Welcome to Circle Pines Center
The mission of Circle Pines is to promote peace, social justice, environmental stewardship, and cooperation. The center aims to demonstrate cooperative alternatives for economic and social issues to each cooperation as a way of life.
Circle Pines Center
Not just for campers and staff! We offer a variety of accommodations for your group! Nested within our 294 acres are rustic log cabins, a lodge, dorm-style cabins, and tent areas. Cluster your guest in a group of cabins with space for tenting or share a large lodge all together! Choose electricity, running water, bathrooms, or opt to rough it. Use our on-site laundry, fire rings, picnic tables, sauna, dining hall, meeting rooms, and more!
Circle Pines Center is committed to supporting sustainable agriculture and the slow food movement. Kitchen staff members work hard to provide delicious and nutritious meals from scratch using primarily local and organic ingredients. We source camp food from over 15 local farm families in Southwest Michigan. Meat dishes are prepared using pasture fed and humanely raised animals.
The Circle Pines Community fosters its core values of peace, social justice, environmental stewardship, and cooperation. We strengthen links to the movement towards natural food and organic gardening. We host activist organizations in our facilities. We create community during summer camp. Using over 15 local farms for camp food fosters community and supports local growers.
The greatest work can be accomplished when people are at peace with one another working toward a common goal. Understanding individual differences with a focus on grassroots activism and community brings a sense of unity and collaboration to CPC.
Cooperation cannot exist until all people have the same basic rights. Whether it’s summer camp or purchasing food, Circle Pines Center strives to implement and educate for social justice to create a more cooperative and equitable world.
Recognizing that humans have the power to change the planet for the better or for the worst, we believe that it is our role to be stewards of the environment. Protecting the environment through conservation and sustainable practices flows through all we do.
From special events to camp to community meetings, a shared sense of purpose and cooperative thinking enhance the quality of life at Circle Pines Center. Through daily work projects, conversations, and relationships, CPC instills the practice of cooperation as a way of life.
Come shake off those winter blues with fun winter activities including sledding and cross country skiing (bring your own boots) as well as snow hikes.
Come join us for our annual Maple Syrup weekend! Learn the process of making maple syrup and boiling sap. We will also have other activities and a pancake breakfast!
Want to get into gardening? Like working with others or alone on this kind of project? Want somewhere to work remotely in the office and help when you can? Curious about camp and Circle Pines for you or your kids? Want to have the camp vibes in Spring but have aged out or didn't have a chance to participate in Youth?
Well then this is for you!
Garden Institute is a weeklong work-retreat program for CPC youth AND adults from March 22-28th, 2026. Together with experienced agriculturalists you'll plan, learn, and get your hands and knees in the soil with your fellow campers. Together, we will design our optimal CPC garden, build structures, plant seeds and starts and more!
This is a "family camping" program meaning there are no age restrictions for attendees from our Circle Pines Community, NOT that you need to bring your family to attend. Please fill out a registration form for each family member attending.
Think you're ready to get into the weeds? Register today, and we'll see you at Circle Pines! Not sure if it's for you yet or need to know anything about the program at any point? Message info@circlepinescenter.net for answers.
Great Lakes Alliance of Cooperatives – Spring Retreat 2026
April 10-12, 2026
Hello fellow co-opers;
Our Great Lakes Alliance of Cooperatives Spring Retreat will be April 10-12 at Circle Pines Center. Save the Date and make a plan to be there with others from your co-op!
The organizing committee is looking forward to sharing this weekend that brings together cooperators from many sectors of the co-op world including housing, food, worker, and other co-ops.
The Schedule for the Event is forthcoming, we will provide updates on website so please stay tuned
