The center also holds weeklong, elderhostel programs that focus on appreciating nature, such as the geology and natural history of the area, or the astronomy of the northern skies. Accommodations are rustic. If you have fond memories of bunking down at summer camp, the center is for you. There are no televisions, no refrigerators, and few private bathrooms. Sleeping areas are shared, though some small individual rooms are available.
Food is served in the dining hall.
We wanted it to feel like an old-fashioned camp, says Russell Spring Sr., who, with his wife, Janet, founded the center in 1974. It's not a fancy place at all. This camp-like atmosphere has proved surprisingly popular, judging by the number of people from other states and countries who make the trip each year to Craftsbury to participate in center programs. But Russell Spring is most proud of the fact that local people use the center, too. Through the winter he regularly skis the trails that lead from the center to the common.