Wilderness Expedition

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REFUND POLICY

Cancel before March 15th – Receive a full refund

Cancel between March 16th and May 15th – Receive a 50% refund 

Cancel on or after May 16th – No refund is available, but 50% of the registration cost can be used towards a future registration

If you need to move your camp week to another week, we can do this with no charge to you (pending availability in the week you’d like to move to).

Program Details

Experience an incredible adventure with our 5-day, 4-night wilderness expedition camp! Conquer thrilling climbing challenges before navigating the serene waters of Switzer Lake by kayak. Your journey continues as you camp under the stars at Hone Quarry, surrounded by breathtaking natural scenery. Immerse yourself in the mesmerizing beauty of Shenandoah National Park’s no-light zone, where stargazing becomes an otherworldly experience. Spend a night at Big Meadows, deep in the heart of the park, before setting off on a backpacking expedition along the iconic Appalachian Trail. The grand finale awaits in West Virginia, where you’ll explore the underground world in a cave and forge unforgettable memories. Join us for an unparalleled sleepaway expedition, where every moment is an opportunity for discovery and adventure!

Ages

12 – 17 years old

Camp Hours

9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Overnight Locations

Terrapin Adventures (Monday)

Hone Quarry/Switzer Lake (Tuesday)

Shenandoah National Park (Wednesday)

Appalachian Trail (Thursday – Friday)

 

Cost of Camp

$699

 

Discounts Available

Sibling discount – Register 2 or more children and receive $50 off your total booking cost when you enter the code SIBLING2024 during checkout.

Camp Contact Information

301-725-1313

info@terrapinadventures.com

campdirector@terrapinadventures.com

 

Challenging, adrenaline rushing experiences for teens

Aerial adventure course

Climbing tower

Zip lining

Giant swing

Archery

Slingshotting

Kayaking on Switzer Lake

Glow in the Dark High Ropes

Backpacking along the Appalachian Trail

Camping at Hone Quarry, VA

No-Light Zone Stargazing at Shenandoah National Park

Camping at Big Meadows

Tie-dye

Natural Water Swimming

Underground Caving

Campfire Cooking

S’mores

Environmental education

Arts and crafts

Outdoor Survival Skills

…and so many more!

 

Frequently Asked Camp Questions

Each day all campers should bring a reusable water bottle that holds at least 24 ounces, a non-perishable lunch and snacks, sunscreen, and bug spray.

Some activities on your child’s schedule may require you to bring additional items, so make sure to check your child’s daily packing list so that you know what to bring each day. Terrapin Adventures will provide all of the specialized gear necessary for our unique activities!

In the springtime, the Camp Director will send out a buddy request form. This form will allow you to request that your child is placed in the same group as someone else who is attending camp the same week and is in their same program. Although we do try our best to accomodate every buddy request that we receive, sometimes we are unable to honor each request. We appreciate your understanding!

Camp is a great place to make new friends and try new things! Our camp counselors are excellent at making campers feel welcome in a group of new people. 

Drop off is between 9:00-9:30 am.

Pick up is between 3:30-4:00 pm.

Transportation is not provided to campers enrolled in the Adventuroos or Kids Exploration Programs. Campers must be dropped off at the designated locations for their program.

Transportation will be provided for campers enrolled in the Teen Adventure, Wilderness Expedition, and Counselor-In-Training Programs for their trips, which are a bit further away from camp’s location.

We provide early bird pricing through the end of February.  Please see the early bird prices higher up on this page.

We also provide a sibling discount. During checkout, please use the code SIBLING2022 to receive $50 off your booking. Please note that you must fit the criteria to claim this discount! If you do not have more than one child in your family registered on your booking you will be fully responsible for the remaining balance.

Although each program is a little bit different, most days will look like this:

9:00-9:30 Campers will arrive at camp! You’ll be greeted by our friendly Camp Counselors who will make sure you are ready for the day. While we wait for everyone to arrive, campers will play games with their counselors.

At 9:30, groups will start their scheduled activities for the day. 

Lunch will happen each day at noon. For programs with campers under the age of 12, a snack break will happen at 10:30 am (please make sure to pack a snack!)After lunch, campers will have more scheduled activities.

At 3:30, we will start winding down for the day and enjoying some free play while we wait for everyone’s adult to arrive. Pick-up will run from 3:30-4:00 pm.

Please check your child’s daily schedule for detailed activities.

Absolutely! We have many campers that sign up for multiple weeks during the summer. Although some activities will happen each week, like our aerial adventure elements, other activities will change week to week in order to keep things fun and exciting!

That’s okay! Lots of kids feel nervous about heights. Our staff are patient, kind, and specially trained to help them work through their fears. That being said, we operate on a challenge-by-choice philosophy, which means that although we will encourage each child to try each activity, we will never force them to do any activity that makes them uncomfortable.

If your child will need prescription medication, over-the-counter medication, emergency medication, homeopathic remedies, vitamins, etc while they are at camp, they will need to be capable of self-administering their medication. Although our staff are trained to handle medical emergencies and oversee the health and safety of our campers, they are not able to administer medication.

Additionally, you must complete the medication administration form. This form must be signed by both the parent and the child’s physician. 

 

Emergency medication will remain with the camper who needs it. A Camp Counselor will store the Epi-Pen, Inhaler, or other Emergency Medication in the medical backpack for the child’s group. 

Non-emergency medication will be stored in a locked medicine cabinet inside of our office (or a locked box on field trips)

We operate rain or shine! Make sure to dress appropriately for the weather and have a waterproof raincoat on hand. 

In the event of a summer thunderstorm, we have access to indoor spaces to do activities or appropriate weather shelter when off-site.

Some of our camp programs do include campfire meals. When you fill out your health form, please make sure to list all food allergies your child has so that we can make sure they have something they can eat the day(s) that they will be campfire cooking with us. We can accomodate almost all food allergies or dietary restrictions.

If your child’s food allergy is airbourne or a contact allergy, please make sure to note this on your child’s health form so that we can work as a team to keep everyone safe at camp.