Every overnight camp at Trailways brings together a group of adults, and no two of them come with the same story.
Most of our campers live with an intellectual or developmental disability. Many are on the autism spectrum. Others live with Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, seizure disorders, blindness, traumatic brain injury, and more. Many also manage additional conditions, from anxiety, depression, and ADHD to speech and language differences.
Many campers also live with one or more secondary diagnoses, which shape the support they need at camp. These include Tourette syndrome, scoliosis, hearing loss, asthma, and sleep apnea; and communication differences such as speech and language disorders and apraxia, including campers who are nonverbal. Campers also manage mental health conditions, including ADHD, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and excoriation (skin-picking) disorder.
The range of these diagnoses tells us something important: there is no single “Trailways camper.” Some campers need help getting around. Some communicate without words. Some need a quiet space when a day gets loud, and some need medication on a careful schedule. Our staff learns each camper as a person first, then builds the support around them so they can take part fully.
At Trailways Camps, diagnoses explain part of what a camper needs. They don’t define what a camper can do. At camp, adults with a wide range of abilities swim, sing, make friends, try new things, and spend nights away from home in a setting created for them.
For families, that matters too. A parent or caregiver doesn’t have to wonder whether their loved one is “the right fit.” If your camper has needs others have told you are too complex, we want to hear from you.
Every camper belongs here, and every camp, our campers prove it. Trailways Camps is truly “a place where you are something special.”
Let us know your campers’ needs by filling out our registration form.
Learn more about the camps we offer.
