About the site
The Summerland Festival is held at Camp Clifton, a 4-H camp in Greene Co., Ohio, operated by Ohio State Extension. The site boasts 22 reservable cabins, two bathroom/shower houses, a dining hall with a commercial kitchen, a 6000 sq. ft. covered pavilion, and a large fire circle, all among a canopy of mature woodland on the bluffs above the Little Miami River.
Physical accessibility
The main paths between the dining hall, pavilion, and fire circle are relatively well-graded, but they are mostly packed dirt and gravel, and there are notable inclines. The paths among the cabins/showerhouses can become somewhat rutted depending on the summer’s rains, especially in the back corner of the campground.
We will have two golf carts on site whose primary purpose is to help those who may have mobility concerns to move among festival locations. These golf carts may only be operated by festival staff, but please don’t hesitate to ask — we have the golf carts for your convenience, and we’re happy to give you a lift!
The cabins are fairly primitive, but they have flat concrete floors and come equipped with bunkbeds with foam mattresses (linens not included) and electrical service suitable for low-voltage electrics (phone chargers, fans, CPAP machines, etc.).
Particular medical/mobility needs
For attendees who have medical or mobility needs that cannot be met by the cabins, we have reserved bunk space in the staff cabin, which sleeps 10 and has a restroom and a refrigerator. If you need to reserve space in the medical cabin or have other concerns or questions not addressed here, please email us before registering so we can make sure we can meet your needs.
Connectivity
We occasionally get questions about virtual attendance, etc. Unfortunately, it’s simply not possible. There are some unpredictable exceptions, but overall Camp Clifton has very bad cellular reception and no wifi. If you need to make a call/check online accounts/etc, you can generally get reception by standing in the middle of the open field across the drive from the dining hall, but you should expect to be mostly out of contact while on-site.
Facilities
Showerhouses
There are two showerhouses on-site, each with restroom facilities and divided shower stalls. While Camp Clifton designates these as gender-divided facilities, for the duration of the Summerland Festival, all restroom and shower facilities are gender-neutral and open to all. Please be respectful of others’ privacy when utilizing the changing areas.
Minors: we love having children with us at festival! Parents and guardians, when your children are using the shower facilities, please hang up the “minors only” signage. If you arrive to use the showers but they are in use by minors, please use the other showerhouse, or return at another time.
Staff cabin
The staff cabin is reserved for attendees with specific medical needs; see above.
Nurse’s cabin
The nurse’s cabin is reserved as a quiet respite area. If at any point you find you need a moment of peace, we invite you to avail yourself of the seating in the nurse’s cabin. Please keep it quiet inside, as well as on the cabin’s porch.
Cabins
For more information on reservable cabins (both full-cabin rental and bunkhouse space), please see our Festival Lodging page.
Swimming Pool and Ropes Courses
The Swimming Pool and the Ropes Courses are not included in our rental, and are strictly off-limits.
Location/Directions
The camp sits on the south side of Clifton Gorge, across the Little Miami river from John Bryan State Park.
The camp’s address is 2256 Clifton Rd., Yellow Springs, OH 45387.
Typically, results from Google and other mapping services should be accurate, with the exception that Google’s map pin is, confusingly, off in the woods northwest of the site; in the embedded map below, the covered shelter near the dining hall (for check-in) is marked with a green star. Enter from the western end of the loop, and follow it around to check-in. (Keep going past the “camp office”; that’s not the place!)
