A wilderness summer camp founded in 1949 by the American Friends (aka, Quakers), Unalayee was first located in the Coast Range above Santa Cruz, California. In 1960, Camp moved to its current location in the Trinity Alps of Northern California. In 1985, the land around Camp was designated a Wilderness Area, but Unalayee’s land-holdings were exempted and allowed to remain private. Today, Camp operates as a private, non-profit, 501(c)3 corporation.
Although Unalayee became independent of the American Friends in 1956, it remains committed to the Friends’ ideals of peace, community and respect for nature. Camp’s mission has always been to bring children from all walks of life together to learn the lessons and share the joys of living simply in nature. This includes Unalayee’s strict adherence to “Leave No Trace” wilderness ethics.
Over 75-plus years, generations of positive, caring staff have helped thousands of campers discover what they are capable of when they have faith in themselves and their community. Unalayee campers have gone on to successful careers in politics, art, academics, journalism and many other professional fields. We attribute this success to Camp’s ongoing commitment to its founding values of diversity, community and respect for each other and the natural world.