About
Camp Woodcraft offers sleepaway camp, family camp, school retreats, an Eco Warriors youth leadership retreat, and outdoor education programs. Campers take part in hands-on, nature-based adventures that can include gathering at a campfire and going on a hike.
• Ages: 7–18 years old
• Price: over half of campers attend through heavily subsidized or free programs
Camp Woodcraft, a program of Woodcraft Rangers, was founded in 1902 by author and naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton and has operated for over a century, including scouting and camping programs launched in Los Angeles in 1922. The program follows a Camp-4-All model, with partnerships and generous contributions helping break down cost barriers so that over half of campers attend through heavily subsidized or free programs. Its mission centers on fostering inclusion and access in the outdoors for all youth, regardless of race, religion, or socioeconomic background, and on eliminating barriers to participation through positive mentorship and a supportive community.
Camp Woodcraft uses an experiential, nature-based curriculum that aligns with Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Programs are inclusive and adaptable, with tailored support for youth of all abilities, a person-centered approach with individualized supports, and on-site responsive support for students and families. In 2023, Woodcraft launched a groundbreaking inclusion initiative for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including autism and ADHD, in partnership with the California Department of Developmental Services and local Regional Centers, and also partners with Regional Centers for additional support services.
The camp is an all-gender welcoming community that follows recommendations set forth by Scouts for Equality for full gender inclusion. Bunk units are defined by boys and girls, and campers can elect which cabin they most identify with, while mixed gender activity units combine bunk units for all daytime activities. Individual shower stalls provide privacy, and the gender diverse camp team and year-round youth development staff reflect the diversity of the students served. Culturally responsive environments and programming integrate diverse perspectives into programming, training, and staff recruitment.
Inclusion specialists enhance access for neurodivergent youth and youth with disabilities by offering on-site, responsive assistance. Staff receive comprehensive training and are trained in best practices, with collaborative goal-setting that involves parents and schools. Under the leadership of Helen “Curly” Morales, Director of Camp Woodcraft & Outdoor Education, the program has been recognized as a leader in inclusion practices within outdoor education.
Helen Morales brings 16 years of experience in youth development, serves on the board of the Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (AEOE), and serves on the DEI committee for the American Camp Association (ACA). In 2024, she was recognized as Outdoor Educator of the Year for Southern California by AEOE, and under her leadership Camp Woodcraft received the American Camp Association’s Eleanor P. Eells Award for Excellence in Research in Practice. The leadership team also includes Natalie “Selfie” Pinedo, Manager of Outdoor Education and a graduate of the University of Phoenix with a BA in Human Services, and Diana Gonzalez, an Outdoor and Environmental Educator who is a credentialed educator.
Last updated March 10, 2026.
• Ages: 7–18 years old
• Price: over half of campers attend through heavily subsidized or free programs
Camp Woodcraft, a program of Woodcraft Rangers, was founded in 1902 by author and naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton and has operated for over a century, including scouting and camping programs launched in Los Angeles in 1922. The program follows a Camp-4-All model, with partnerships and generous contributions helping break down cost barriers so that over half of campers attend through heavily subsidized or free programs. Its mission centers on fostering inclusion and access in the outdoors for all youth, regardless of race, religion, or socioeconomic background, and on eliminating barriers to participation through positive mentorship and a supportive community.
Camp Woodcraft uses an experiential, nature-based curriculum that aligns with Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Programs are inclusive and adaptable, with tailored support for youth of all abilities, a person-centered approach with individualized supports, and on-site responsive support for students and families. In 2023, Woodcraft launched a groundbreaking inclusion initiative for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including autism and ADHD, in partnership with the California Department of Developmental Services and local Regional Centers, and also partners with Regional Centers for additional support services.
The camp is an all-gender welcoming community that follows recommendations set forth by Scouts for Equality for full gender inclusion. Bunk units are defined by boys and girls, and campers can elect which cabin they most identify with, while mixed gender activity units combine bunk units for all daytime activities. Individual shower stalls provide privacy, and the gender diverse camp team and year-round youth development staff reflect the diversity of the students served. Culturally responsive environments and programming integrate diverse perspectives into programming, training, and staff recruitment.
Inclusion specialists enhance access for neurodivergent youth and youth with disabilities by offering on-site, responsive assistance. Staff receive comprehensive training and are trained in best practices, with collaborative goal-setting that involves parents and schools. Under the leadership of Helen “Curly” Morales, Director of Camp Woodcraft & Outdoor Education, the program has been recognized as a leader in inclusion practices within outdoor education.
Helen Morales brings 16 years of experience in youth development, serves on the board of the Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (AEOE), and serves on the DEI committee for the American Camp Association (ACA). In 2024, she was recognized as Outdoor Educator of the Year for Southern California by AEOE, and under her leadership Camp Woodcraft received the American Camp Association’s Eleanor P. Eells Award for Excellence in Research in Practice. The leadership team also includes Natalie “Selfie” Pinedo, Manager of Outdoor Education and a graduate of the University of Phoenix with a BA in Human Services, and Diana Gonzalez, an Outdoor and Environmental Educator who is a credentialed educator.
Last updated March 10, 2026.
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