(828) 891-7721
A camper in a climbing helmet and harness swings through the air on the zip line, laughing and looking back at the camera, with sunlit green treetops behind her.

Summer 2027 at Camp Highlander

A summer to grow and connect.

Imagine your child stepping into a simpler world: disconnecting from technology, learning life skills they will carry into adulthood, and being accepted for who they are. Picture them making their bed every morning, braving the stage at the talent show, confiding in a trusted counselor, and laughing until their sides hurt. Since 1957, Camp Highlander has been a home away from home for boys and girls ages 6 to 16 to learn, grow, and play on Old Forge Mountain in Horse Shoe, North Carolina.

Register today for Summer 2027!

Kick Off opens June 6, 2027.

Our Mission

Our mission is simple: to love and be loved.

Campers sitting shoulder to shoulder on the grass at night, each holding a lit candle, faces warm in the candlelight.

Everything at Highlander grows out of that mission. It is in the way counselors greet a nervous first-timer at the gate, the way the camp family rallies around a friend trying something new for the first time, and the way the whole camp sits shoulder to shoulder at the final campfire. Here, children are welcomed, known, valued, and inspired to be the best version of themselves.

Our owners and directors, Bryan and Melissa Fitzgerald, describe camp as a place that “doesn’t demand the perfection of the world, but extends grace to grow.” In a world that changes faster every year, Highlander is a constant: a place children return to summer after summer, to be surrounded by a supportive family environment and loved for who they are.

Where Your Child Belongs

Picture opening day. Your child runs through a tunnel of cheering counselors to a cabin where nine new friends are waiting. Immediately, they belong. That night, the whole camp gathers around a roaring campfire where they are welcomed into the Highlander family, and back in their cabin, campers share their hopes and goals for the session at their Cabin Talk. And the next morning, the adventure with their cabin group begins.

Their people, from day one

A camper runs grinning through a tunnel of counselors' raised arms on opening day, carrying her bedding.

Every camper at Highlander becomes part of a cabin group: ten campers their age and grade and two counselors who live, play, and grow together all session long. Ten is intentional. It brings together enough personalities and interests that everyone finds a friend, and it keeps the group close enough that every child is truly known.

The cabin group walks everywhere together, and because we are walking, we are talking. It is in these little moments throughout the day that memories are made and relationships are built.

Their counselors are college-age mentors and role models, there to encourage, guide, and celebrate each camper. Cabins travel to their scheduled activities together, cheer each other on, and take on other cabins in friendly competition. Through daily adventures, ten individuals become one unit: a brotherhood or a sisterhood that makes the mountain feel like home.

An important role of our counselors is to make sure every camper has a place in the cabin. Whether your child is quiet and reserved or born for the stage, every camper has an opportunity to shine at Highlander. Beyond the cabin group, Wednesdays and Saturdays are Camper Choice Days that let each camper choose their own activities, whether that means trying something new, going back to an all-time favorite, or choosing to be with their new best friends.

Trade screens for adventure

Campers sitting along the rocks at the edge of the river, looking out at the water and the woods on the far bank.

At Highlander, children get a summer of real, face-to-face childhood: muddy knees, dancing in the rain, laughter as they brave the stage at the talent show, and friends they can look in the eye. Camp is electronics-free, so campers spend their days fully present with the people and the nature around them.

For our older campers, a break from phones and group chats often becomes the part of camp they treasure most. For our younger campers, it simply means a summer outdoors, free to enjoy being a child.

Camp also gives children the chance to solve small problems on their own and discover how capable they are.

Boys camp and girls camp, one mountain

A boy and a girl in face paint, arms raised and cheering together during an evening program, with other campers behind them.

Boys and girls live on opposite sides of our property, each with their own cabins and counselors. They come together for meals in the dining hall and Evening Programs, and they cross paths throughout the day.

Brothers and sisters can share the same session while each makes their own friends, with family never far away.

