Happy Trails for Kids

Happy Trails for Kids offers overnight camp experiences for children in the foster care system. The activities listed include hiking, canoeing, swimming, archery, stargazing, rock climbing, dancing, and singing silly songs by a campfire. The program also lists summer camp, winter camp through a partnership with the Felix Organization, year-round extracurricular and supportive programming, older youth programs, LASSO workshops and events, the Junior Counselor Program, and Happy Camper Hangout.

Programs

• Overnight camp experience — 7-18 · For children in the foster care system; includes activities such as hiking, canoeing, swimming, archery, stargazing, rock climbing, dancing, singing silly songs by a campfire, and more.
• Summer camp — 7-18 · Overnight summer camp experiences for children in the foster care system.
• Winter camp — 7-18 · Expanded camping program offered through a partnership with the Felix Organization.
• Year-round extracurricular and supportive programming — Year-round educational, cultural, outdoor and social programming activities; weekly extracurricular programs; reunion events.
• Older youth programs — 12-24 · Trails to Success Initiative for older campers, junior counselors and camp counselors.
• LASSO — 14+ · Learning Adulthood Skills and Supporting Ourselves; specialized workshops and events designed to help prepare campers for life after foster care and the responsibilities of adulthood.
• Junior Counselor Program — 16-17 · Former campers ages 16 and 17 can serve as Junior Counselors and participate in a year-round youth leadership program.
• Happy Camper Hangout — New initiative listed among the programs.

At a glance

• Ages: 7–18 years old

About the provider

Happy Trails for Kids says it is dedicated to bringing camping, connections and confidence into the lives of boys and girls growing up in foster care. The leadership team includes Camp Director September Sucher, Project Manager Vincent Steven Trails To Success, Executive Director Lindsay Elliott, Board Chairman Jonathan Abrams, Board Secretary and Treasurer Mark Hikin, Founder Pepper Edmiston, Co-Founder and Board Member Susan Abrams, and board members Charlotte Hunt Harvey, Dr. Deanna Cooke, Erika Frank, Jeffrey Schwartz, Josh Pianko, Marci Gonzalez Rand, and Ronda Jackson.

Campers ages 7 years old through age 18 are invited. The majority of camp counselors are former foster youth. A nurse is available on-site. Campers do not 'age out' of Happy Trails, and former campers ages 18 and beyond can remain in the Happy Trails family as summer camp counselors.

Last updated September 14, 2026.