Our History
For almost 60 years, Sugar Creek Camp and Retreat Center has been a place where people of all ages can connect with God, with one another, and with the beauty of creation. Our story continues every time a camper laughs around a campfire, a family finds rest during a retreat, or a group discovers renewal in our valleys and creeks. This is a story of faith, growth, community, and you.
The Dream Begins (1966–1969)
Sugar Creek Camp and Retreat Center began with a dream. In 1966, Pastor Andrew Hegre and leaders from 33 local congregations envisioned a place in the La Crosse area where people could gather, grow in faith, and experience God’s creation. With persistence (and a little holy imagination), they brought that dream to life by piecing together two farms — the beginnings of what is now 635 acres of beautiful valleys, ridges, and creeks. By the summer of 1969, camp was alive with laughter, worship, and the joy of community. The first programs were rustic, but youth and adults alike loved them.
Growing in Community (1970s–1990s)
In 1974, a retreat center opened the door for year-round ministry. Soon, new cabins, a picnic shelter, a sauna, and even a covered bridge joined the landscape as summer camp grew to welcome over 500 campers each year. By 1993, more than 2,000 people were coming to Sugar Creek annually for summer camp and retreats. To meet this growing demand, new facilities like the Koinonia Lodge, additional cabins, a nature center, staff housing, and a new shower house were added.
A Season of Expansion (2000s)
By the year 2000, Sugar Creek served 3,000 campers each summer — both on-site and through off-site day camps — plus thousands more retreat guests throughout the year. The 2000s brought another period of growth: a sparkling new swimming pool, Amish-style winterized cabins, a new horse barn, Frontier Town, and the beautiful dining lodge, the “Manna Center.”
Our Heart Remains the Same
Through all the changes and expansions, one thing has stayed constant: Sugar Creek Camp and Retreat Center’s mission of sharing the Gospel and nurturing faith. From first-time campers splashing in the pool to alumni returning for retreats, generations have come to this valley, renewed in Christ and strengthened to live out their faith back home.