Go on a hike in the dark for about 2 hours on the hunt for some owls, then end inside with a fire and hot coco until 8!

DATE AND TIME:  5pm-8pm on Sunday, December 6th

WHAT TO BRING: A warm outer layer and a positive attitude! :)

LOCATION: Maryland (Exact location will be sent out a few days before the event)

WHO'S INVITED: This event is recommended 6th grade and up, we'll be hiking quietly in the dark for about 2 hours. This event is open to Brave Trails Campers, alumni, Brave Trails staff, as well as families coming along for the ride!

HOSTED BY: Counselor Basil!

Ask a Brave Therapist is a casual, drop-in space hosted by therapists from Brave Trails & The Relational Center where we talk about all things queer, curious, and human. This isn’t a therapy group, just a welcoming place to connect, ask questions, and have some fun together. We might play a few games, share stories, or just see where the conversation takes us. From gender feels and identity exploration to friendship drama and mindfulness tips, everything is welcome here. Come hang out, get to know our therapists, and find out more about our upcoming Brave Trails therapy groups for LGBTQ+ youth and their caregivers.

DATE AND TIME: Thursday, December 4th, 2025 from 7:00pm - 8:30pm PT

LOCATION: Zoom (link will be sent out 48 hours prior to the event via email)

WHO'S INVITED: Any LGBTQIA+ or allied youth currently connected to, or curious about Brave Trails programs. Caregivers welcome too!

HOSTED BY: Brave Trails therapists Lulu & Kaden with help from Outreach Coordinator Roxxy

Come hang out with Brave Trails campers and staff; past present and future! This will be a chill and low stakes opportunity for some connection and community. Eat some snacks, catch up with old friends, and make new friends too!

DATE AND TIME: Sunday, November 23, 2025 3PM-5PM

WHAT TO BRING: A blanket or something to sit on and a snack or craft to share :)

LOCATION: San Diego, CA (Exact location will be sent out a few days before the event)

WHO'S INVITED: This event is open to Brave Trails Campers, alumni, Brave Trails staff, as well as families coming along for the ride!

HOSTED BY: Counselor  Coco and Fatuma!

Info Session + Meet the Team! 

Thinking about camp but want to learn more first? Join our upcoming info session to discover what makes Brave Trails so special! You’ll get an inside look at our programs, meet members of our leadership team, and have a chance to ask any questions before enrolling. California folks, stick around to meet two of our therapists providing individual and support group therapy!

WHO'S INVITED: This event is open to all Prospective Parents & Caregivers of LGBTQ+ Youth

DATE AND TIME: Tuesday, November 18, 2025 5:30pm PT / 8:30PM ET

LOCATION: Zoom (a zoom link will be sent to all all RSVPs 48 prior to the event)

Come with us on a fungi hike for about two hours, then make our own mushroom grow kits to take home and some mushroom art if we have time!

DATE AND TIME: 12pm-4pm on Sunday, November 16th.

WHAT TO BRING: A curious mind and positive attitude! We'll grab pizza for attendees, feel free to bring your own food if you'd prefer though!

LOCATION: Maryland (Exact location will be sent out a few days before the event)

WHO'S INVITED: This event is recommended 6th grade and up. This event is open to Brave Trails Campers, alumni, Brave Trails staff, as well as families coming along for the ride!

HOSTED BY: Counselor Basil!

Brave Trails is showing up at Models of Pride this year!

Join hundreds of LGBTQ+ youth and their allies at this year’s 33rd annual Models of Pride Summit! Celebrating 33 years of success, the Models of Pride Summit will bring us into a new world of fun with exciting and interactive activities, dancing and music and heart stopping performances! This summit will also include Chill Lounges, a Resource and College Fair, carnival games, delicious food, and more – all FOR FREE! All LGBTQ+ youth ages 24 and younger and their allies, friends, and families are invited to attend.

DESCRIPTION OF EVENT: Join us for a Pride month kick-off! This event is intended as a reunion for our Family Camp participants, a place for our future Summer Camp participants to connect, and an opportunity for folks interested in Brave Trails to meet some of our community and learn more. We'll have arts and crafts, friendship bracelet making, games and opportunities to casually connect with others in our Brave Trails community. 

WHO'S INVITED: This event is open to Brave Trails campers (past and future), Family Camp participants, alumni, Brave Trails staff, as well as family members and friends coming along for the ride. Please feel free to invite others in your community. 

DATE AND TIME: June 1st, from 2PM-4PM

WHAT TO BRING: A water bottle, sunscreen, and your favorite game to play with others. 

LOCATION: Atlanta (within 15-minute drive of downtown); exact location will be sent out a few days before the event for increased safety.

