Brattleboro, VT
Since 1924, Camp W Summer Camps based in Southern Vermont have brought amazing outdoor experiences to kids and teens from around the world. Our talented leaders craft each week to bring growth, fun and discovery through wilderness survival skills, nature mentoring, community building activities. Our summer camps offer a unique opportunity for toddlers, kids and teens to immerse themselves in the natural world for days at a time.
Explore on the camp’s website ↗Camp W is appealing to kids who are ready to try a low-pressure adventure camp for the first time away from home. For most kids, Camp W is a totally new kind of camp. Kids are a long way from home, without a friend or family member and sleeping in cabins, tents, and living outdoors for an extended period of time; you can expect a few days of adjustment in gaining personal comfort, becoming more resilient and making real bonds with others.
We dine together, family-style, fostering a sense of community and connection. Around the table, we share stories, celebrate achievements, and strengthen bonds as we enjoy wholesome, flavorful meals crafted with love. Campers enjoy their meals either family-style in our dining hall or picnic-style outdoors, making mealtime a joyful celebration of community and connection.
We are grateful for the opportunity to offer Camp W at our excellent location on Mount Solitude in southern Vermont. The diverse and wild ecosystems that span more than 150 acres of our mountain offer the best of convenience and vast natural beauty to explore.
Our forest home shelters towering 400-year-old trees, while clear summer skies unveil the brilliance of the Milky Way. Nestled within the Green Mountains ecoregion, our camp is surrounded by one of the most beautiful forests on Earth, featuring natural springs, mossy groves, bioluminescence, and incredible wildlife. Campers can follow on-site spring-fed creeks to discover cascading waterfalls, like the Ravine or Split Rock Falls.
During the summer season, backpacking trips span three days and two nights, taking campers on unforgettable journeys along Vermont's iconic Long Trail. In small groups of 6–10 campers, participants travel through remote, scenic areas while learning essential outdoor skills, including Leave No Trace principles and backpacking techniques. There's nothing quite like waking up in the heart of the wilderness, surrounded by nature's beauty. Cooking breakfast around the campfire with friends, sharing stories, and preparing for another day of adventure creates memories that last a lifetime.
At Camp W, community is built on shared effort and mutual respect. Campers contribute by cleaning their cabins and common areas, assisting with dishes and meal preparation, and participating in tasks that strengthen the camp environment. This shared responsibility fosters a sense of belonging and teamwork while helping prevent cliques and promoting inclusivity. Camp W operates as a collaborative environment where campers and staff have a real voice in shaping the community.
Our menus are vegetarian and will accommodate many different dietary needs. Pre-documented, pre-existing health conditions that are noted on the Health Form we will do our best to accommodate. Due to our open air kitchen and backcountry cooking environment we are not able to be 100% nut or gluten free, but do our best to accommodate all needs. Menus and recipes are created by our Chef Heather who has a Masters in Dietetics based upon feedback from our campers and community.
Explore on the camp’s website ↗One of our signature mindfulness practices is the "sit spot." Each camper selects a specific spot in the forest to return to daily, where they silently observe and reflect. Whether with eyes open or closed, campers begin to feel a sense of belonging in the natural world. Over time, the forest welcomes their presence not as visitors but as part of its rhythm, and wildlife responds with relaxed acceptance. This unique practice fosters a deep connection with nature, where campers feel one with the trees, plants, animals, and the gentle patterns of the forest.
Explore on the camp’s website ↗Campers sleep in our three-walled cabins or in the forest surrounding the main campus, with options to use hammocks, shelters, or wall tents. Each sleeping area accommodates 10–16 campers, with feminine and masculine shelters thoughtfully located on opposite ends of camp for privacy and comfort. Sleeping groups will be separated by gender identity with instructors nearby at all times. Campers are placed in small cabin groups with 2–3 instructors, ensuring tailored activities and meaningful connections.
Read more on the camp’s website ↗Heather has been a dietitian for two decades, and working with food and health for her whole adult life. She has prepared food and baked cookies for the rich and famous, intravenously fed sick preemies, and worked with families to manage food allergies. Heather loves making healthy food delicious, creating vegetarian meals that inspire cheers, poetry, and songs among campers. She is happiest when she turns a vegetable skeptic into an adventurous enjoyer of plants.
Read more on the camp’s website ↗At Camp W, we believe that nourishing our bodies with care and intention is as important as the adventures we embark on. Our full-time Chef and Dietitian craft balanced menus to ensure every meal is nutritious, delicious, and energizing. Many of our fruits, vegetables, and eggs are grown right on our homestead. We also partner with local farms and CSAs to source fresh, seasonal produce. Campers have the unique opportunity to thank the chickens who laid their breakfast eggs, harvest vegetables for lunchtime soup and salad, and pick fresh fruits that become the evening's dessert.
Read more on the camp’s website ↗Cabin Time serves as a cocoon of comfort and authentic expression. Through prompted and organic discussions, campers engage in vulnerable, meaningful conversations with peers. This sense of connection is one of the pinnacles of the Camp W experience, leaving a lasting impact on personal growth and relationships. As nightly precursors to bedtime, Embers are contemplative activities designed to encourage campers to reflect deeply on life and their place in the world.
Read more on the camp’s website ↗