In 1960, the Master Plan for Pictured Rocks was passed by the North Iowa Annual Conference and by 1961 Pictured Rocks was hosting its first summer camps.  The camp designer and the first director was Rev. Morris Steffenson.  That first summer held 5 weeks of camps that ministered to 291 campers, youth, and adults.  Today, Pictured Rocks has 10 weeks of camps for children as young as 4 all the way up through adults.  Pictured Rocks also hosts numerous retreats throughout the year for people of all ages.  In 2007, Pictured Rocks started a mission opportunity called Be Christ’s Hands in Service and hosted 8 weeks of work groups from all over the United States.

The camp layout and design has changed little over the years.  Improvements have been added: the addition of the tent and trailer area in 1972, the expansion of Timbercrest Lodge completed in 1990, and the Cornwell Youth Lodge added in 2006 and completed in late Spring of 2009.  Pictured Rocks has had the tradition great hospitality and a quiet place set apart from the hectic pace of the world.  The comment often heard from guests, visitors and campers is the feeling of peace they experience while they are here.

The camping ministry at Pictured Rocks has been supported and maintained by many volunteers, lay and clergy, by summer and year round staff and by those in leadership.  From the dreams and desires of seeing a camp in Eastern Iowa by Rev. Ellis Webb and Rev. Morris Steffenson, the first manager of the camp, Arvin Woeste and early program directors Rev. Herb Schafer and Charlene Engleking who volunteered their time and talents to the change of paid executive directors: Mick Rosenau (1985-1996), Kent Chittenden (1996-2000), Steve Kalb (2000-2005), Rev. David Bracht-Wagner (2005-2008), and Gary Wilson (2009-present).

Pictured Rocks has, is and looks forward to continuing the ministry of transforming lives through God’s grace, developing leaders for the church, and making disciples for Jesus Christ.  We invite you to come and be a part of this great history and ministry.

The dates and much of the information for this history is from “Holy Ground: An Overview of the History of Methodist Camping in America and Iowa Featuring, Pictured Rocks United Methodist Camp – Monticello, Iowa,” written by Jennifer G. A. Chittenden.