HOSTED BY: Blake - Brave Trails Southeast Summer Camp Director

DESCRIPTION OF EVENT: Come join a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive place to exchange queer focused media, such as books or movies and clothes/dress up items, while also learning more about Camp Brave Trails and how to get involved! Bring your old books, movies, CDs, records, dresses, shoes, costumes, etc. that you'd like to exchange. If you don't have anything to exchange, you're still welcome to come along and join in on the fun!

WHO'S INVITED: This event is specifically for LGBT+ youth or college aged people, but anyone can join in the fun! Feel free to bring friends and family along as well.

DATE AND TIME: May 31st, 10am - 4pm

WHAT TO BRING: Items to donate or swap and good vibes! :)

LOCATION: Central Wisconsin (exact location will be sent out via email a few days prior to the event)

HOSTED BY: Samuel - A Brave Trails volunteer and former camper

DESCRIPTION OF EVENT: Join your fellow Brave Trails Campers in our pre camp party! Here, you’ll be able to meet other campers from your session, get to know your directors, ask questions, and more! Come hang out and get pumped for the summer ahead!

WHO'S INVITED: This event is open to all Brave Trails enrolled campers for 2025 as well as current staff. Campers from our California, Georgia, and New York sessions are invited!

DATE AND TIME: May 22nd, from 5:30PM(PT)/8:30PM(ET)

LOCATION: Zoom! A link will be provided the day before the event takes place

HOSTED BY: Your Camp Directors!

DESCRIPTION OF EVENT: Brave Trails & PFLAG Los Angeles present: Unite & Uplift: Adult Support Circle, Youth Chill Zone, and Advocacy Party for All

• Adults: Show up as you are to this in-person support group meeting geared towards adults who love and support LGBTQIA2+ people on their journeys. Facilitated by PFLAG LA leadership. Open to all adults regardless of identity.

• Youth: Meanwhile, we’ll dive into some of the magic of Camp Brave Trails with a fun morning of crafts, board games and other fabulousness with Brave Trails staff. Designed for kids and teens - all are welcome.

• Everyone: Afterwards, we’ll all come together for a brief letter writing activity. Whether you’re thanking your favorite supportive librarian, writing to your Queer ancestors, or giving your congressperson a piece of your mind, let’s take a few minutes to put it on paper, mail it off, and leave feeling a little lighter.

DATE AND TIME: MAY 10TH, 2025 10AM-12PM PST

LOCATION: Westside Los Angeles, CA (Exact location will be sent out via email 48 hours before the event for safety purposes)

WHO'S INVITED: This event is open to PFLAG community members, Brave Trails Campers, alumni, Brave Trails staff, as well as families coming along for the ride! Please also come if you are curious about our programming!

Join us for a meet & greet with our Summer Camp Directors!

Get to know the team, ask any questions you have about our 2025 summer camps, and learn more about our financial aid options. It’s a great opportunity to connect directly with our staff and get all the info you need!

WHO'S INVITED: This event is open to all Prospective Parents & Caregivers of LGBTQ+ Youth

DATE AND TIME: Tuesday, April 29th, 2025 5:30pm PT / 8:30PM ET

LOCATION: Zoom (a zoom link will be sent to all all RSVPs 48 prior to the event)

DESCRIPTION OF EVENT: LGBTQ+ Family Game Night and Processing Space is a a night of games, snacks, and community connection. Therapists and peer supporters will provide [optional] breakout groups, for both youth and adults, to process the current landscape with other LGBTQ+ families; Therapists will also be available for individual or family support. 

WHO'S INVITED: This event is open to LGBTQ+ families! 

DATE AND TIME: April 25th, from 6PM-8PM

WHAT TO BRING: If there's a [family appropriate] game you really want to play, bring it! 

LOCATION: Los Angeles, CA [exact location will be released via email closer to the event for safety purposes]

HOSTED BY: Brave Trails Queer Therapy, supported by Scribble

Come on out for a springtime poetry picnic! Please bring poems to share; either your own original work or poems from your favorite writers. Don't want to read out loud yourself? Someone else can do the reading for you! We'll also offer some creative writing prompts and exercises for anyone looking for some extra inspiration.

WHO'S INVITED: This event is open to LGBTQ+ youth ages 12-18, Brave Trails staff, as well as families coming along for the ride!

DATE AND TIME: Saturday, April 19th, 2025 11AM-1PM

WHAT TO BRING: 

• A favorite poem to share

• Something to write with/on

• Blanket or chair to sit on

• Water bottle and a snack

LOCATION: ATLANTA, GA (Exact location will be sent out via email 48 hours before the event for safety purposes)

Join staff member MC (they/them) for some puppet time in the park. Make a puppet from a template, or just enjoy some queer community in the park.