Imagine your children sharing the magic of the same camp experience while each embarking on their own unique adventure. Siblings will have special opportunities to encourage one another with a high five, share a hug, or celebrate each other’s accomplishments, all while making their own friends and creating individual memories. They’ll enjoy the comfort of knowing they’re sharing this special place, with plenty of opportunities to connect throughout their time at camp.

And for parents, sending siblings to the same camp makes summer a little easier, too, with one drop-off location, one packing list, and the peace of mind that comes from knowing your children are creating wonderful memories in the same place.

How You'll Hear From Camp

Letting go is a big step, for you as much as for them. Once your camper is registered, you will receive access to the Campanion App, which parents use throughout the camp experience, from completing forms to communicating with their camper. While your camper is unplugged, you stay connected.

A young camper grinning up at the camera from inside a green tub during an outdoor game.
The kind of photo that lands in your app

Notes in their own handwriting

Campers turn in Bunk Notes that are scanned to your Campanion app the same day, and you can easily respond in the app to keep the conversation going. Or send a letter the old-fashioned way. We are big fans of snail mail, and it still works.

An update from their counselor

In the first week, your child's cabin counselor will write a newsletter that gets emailed home, so that you can see how your camper and their cabin are doing.

Photos every day

Campanion shares photos daily and, through facial recognition, notifies you whenever your child appears in one.

Our partnership promise

At Camp Highlander, we know that parents are the biggest support in making our campers successful. If your child is struggling with their adjustment to camp life, needs to see a doctor in town, or is being kept overnight in our on-camp Health Hut, you will receive a phone call from a leadership team member or a nurse to involve you in making the best decision for your child.

A Day on the Mountain

Morning

Two campers in life jackets at the lake, heads together, blowing the seeds off a dandelion.
  1. 8:00 am

    Wake up

    At 8:00 am the morning bell echoes across the mountain. Nobody wakes up to a phone alarm.

  2. Before breakfast

    Reflect at the Rock

    Campers and staff gather for Reflect at the Rock, where leadership shares valuable lessons about courage, honesty, integrity, and faith from the Highlander Creed.

  3. After the Rock

    Breakfast and cabin chores

    After breakfast, campers work together on cabin chores and get ready for a fun day of activities!

  4. Before activities

    Assembly

    All of camp gathers at the assembly court to raise the flag, say the pledge, and kick off the day with laughter and entertainment.

  5. Late morning

    Cabin activities

    Cabins head off together to their morning activities. Whether it is riflery, pottery, the lake, or more, opportunities for fun and growth are on the schedule!

  6. Before lunch

    Free time

    Independence and decision making are valuable life skills. We intentionally program free time twice a day, before lunch and before dinner, when campers can choose what they want to do and who they want to be with.

Afternoon

A camper sitting in a tub of water on the grass, laughing, during a cabin game.
  1. Midday

    Lunch, family-style

    Lunch is served family-style, each cabin around its own table.

  2. After lunch

    Rest hour

    An intentional pause in the middle of the day for rest, recharge, and relationship building.

  3. 2:15 pm

    The snack bar bell

    At 2:15 the bell rings out across the mountain and campers race to the snack bar.

  4. Afternoon

    Afternoon activities

    Back to activities with their cabin.

  5. Late afternoon

    Free time

    The day’s second block of free time, before dinner.

Evening

A camper laughing as coloured powder bursts behind them during an evening game.
  1. Supper time

    Dinner

    Dinner together in the dining hall.

  2. 7:30–8:00 pm

    Evening program

    The bell rings again to signal the beginning of Evening Program: square dances, carnivals, talent shows, cabin challenges, scavenger hunts, and so much more. When the sun goes down, the energy kicks up at Highlander!

  3. Bedtime

    Cabin time

    Back in the cabin, counselors ask each camper to share the best part of their day and what they are most looking forward to on tomorrow’s schedule. Then it is lights out, as we dream about the gift of the adventures to come.

Who They Become

The friendships are what bring campers back year after year. What they carry home is something deeper. At Highlander, we teach four core values, known on the mountain as CHIF.

