The entire board of Camp Bethel recently voted to pursue finding private land as a new location for the camp.

The Christian camp started at the current location on U.S. Forest Service land in the Bighorn Mountains in 1944. Should a new location be found, the lease and current buildings could be sold.

Camp Bethel Director Tim Huff said in a Sunday news release that it was not an easy decision, but one the board spent hours praying about and discussing.

There were many factors that went into the unanimous decision, including concerns about continuing operations on land they do not own.

Huff said that the camp has had a good working relationship with the state and federal agencies over the years, and the decision to move is not a reflection on those past relationships. At the same time, as regulations get tighter, the cost of doing business on the mountain increases.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Camp Bethel board voted this spring to cancel all summer camps, and had hoped to use the shutdown time for repairs and upgrades to the camp. However, none of the permits were approved in time, due to the current backlog of work, and the short timeframe of the request.

“Also, the board felt God seemed to change the focus from spending money on land they do not own to seeking land they could own,” the board wrote in Sunday’s news release.

Other factors were the age of some of the buildings and the cost of maintaining them. “The board again felt continuing to put money into buildings and infrastructure on property that wasn’t owned by the camp was not a good investment,” the release continued.

Board president Mark Fritz said that the cost of building would go down significantly if the camp weren’t on the top of the mountain. The location of the camp means the buildings have to meet standards of higher wind load, seismic load and snow load. This drives cost up considerably 

There would also be more freedom to build and expand. This would include recreational activities like a zipline.

“The board hopes to find a suitable location that will still give camp access to the Bighorn Mountains for activities,” the release said.

Anyone seeking additional information may contact Huff at 307-655-7021.