YMCA Mill Hollow
- Coed
- Traditional, Specialty
Camp Brave Trails
- Coed
- Ages 12-17
- Specialty, Traditional
Primarily serves a specific population: LGBTQ+
Overview
Brave Trails is a fully accredited overnight camp designed for LGBTQ+ teens (ages 12-17) with a focus on leadership development. Our mission is to create a supportive space where campers can connect with like-minded peers, explore their identities, and pursue their passions. As you enter Camp Brave Trails, you’re welcomed by a forest of rainbows and the cheers of our unicorn staff. From the moment you arrive, you’ll feel a sense of belonging like nowhere else.
Camp Brave Trails blends the best of traditional summer camp with an LGBTQ+ twist. We’ve done away with gender-segregated spaces, restrictive dress codes, and the need to explain your identity. Instead, we focus on friendship, personal growth, and, of course, having an absolute blast! Campers enjoy classic camp experiences like campfires, archery, arts & crafts, hiking, and stargazing, all while building leadership skills and making life-long friends.
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Specialty camp focus: LGBTQ+, Leadership
Case-by-case support for campers with: ADHD, Anxiety, Autism, Depression, Hearing Impairment, Social-Emotional Needs, Food Allergies
Unique Features
- Queer-Centered Leadership: Campers grow as leaders through workshops that turn passions into action—designed specifically with LGBTQ+ youth in mind.
- Gender-Affirming Spaces: All-gender cabins, flexible dress codes, and affirming staff create a space where campers can safely and fully be themselves.
- Identity-Based Affinity Groups: Optional identity groups offer safe spaces for connection, healing, joy, and shared experiences with peers who just get it.
- Traditional Camp, Queer Twist: Campers enjoy classic camp fun—like archery and campfires—while also diving into LGBTQ+ history, identity, and community.
- Financial Aid Access: We offer over $130K in financial aid each year, covering up to 95% of tuition to ensure camp is accessible to LGBTQ+ youth from all backgrounds.
Activities
Dates & Rates
2025 Season:
- Camp Season June 16 - July 22
- Session Lengths 1.5 weeks
- Cost $125 - $2,500 /week
Financial Offers:
- Tiered/sliding scale tutition: No
- Financial assistance: Yes
- Special discounts: Available
Accommodations
Bunks
- Type: Cabins
- Not open air
- Electricity/lights
- No air conditioning
- Separate bathhouse
- Showers not attached
- Toilets not attached
Health
- Staff certified in First Aid / CPR
- No doctor onsite
- Nurse onsite
- 24/7 medical staff
- Health Center
Dietary Needs
- Food Allergies
- Gluten Free
- No kosher
- Peanut-free
- Not tree nut-free
- Vegan friendly
- Vegetarian friendly
International Campers
- Enrolls non-US campers
- 7 countries have attended
Welcome Message
Jessica, Co-Founder & Executive Director
At Camp Brave Trails, we believe that every young person deserves a space where they feel seen, celebrated, and empowered just as they are. For LGBTQ+ youth, that space can sometimes feel hard to find and thats why Brave Trails exists.
Were not just a camp. Were a home, a community, and a launchpad for the next generation of LGBTQ+ leaders. If your'e looking for a camp where your child will be safe and supported, we cant wait to welcome you to the Brave Trails family.
Ready to take the next step?
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