Friendly Pines Camp

Key Highlights

• ✓Staff and counselors are top-notch, described as super friendly, helpful, kind, and creating a welcoming and inclusive environment.
• ✓A wide variety of activities available, including archery, rock climbing, and high elements, described as 'amazing' and 'endless fun and adventure'.
• ✓Cabins are comfortable and well-equipped, featuring showers, sinks, toilets, fans for summer, and heaters for winter.
• ✓Highly flexible with scheduling and open to new demands, making it easy to plan around specific needs.
• ✓Chef David is praised for providing a variety of tasty and delicious food, accommodating different dietary needs.
• ✓Experienced and kind high elements instructors (e.g., Mat and his team) ensure a positive and safe adventure experience.
• ✓Fosters a strong sense of community, leading to lifelong friendships and memories for campers.
• ✓The grounds are described as beautiful and the location as 'GREAT'.

Standout Features

• ⭐Flexible scheduling and willingness to accommodate new demands, handled patiently by staff like Jonathan.
• ⭐Exceptional culinary services with Chef David, capable of providing delicious food tailored to dietary needs.
• ⭐A dedicated and experienced team of high elements instructors.
• ⭐Comfortable, climate-controlled cabins (fans for summer, heaters for winter) with private facilities.
• ⭐The strong sense of community and inclusive environment fostered by staff.
• ⭐The diverse range of adventure activities like archery and rock climbing.
• ⭐Beautiful natural grounds and a great location.

Perfect For

Ideal For

🍎Food Policy

• • Nut-free camp: Peanut and other nut allergy campers are encouraged to attend.
• • Accommodates a wide variety of dietary restrictions (e.g., lactose-free, dairy-free), food allergies (e.g., gluten allergy, soy allergy), and special diets (e.g., vegetarians, vegans, pescatarians, no red meat).
• • Serves 3 hot, nutritious, and delicious meals daily, family-style in the Dining Lodge.
• • Provides two nutritious snacks each day (one in the morning, one after Siesta).
• • Sample Breakfast items: Pancakes, hashbrowns, cereal, hotcakes, eggs & bacon, oatmeal.
• • Sample Lunch items: Grilled cheese & soup, gyros, pizza, hamburgers, chicken sandwiches.
• • Sample Dinner items: Lasagna, tacos, 'Thanksgiving Dinner', chicken, roast beef, spaghetti, stir-fry, homemade rolls, plenty of veggies, homemade dessert.
• • Sample Snack items: Trail mix, graham crackers, Goldfish, cantaloupe, watermelon, grapes, popsicles.
• • No-outside-food policy at camp due to wildlife and to prevent other campers' jealousy. No food, gum, or soda sold in the camp store. Camp provides plenty of food.

🛡️Safety Policy

• • Accredited through the American Camp Association (ACA) and a member of the Western Association for Independent Camps (WAIC).
• • Staff Requirements: Counselors are at least 18 years old and have at least one year of college or post-high school experience (exceptions for 17-year-old assistant counselors who were CITs, always assigned with an 18+ counselor). Emphasizes desire to work with children, ability to work with peers, personal activity experience, and prior work experience.
• • Staff Vetting: Online applications, 3 professional references, one-way recorded interview, short answer questions, live interview.
• • Background Checks: ALL staff (counselors, admin, kitchen, maintenance) must pass a background check (including National Sex Offender Register) and a drug test upon arrival every summer. Random drug tests are conducted throughout the summer.
• • Medical Facilities: Camp Medical Center (Infirmary) with a nurse always on duty. Emergency paramedics at Groom Creek Fire Station (few blocks away), physicians and hospital in Prescott (15-minute drive).
• • Medication Policy: All regular medications are collected upon arrival and stored under lock and key in the Infirmary. Administered by medical staff according to dosage/instructions. Medications are not kept in cabins or administered solely by campers.
• • Health Forms: Camper Physical Exam Form must be completed and signed by a certified medical professional within the last calendar year (preference for closer to camp start date). Camper Health History Form is an online form due two weeks before session start date. Immunization records also required.
• • Tech-Free Camp: Campers are not allowed to bring electronic devices (cell phones, computers, laptops, video game consoles, tablets, e-readers) to encourage outdoor interaction and participation in activities.
• • Cabin Supervision: All cabins have at least one counselor who sleeps in the cabin nightly. Some older cabins may have a second counselor. LITs/CITs may assist in younger cabins.
• • Activity Supervision: Activities are led by 1-2 counselors, with an average class size of 10-15 campers.
• • Pet Policy: No dogs or other non-service animals allowed on camp property (including during tours and departure days) for safety and comfort of all.
• • Supervision Responsibility: Friendly Pines Camp assumes no responsibility for supervision of adults and/or non-enrolled children once you have reunited with your camper on departure day.

📅Booking Policy

• • Enrollment is exclusively online via the dedicated enrollment portal (friendlypines.campbrainregistration.com). Desktop computer is recommended, but mobile is possible. No paper or mail-in enrollments.
• • Confirmation email is sent upon successful enrollment.
• • Deposits: Initial deposit is due upon enrollment. A secondary deposit is required by March 1st of the camp year. The remaining balance of the tuition is due by May 1st of the camp year.
• • Payment Methods: Credit card, e-check online, or mail-in check.
• • Waitlists: If a desired session is full ('Waitlist Available' tag), campers can be added to the waitlist via the shopping cart during online checkout. There is no penalty or upfront payment for joining a waitlist. Campers can enroll in an available session and also waitlist for another, with manual switching possible if a spot opens. FPC will email waitlisted campers first, allowing 24 hours to accept the spot; deposit payment will be due upon acceptance. FPC reserves the right to close waitlists at any point.
• • Travel Form: The online '2026 Travel Form' opens on April 15th and is due by May 15th. It is used to indicate arrival and departure methods (car, bus, or air).
• • Arrival/Departure Flexibility: Arriving a day or two late or being picked up early is usually accommodated; special arrangements can be indicated on the travel form or by contacting the camp.
• • Paperwork Submission: All required forms are necessary for camper participation. Missing forms can be brought to check-in with a heads-up.
• • Drop-off Policy: No need to notify camp about who is dropping off. Light refreshments are available. Families are encouraged not to linger for more than 30 minutes to aid camper adjustment.
• • Pick-up Authorization: Only individuals listed on the camper’s designated pick-up list are allowed to enter camp property on Departure Day. Parents/guardians must also be explicitly listed. Email requests for changes to the pick-up list are required for documentation.
• • Late Pick-up: If running late, contact camp via phone (928) 445-2128 or email info@friendlypines.com; campers will remain supervised.
• • Forgotten Items: Can be dropped off at the camp office or mailed; mailed packages for forgotten items are exempt from the 'one package' limitation.

🚗Parking Information

• • Most families choose to drop off and pick up their campers by car directly at camp.
• • The last half mile into camp is on a well-maintained dirt road.
• • Driving directions from Phoenix: Take I-17 to SR-69 to Prescott, then turn south on Senator Highway/Mount Vernon Street, then southwest onto Marapai Rd., then south on Peter Mackin Drive (which turns into Friendly Pines Rd). Avoid GPS routes through Wickenburg or Crown King, as they involve primitive, dirt roads and extend travel time. You can also turn directly onto Friendly Pines Rd to avoid most of the dirt road.