  1. Courage

    Dare to be brave. Try new things. Stand by your friends.

  2. Honesty

    Speak truth in love. Be yourself.

  3. Integrity

    Respect yourself, others and nature. Win with integrity. Lose with integrity.

  4. Faith

    Seek truth and believe. Faith is the ability to receive, find and make meaning in our lives.

A camper in an orange climbing helmet and harness grinning straight at the camera, hands on the straps, after a turn on the course.

Health & Safety

Sending your child to camp is an act of trust, and we hold it as carefully as you do. For more than 60 years, the health, safety and well-being of every camper has been our first responsibility.

Two campers in helmets and harnesses sitting on a wooden platform high in the trees on the ropes course.
The Crow's Nest

Counselors chosen with care

  • Every staff member completes a background check, reference checks, and screening before joining our team, and every candidate goes through multiple interviews with our directors as part of a rigorous vetting process.
  • Counselors complete online training before camp, then arrive days ahead of campers for in-person training in CPR and first aid, child protection and supervision, emergency response, and risk recognition.

Nurses around the clock

  • Full-time registered nurses care for campers in our Health Hut 24 hours a day.
  • Urgent care is five miles away, and Pardee Memorial Hospital is 15 miles away.

Safety on the water and up high

  • Each activity area has a dedicated activity counselor focused on the safety of that activity.
  • Certified lifeguards are on duty at every water activity, and all campers wear life jackets at the lake.
  • Specially trained instructors run the climbing wall, zip line, and challenge course, and all equipment is inspected daily. Staff who lead off-camp hikes and rafting trips hold Wilderness First Aid certification.

A closed, gated campus

  • Our team monitors the weather throughout the day.
  • We regularly practice our emergency action plans.
  • The campus is closed and gated once a session starts.

Our directors on hiring and training our staff

2027 Camp Sessions

Five sessions, from six days to a full month, so every family can find the right amount of time to fit their camper’s needs. Flexible payment plans are available. Six-year-olds must have completed kindergarten.

Boys: OpenGirls: Open6 Days

Kick Off

June 6 – 11, 2027

Completed grades K–7th

$2,475

Session size100 girls and 100 boys

A taste of camp life for campers who have completed kindergarten through 7th grade and are looking for a jam-packed, fast-paced week of fun. In six days, Kick Off campers experience many of our on-camp activities, like kayaking and archery, along with Evening Programs, traditions, and a cabin of new friends.

Kick Off does not include Camper Choice Days, off-camp trips, horse trail rides, or laundry service.

Boys: OpenGirls: Open13 Days

Session A

June 13 – 25, 2027

Completed grades K–10th

$5,200

Session size140 girls and 140 boys

A full two weeks on the mountain, for families who are ready for a multi-week summer or who want camp before July. Campers enjoy nearly all of our on-camp activities, off-camp trips suited to their age, an overnight camping trip under the stars right here on our mountain, and some of our most exciting Evening Programs.

Boys: OpenGirls: Open13 Days

Session B

June 27 – July 9, 2027

Completed grades K–10th

$5,200

Session size140 girls and 140 boys

Everything Session A offers, plus the biggest party of the summer: the Fourth of July. The day begins with our Freedom 5K, includes wonderful traditions and friendly competitions, and ends with a spectacular fireworks celebration.

Boys: OpenGirls: Open17 Days

Session C

July 11 – 27, 2027

Completed grades 3rd–10th

$6,300

Session size140 girls and 140 boys

Our longest and most electrifying session, with a focus on competition. Session C is our only session with Color War, a Highlander tradition since 1965. For four days, campers and counselors, separated into two teams, compete in a variety of events, from triathlons and soccer games to cheer competitions, swim meets, brain games, and play performances. With sports, arts, and academic events, every camper has a way to shine for their team.

Boys: OpenGirls: Open31 Days

Session BC

June 27 – July 27, 2027

Completed grades 3rd–10th

$11,800

Session size30 girls and 30 boys

This session is for campers ready for a whole month of fun: Sessions B and C back to back, with the Fourth of July, Color War, and stayover programming that only BC campers enjoy.

