You are invited to an Outdoor Adventure with Brave Trails and SMYAL!

SMYAL, a community group for LGBTQ+ families in the DC area, is partnering with Brave Trails, an organization with 10+ years experience planning family camps across the United States for LGBTQ+ families, to bring you this unique day of fun and adventure!

What: Our second Brave Trails and SMYAL "The Great OUTdoors" Family Camping Day! It'll be a silly day of nature, community, queerness, family, and friends!

Why: Too often, LGBTQ+ people feel like nature and camping isn’t for them– that we don’t have the skills, we will be ostracized, or we don’t have the money to afford it. This is only more true for community members who are BIPOC and/or disabled, facing additional barriers to access the outdoors! But trans and queer people belong in nature! The forest can be a powerful space for healing, connection, and self exploration. And nature is full of queer beauty that breaks binaries…if you only know where to look!

Who: Open only to verified families who have participated in Brave Trails or SMYAL programs previously, or are registered for this coming summer. Participants 13+ do not need parental or family supervision to attend. 

Ages: This event is open to youth ages 6-18 and their families (siblings welcome)!

When: April 25th, 2026, from Noon-6pm 

Cost: The day portion of this event is FREE to participants and families

Where: Virginia (The location will be sent to you separately once registered. It is about an hour from DC in Virginia)