Over 40 years as Tidewater's premier residential camp offering horsemanship, skate park, water slide, sports, drama, archery, climbing walls, surfing, and more, Triple-R ranch is a safe place where people find friendship, faith and fun. Our well trained staff provides excellent one week day and overnight camps for ages 7-17 all summer. While the Fall, Winter, and Spring are times when we host churches and organizations looking for a place to host a retreat or activities. Horse have always played and important role at Triple-R and we provide horsemanship lessons through the Fall and Spring each year.



Statement of Belief



    * There is one God eternally existing in three persons- the father, the son and the Holy Spirit.

    * The Holy Scriptures are verbally inspired of God and are our only infallible rule of faith and practice.

    * Jesus Christ died, shedding His blood for our sins, and was bodily raised from the dead for our justification.

    * He will return visible and bodily with great power and great glory

    * Man is by nature and practice a sinner, separated from God and can become God's child only by faith in Jesus Christ and submission to the will of God as revealed in the gospel.

    * Those who are thus born into God's family have eternal life, and those who are not remain spiritually dead and will be separated from God forever in hell.

    * The Holy spirit lives in the believer and enables him to walk in purity of life and submission to the will of God.

    * All believers are united in the body of Christ.



Mission Statement



Triple-R Ranch seeks to impact the lives of children, youth and adults throughout the mid-Atlantic region by the use of quality, year round programs, including summer camp, retreats, outdoor education, and horsemanship programs. Believing that the outdoors represents a rich potential for communicating God's essential life truths, "the Ranch" is committed to a practical presentation and application of Biblical truth, using a broad range of outdoor adventures to develop spiritual and moral depth in tomorrows leaders.



Letter from John Dunlap (Ranch Founder)



For about ten years we had been looking for suitable acreage while praying about Tidewater's great need for a Christian Camp where boys and girls could enjoy God's great outdoors and at the same time be challenged with the claims of Christ. When Norfolk Christian Schools came into being and we began to sift down and consolidate our understanding of Christian Education, a Christian camping program became a must in our thinking.



When Mr. Garrick and I tramped around the old DeFord farm for the first time, experienced its wilderness flavor, and learned of how steeped in history it was, we were convinced that this was the place. The undergrowth was very thick and some areas had not been cleared since the land was conveyed to the DeFords by the Exchequer of his Majesty King George III in the 1730's. But after several thousand man hours invested by volunteers on Saturdays and holidays, a camping site was cleared and a few riding trails were blazed.



By 1961 we completed the Lodge and kitchen in which we had a boy's week and girls's week and in which we fed them, slept them, recreated them and taught them. At this time our string of horses was pretty short- numbering two. The next year we began to add cabins until today we have a total of 14 cabins plus the Longhorn Lodge, Wig-Wam Hobby Hogan, Scaly Bark Roost Treehouse, Trading Post, Virginia City Hotel and Bunkhouse, Fort Apache, Town Hall, laundry building, Barn, Office, Log Cabin, Archery and Riflery ranges, 7 staff residences, Caribou cafe, Homestead (original Ranch Building) and close to 50 horses and other assorted animals.



It should be said that the Triple-R is the simple result of God's great faithfulness plus thousands of volunteer man-hours and much sacrificial work and giving on the part of Christians who are sold out on the ministry of such a camping program. May God, by His grace, use it for many years to come.



John Dunlap, Founder and former Pastor

Tabernacle Church of Norfolk/ Triple-R Ranch/ Norfolk Christian Schools



Triple-R Use Code



These facilities were built for and dedicated to the glory of God. Our continuing existence and ministry are intrinsically linked with the Christian Testimony we have built in both the Christian and secular community. It is important that this be clearly understood by the sponsor and shared in detail with every participant for whom he/she is responsible.