Camp Under the Stars

Camp Overview 

We are a micro-camp, which means that we are small by design. We have about 20 camp staff and about 40 campers each week. Most of our campers are ages 6-12.

We are an inclusive camp! We have some campers and staff with disabilities and additional needs. Most of our campers and staff do not have disabilities. We welcome campers and staff of all genders.  Our cabins are not necessarily separated by gender. We welcome LGBTQIA+ campers and staff. We provide financial assistance and have a socioeconomically diverse group of campers. We welcome campers and staff of all races and promote anti-racism. Camp Under the Stars is a secular camp. We welcome campers and staff of all religions.

Camp Under the Stars is located in the Prince William Forest National Park in Virginia, about one hour from Washington, DC.

Our camp activities take place outside! Activities include hiking, campfires, kayaking, paddleboarding, art, STEM, teambuilding, campfire cooking, yoga, mindfulness, outdoor games, makerspace, building forts with sticks & logs, hammocking in the forest, campfire cooking, swimming in the creek & waterfalls, culinary, book time, and outdoor play.

Camp Under the Stars is about 100 acres, surrounded by over 15,000 acres of National Forest! We have a large dining hall for meals and nutritious snacks, a program cabin for art, STEM, tie-dye, and makerspace, a health cabin where our camp nurses live, a lake for kayaking and paddleboarding, a creek and waterfalls for exploring and swimming, a large field for playing outdoor games, and a library.

At Camp Under the Stars, our mission is to provide a supportive, inclusive camp community that values each child's uniqueness, celebrates our differences, and respects nature and the planet. Our program is built on kindness, empathy, compassion, and inclusion. Camp staff treat other staff and campers with kindness and respect at all times. We only use behavior management techniques based on connection, respect, empathy,support, and kindness. We use restorative justice practices to resolve conflicts at camp.

At Camp Under the Stars, we value equity, diversity, and inclusion. We know that Black Lives Matter. We value equitable access to comprehensive reproductive health care. We use the pronouns that campers and staff members want us to use. We value our planet and implement green initiatives, like composting.