Camp Manito-wish YMCA was established in 1919 on the shore of Boulder Lake in Boulder Junction, Wisconsin.

In the spring of 1919 Walter "Daddy" H. Wones, H.E. Andrews and Judge E. B. Beldon searched for the perfect place to establish a summer camp for the State of Wisconsin YMCA. Wones believed that the wilderness of Northwoods of Wisconsin offered a more in depth experience and challenge for campers. It would be a place for many kids from urban areas to experience a quiet night, observe wildlife, and paddle through beautiful lakes, rivers and streams.

The men visited the Rabbit's Foot Resort, and determined that this was the place that they had envisioned. On June 1, 1919, the sign for Rabbits Foot Resort was removed, and the first summer of Camp Manito-wish YMCA was underway. The program was a success and by 1925, a new and large dining hall was added. Nash Lodge was built through a contribution from C.W. Nash and is still considered the gathering place of the Manito-wish community.

The first session of Camp opened on July 4, 1919 with 100 boys and 29 staff members. Until 1941, Camp Manito-wish was for boys only. The summer of 1941 brought the first girls sessions to Camp Manito-wish. Manito-wish still runs separate boys and girls sessions for summer camp.

Wilderness tripping has always been the core of the Manito-wish program. As campers grew older, they wanted more of a challenge in their wilderness tripping. This demand was met through the establishment of the Manito-wish Outpost program.

Today, Manito-wish offers Outpost experiences lasting 9-45 days in destinations such as destinations including Isle Royale National Park, Quetico Provincial Park, Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Northern Saskatchewan, Nunavut, and the Shoshone, Custer, Nez Perce and Gallatin National Forests in the Rocky Mountains.

Over the years it became evident that one of the most valued results of the Manito-wish summer experience was the quality of leadership skills that participants developed. In the 1990s, this quality was more closely examined, and the Seven Qualities of a Manito-wish Leader were identified. To support and expand the opportunities to learn about and develop these qualities, the Manito-wish Leadership Program was established.

In 1998, the Manito-wish Leadership Center, the Smith Leadership Village and the Lang Challenge Course was opened and dedicated to building leadership and community in school groups, youth serving agencies, community organizations, and corporate groups. These groups visit Camp on a year-round basis.

Today, Camp Manito-wish operates twelve months a year and serves thousands of youth and families.