WHO'S INVITED: This event is open to Brave Trails Campers, alumni, Brave Trails staff, as well as families coming along for the ride!

DATE AND TIME: Saturday, March 29th, 2025 11AM-1PM

WHAT TO BRING: 

• Scissors and tape for puppet making

• Blanket/something to sit on

• A snack for yourself or to share

• A water bottle

• Hat/sun protection 

LOCATION: Los Angeles, CA (Exact location will be sent out via email 48 hours before the event for safety purposes)

Join us for a virtual variety show! We are always blown away by the amazing performances we get to see at camp, but why wait? Share your passions with your friends, make some new friends, celebrate Queer and Trans Joy through art together! Sing, dance, read a poem or short story, the sky is the limit! Also, no performance is required, please feel free to join in as a respectful spectator and cheer on your peers :)

• Who: This event is open to all Brave Trails campers, alumni, staff, as well as any LGBT+ youth ages 11-18

• Location: Zoom! A link will be provided the day before the event takes place

• Date & Time: February 25th, 2025 at 5PM PST / 8PM EST

Join us for a slow, relaxed nature hike and hangout! We'll walk along a secluded stream, sit on some logs, and maybe do a little art! Dress warmly with shoes that can get muddy. It's also a good idea to bring water, any snacks you'd like, and whatever art supplies you might want! (None required, it can also just be nice to hangout with BT friends in a forest!)

• Who’s Invited: Brave Trails campers, alumni, staff, and LGBTQ+ youth ages 11-18.

• Location: Maryland (exact location sent out privately a few days before the event)

• Date & Time: February 23rd, 2025 1-4PM EST

Join Us for a Know Your Rights Q&A with Alexis Sanchez!

LGBTQ+ youth, have questions about your rights? Join us for a special Q&A-style event with political expert and activist Alexis Sanchez (she/her/ella). This is your chance to ask questions, gain valuable insights, and learn about your rights.

Alexis is the Deputy Chief Program Officer at the Sacramento LGBT Center, where she works to create policies and programs that support and uplift the LGBTQ+ community. A dedicated activist and policy expert, she is especially passionate about advocating for transgender individuals, particularly trans women of color. Since beginning her advocacy in 2016 after the Pulse Nightclub shooting, she has worked to champion policies that protect and expand opportunities for LGBTQIA+ individuals. 

A longtime friend of Brave Trails, Alexis has inspired our campers as a counselor in the Passion to Action program, teaching youth how to create change through activism. Now, she’s returning to lead this Know Your Rights virtual workshop for LGBTQ+ youth on February 19th.

• Who’s Invited: Brave Trails campers, alumni, staff, and LGBTQ+ youth ages 11-18.

• Location: Zoom! A link will be provided the day before the event takes place

• Date & Time: February 19th, 2025 5PM PST / 8PM EST

Relax and make some friends at our potluck in San Francisco! Bring yourself, some food, and picnic blankets/lawn chairs (in the event we set up on the lawn). Feel free to bring bracelets/zines/anything to trade as well! Card games and craft supplies provided.

WHO'S INVITED: This event is open to Brave Trails Campers, alumni, Brave Trails staff, as well as families coming along for the ride!

DATE AND TIME: January 18, 2025 from 12-2pm

WHAT TO BRING: Your favorite picnic food (please make sure ingredients are listed for allergens!), a picnic blanket, and your excitement!

LOCATION: San Francisco (near Pacific Heights) 

*A more detailed description of the location will be sent prior to the event*

Come join your Brave Trails family for a fun and queer day as we reunite in California & Washington D.C.! Reconnect with some old friends, meet some new friends, and say hi to your favorite camp staff members!

Let’s giggle and gab over games and grub at Griffith Park! Potluck style lunch followed by a nature walk on a 1/3 mile long trail (optional). Come and meet some really great humans to make friends with, and even some turtle friends if we’re lucky.

All LGBTQIA+ youth ages 11-18, Brave Trails staff, Brave Trails campers, and Brave Trails alumni are welcome to join!

• Date & Time: Dec 8th at 12:00pm PT

• Location: Griffith Park (Los Angeles, CA)

• Hosted By: Mariah and Roxxy

• What to Bring: Potluck style party!

Get creative in this generative writing circle. Together we’ll write fiction or poetry in response to fun prompts and optionally share our work from this session, or from your own personal body of work!