Which session is right for your kid?

Five questions, about a minute. We'll point you at the session that fits and show you the dates.

An Investment in Your Child

Camp is a meaningful investment in your child's confidence, independence and friendships. Tuition includes nearly everything your camper does on the mountain.

What tuition covers

  • All camp activities, ranging from riflery and kayaking to pottery, lacrosse, and more, plus Camper Choice Days on Wednesdays and Saturdays with unique, creative, trendy camp activities.
  • Laundry service.
  • Three plentiful meals and two snacks a day, with meals served family-style.
  • Off-camp trips into Pisgah National Forest and DuPont State Forest, depending on camper age, and an overnight camping trip under the stars on our mountain.
  • Registered nurses in the Health Hut around the clock.
  • Daily photos and scanned letters through the Campanion app.
Six campers walking together along a shaded camp road, arms full of towels and water bottles, laughing.
  • 10campers per cabin at most, with at least two dedicated counselors
  • 24/7full-time registered nurses on site, with a Health Hut on camp
  • 240acres, with campers spending most of their time on the central 40
  • 25+activities, plus more on Camper Choice Days on Wednesdays and Saturdays
  • 32states campers have travelled from, plus 20 countries

Family Weekends

Some parents want to experience the mountain for themselves. Our family weekends bring you to the same cabins, activities, dining hall and Evening Programs your child would enjoy, with time to simply be together.

A mother and daughter in life jackets sitting together on a rock at the edge of the lake, looking back at the camera, with the water, the blob and the mountains behind them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if my child won't know anyone, or is shy?

Most first-time campers arrive not knowing anyone, and that is exactly what the cabin group is for. From the moment they arrive, your child has nine cabin mates and two counselors who are theirs. They have a place and people to call their own from the very first day.

What if my child misses home?

Missing home is completely normal, and we plan for it with care. Counselors build trust in the first few days so a camper feels comfortable telling them how they are feeling, and the best remedy is helping a child settle into friendships and activities early.

If your camper is having a hard time, we will contact you, because it works best when camp and home are saying the same thing. For most campers, missing home soon gives way to feeling at home.

Is my child ready for sleepaway camp?

Some families begin with Kick Off, our six-day session, when they are unsure about the camp experience, while others decide a two-week session is the best fit for their schedule.

Before enrollment, we encourage parents to schedule a time to speak with a director about their child. We are invested in knowing your child and how we can ensure their success at camp each summer, so that both you and your child can feel confident about their summer away.

How do campers travel to camp?

Campers come to Highlander from all over. Whether driving or flying, we are ready to meet your camper when they arrive. Campers who fly are greeted by Highlander staff at the gate and shuttled to and from camp on opening and closing days.

How do payments and refunds work?

A $1,000 deposit is due with your application. For applications received between August and November 15, the remaining balance is split into three payments due November 15, January 15, and March 15.

Deposits are fully refundable until January 15, minus a $300 administrative fee per camper, and tuition beyond the deposit is refundable with written notice before March 15. After March 15, there are no refunds, credits, or transfers, so we strongly recommend Program Protector cancellation insurance.

Payment can be made by echeck (1% processing fee) or credit card (3% fee). Military, alumni, and sibling credits are available. We do not take debit cards.

Can we visit?

We would love to show you the mountain. Tours are available by appointment from August through May; email Beth Lynch at beth@camphighlander.com to arrange one.

Camp is closed to visitors during the summer so campers' time stays theirs. Our family weekends are another wonderful way to experience Highlander for yourself.

We would love to meet your family.

The best way to know whether Highlander will be a good fit for your camper is to speak with a director. Call us at (828) 891-7721, Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Eastern, request information and we will send you the 2027 dates and rates, or schedule a tour of the mountain between August and May.

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Camp Highlander | Sleepaway Camp in the NC Mountains, Ages 6-16