Children, teens and adults with mild to severe physical and developmental disabilities come to Camp Paivika in the summer for horseback riding, swimming, adaptive sports, campfires and cookouts, arts and crafts, performing arts and other enjoyable, enriched activities. With a sense of freedom inspired by time spent outdoors in natural surroundings, campers learn and develop new interests and confidence through guided play, social skills building and exploration. http://www.camppaivika.org/summer_camp_programs.htm

Financial Assistance Available

Some camperships are available for families with financial hardships.

We have a full service commercial kitchen and staff. Special diets are accommodated.

One of the first fully-accessible camps in the United States, AbilityFirst's Camp Paivika in the San Bernardino National Forest offers year-round camp programs for children, teens and adults with mild to severe physical and developmental disabilities, such as autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and epilepsy. Programs include all of the traditional activities of camping: horseback riding, archery, swimming, cookouts and campfires, arts and crafts, and nature hikes and activities, as well as fine arts. Watch the Camp Paivika video and read our brochure to see and hear how camping has changed and enhanced the lives of individuals of all ages.

In addition, individualized health and well-being necessities and regimens are provided. These include personal care and hygiene (toileting, brushing teeth, combing hair, showering), dietary and eating assistance (food prep, diabetic, special eating equipment), medications and medical care (seizures, nursing assistance, catheterization, g-tube), redirecting inappropriate or self-destructive behaviors, ambulatory assistance (wheelchairs/walkers/canes) and communication (non-verbal, sign language, special device), among others.

Camp Paivika has been welcoming campers since 1947 and is fully accredited by the American Camping Association. Set in the mountains amid majestic tall pines in a beautiful National Forest, the camp can accommodate 72 campers each session. The 12-acre facility includes five dormitories, health care center, staff quarters, craft center, nature study center, amphitheater and fire ring, swimming pool, horse stables and a main lodge with a large recreation room and dining hall.
Paivika (Pi-vee-ka) is the word for 'dawn' in the language of the Cahuilla Native Americans who formerly inhabited the area where the camp is located.

Adults, teens and children with mild to severe physical and developmental disabilities come to Camp Paivika for campfires and cookouts, swimming, horseback riding, arts and crafts, performing arts and other enjoyable, enriched activities. With a sense of freedom inspired by time spent outdoors in natural surroundings, campers develop new interests and confidence through guided play, skill building and exploration.

Opportunities for socialization are built into every program. Many participants come to Camp Paivika year after year, making memories and forming lasting bonds of friendship with fellow campers and staff. Watch our Camp Paivika video (www.abilityfirst.org/camppaivika) to see and hear how camping has changed and enhanced the lives of individuals of all ages.

At all times, the safety and well-being of each camper is paramount and our carefully screened, qualified staff and nursing personnel meet the medical, diet, feeding and personal hygiene care and assistance needs of each camper with respect for the dignity of all.
We are aware that many campers are away from parents and home for the first time. Our staff responds with understanding and support to help make this very important transition a success. The rewards are great. Families gain a much-needed respite from the rigors and challenges of caring for their disabled loved ones. Campers have the opportunity to explore activities that promote health, fitness and independence in a nurturing atmosphere of friendship and possibility.

Camp Paivika is a year-round facility. In addition to its summer sessions, Camp Paivika offers Weekend Getaways, Winter through Spring, to camper groups who attend our summer program. In September, Camp Paivika staff take a small group of adult campers on a mid-week, four-day camp-out 'Outdoor Adventure' near a mountain lake or on the beach. Camp Paivika's Group Ski Trip for adults is offered once during the winter months through the United States Adaptive Ski School. In addition, we offer a 'Mom's Retreat,' a weekend Camp Paivika stay designed as a respite getaway for women who are caregivers for family members with special needs.

As an AbilityFirst facility, our guiding principle is 'can,' not 'can't.' With nurturing support, a focus on social interaction and, above all, an emphasis on fun, Camp Paivika programs are creatively adapted to enable and encourage full participation, promoting health, fitness and independence in an atmosphere of hope and possibility.