This event is open to all Brave Trails campers, alumni, staff, as well as any LGBT+ youth ages 11-18

• Date & Time: Nov 8th at 5:30pm PT / 8:30pm ET

• Location: Zoom (Participants will receive a zoom link sent via email)

• Hosted By: Aidah

Come join us for a game of Werewolf, also known as Mafia, which is a social deduction game where players are secretly assigned roles as either a werewolf or a villager. During the day the town tries to figure out who the werewolf is and shun them from the village, at night werewolves exile a townsperson. Last group standing wins!

This event is open to all Brave Trails campers, alumni, staff, as well as any LGBT+ youth ages 11-18

• Date & Time: Nov 6th at 5:30pm PT / 8:30pm ET

• Location: Zoom (Participants will receive a zoom link sent via email)

• Hosted By: Nico

Come get nature-y with a nature chat and queer nature trivia party with BT staff member Basil! If you love all things plants, animals, mushrooms, or you just like hanging out with queer people- this is the program for you!

This event is open to all Brave Trails campers, alumni, staff, as well as any LGBT+ youth ages 11-18

• Date & Time: Nov 5th at 5:30pm PT / 8:30pm ET

• Location: Zoom (Participants will receive a zoom link sent via email)

• Hosted By: Basil

Come get creative and be in community! Join Brave Trails therapist, Emma, to make collages while chatting about feelings and anxieties about the upcoming election. This will be a casual space to express yourself, share your thoughts, and connect with others. Feel free to bring physical collage materials- magazines, paper, scissors, and glue- or use online platforms like Canva and Pinterest to create your own masterpiece!

All LGBTQIA+ youth ages 11-18, Brave Trails staff, Brave Trails campers, and Brave Trails alumni are welcome to join!

• Date & Time: Nov 4th at 5:30pm PT / 8:30pm ET

• Location: Zoom (Participants will receive a zoom link sent via email)

• Hosted By: Emma, a licensed clinician

Brave Trails has been invited to the LA Lakers Basketball Pride Night in DTLA. Join us for an exciting night of sports and recreation. This event is open to all families, youth, and current or past Brave Trails Staff. 

We have a limited supply of tickets so they will be given on a first come, first served basis. If you sign up and are unable to attend, please contact Sophia at sophia@bravetrails.org so we can release the tickets out. 

**Please note that supervision will not be provided, we recommend youth be accompanied by an adult. Event Contact and exact meeting location will be shared after signing up!**

• Date & Time: Oct, 26th at 7:30pm

• Location: Crypto.com Arena DTLA

• Free Ticket: Limited Supply

**--- As of Oct 15, all tickets have been claimed! Feel free to fill out this form to join a waitlist in case anyone who has previously claimed tickets is unable to go--**

Brave Trails is thrilled to announce that we'll be tabling at the 32nd annual Models of Pride event in Los Angeles! Join us for an amazing day with our Associate Director Taylor and some other familiar camp faces. Get ready to be inspired and connect with other change-makers like yourself!

Join hundreds of LGBTQ+ youth and their allies at this year’s 32nd annual Models of Pride Summit! Following the wildly successful event in 2023 with Dylan Mulvaney, Hayley Kiyoko and Ruba, we have transformed what has been an incredible and in its inception, a much needed LGBTQ+ youth conference, into a celebratory event of love, acceptance and joy! Celebrating 32 years of success, the new Models of Pride Summit will bring us into a new world of fun with an all new venue, exciting and interactive activities, dancing and music and heart stopping performances! This summit will also include Chill Lounges, a Resource, College, and Job Fair, carnival games, delicious food, and more – all FOR FREE! All LGBTQ+ youth ages 24 and younger and their allies, friends, and families are invited to attend.

• Date & Time: Oct, 14th from 10a-4p

• Location: Los Angeles, CA

Come join Brave Trails at Georgia Safe Schools Coalitions’ ATL Pride Afterparty! The event will have LGBTQ+ trivia and movies, music, games, drag, and good vibes. Join Brave Trails very own Blake Mitchell at the costume closet! Let's kick it and celebrate all things Pride. Don't miss out!

Event is open to youth ages 12-17!

• Date & Time: October 12th, 6 - 10:30pm EDT

• Location: Atlanta, GA

Join us for our first official Brave Trails event in Nashville with a Brave Space meet-up and community hang out!

This event is open to any LGBTQ+ youth (all ages!), Brave Trails campers, their families, and Brave Trails staff, volunteers, alumni, and allies!

• Date & Time: Sept 29, 2024, 2pm-5pm ET

• Location: Nashville, TN (An exact location will be sent out to registered participants prior to the event)

•  Hosted by: Blake Mitchell

• RSVP for additional details // minimal refreshments will be provided // guests encouraged to bring food and drinks. No alcohol allowed.