. Facilities are to be clean and in order prior to departure. An inspection tour by the Camp Manager and the Group Leader will be conducted prior to the group leaving. Any agreed upon damage will be billed to the group. If any building has not been properly cleaned, the cost of the cleaning will be charged to the visiting group. Keys must be turned in to the office on departure. A $5.00 fee will be charged for a lost key.

Guests must observe an 11:00 pm curfew. All outside activity is to cease and groups are to retire to the dorms at this time and lights must be out by midnight. For the well being of our guests, the Counselors are responsible to see the campers do not leave their dorm rooms at night unless there is an emergency and the campers must be accompanied by an adult Counselor.

GUESTS (Family members and others):

All guests including family MUST register at the Office and be approved by the visiting Group Leader and Camp Manager. Each person must pay camper day contribution of $20.00. If invited, family and guests are welcome to attend the final or main service providing there is sufficient room in the Chapel for campers and staff to be seated.

STEWARDSHIP:

All the camp grounds, buildings, and facilities are a sacred trust from the Lord and the benefactors and as such must be fully maintained and preserved. We can find genuine Christian joy and fulfillment in leaving everything for the next group better than we found it.

ANIMALS AND PETS:

Comfort and guide dogs must be approved and registered in advance. Immunization must be documented and completed in advance.

MOTORIZED AND NON-MOTORIZED VEHICLES:

Pedal bikes, motor bikes, and 4 wheelers must not be brought to camp by campers or staff or be operated on Camp grounds unless granted prior authorization by the Camp Manager in accordance with Board policies. Wheel chairs or motorized vehicles for the disadvantaged may only be used by the disadvantaged person and not for fun and games.

NATIONAL FOREST AND HEALTH REGULATIONS:

The Camp is located in the Shawnee National Forest, so animal life must not be molested or killed nor plant life or rock formations destroyed. No smoking is allowed in any building or on the grounds. Playing with matches or lighters is not permitted and starting a fire is punishable by law. State law requires us to warn campers about ticks, mosquitos, etc. Please read and obey all posters, circulars and signs. Loud or abusive behavior or language will not be tolerated. Guests are not to bring alcohol, illegal drugs, knives, firearms, or fireworks on the premises.

TELEPHONE AND MAIL:

The Camp will provide upon request a phone in the office. It may be used only by staff and the visiting group will be charged for all long distance calls billed to the camp. Please keep a record of any long distance calls and nearly all calls are considered long distance by our phone company. The camp phone number is (618) 289-3036. By and large cell phones do not work in the remote location of the Camp. Mail is delivered to the following address: Hillcrest Baptist Camp, 100 Hillcrest Dr., Cave-in-Rock, IL 62919. The mail will be collected daily from the rural mail box.

RV CAMPERS AND CAMPING:

The Camp has water, sewer and electrical connections for RV’s, and sites with electric service for pop-up trailers and tents. Please call the Camp Office for arrangements, reservations, and the required contribution. Large groups will be expected to pay the “demand charge” for electricity charged by the Southeastern Electric Co-op. The male and female Bath House have commodes, lavatories and showers with hot water. There is also a large picnic pavilion for campers.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

Dormitory housing consists of two (2) buildings. Each building will sleep about 50 guests and each building has indoor bathrooms with hot water. All buildings are temperature controlled with air conditioning or heat. Linens are NOT provided. Arts and crafts are conducted only in the pavilion. The Chapel has folding chairs, pulpit, etc. There is a TV with VCR and DVD available. No food or drink is allowed in the Chapel. No one is allowed to sleep in the Chapel. The Chapel is temperature controlled with air conditioning and heating and will seat the registered staff and campers.

KITCHEN AND DINING FACILITY:

We have a kitchen available for your food service. It has a convection oven, a microwave oven, commercial 10 burner gas stove with double ovens, commercial refrigerator, freezer, 4 compartment electric steam table, two 3 compartment stainless steel food prep sink, hand washing sink, work table and serving counter, storage shelves and cupboards, and two ice machines. The kitchen is only for your kitchen staff and is off limits for unauthorized staff.

The Dining Hall has a stainless steel salad bar, tables and seating for 96 people. This complex is also air conditioned or heated and temperature controlled.

MAINTENANCE AREA:

This Camp has a Maintenance Building and Volunteer Work Center. This area is off limits for campers and unauthorized staff.

SPORTS AND PLAYING FIELDS:

The Camp has playing fields for softball, soccer, football, volleyball, ga-ga ball, kick ball, corn hole boards, horse shoes, disc golf, and grounds for other desired sports like archery, etc.

“KNEEL AT THE CROSS” PRAYER GARDEN:

The Prayer Garden has a large wooden cross at the front and elevated seating for approximately 100 people. This rustic outdoor facility with benches, cross and kneeling altar blends in well with the beautiful blue pines and tulip trees of the Shawnee National Forest. It provides a wonderful place for outdoor worship and praise services.

NURSES CABIN:

A Nurses Cabin is provided for the Nurse. It has sleeping accommodations for the Nurse and patients. A list of clinics and hospitals nearby are posted in the Nurse’s cabin.