Quote: Yusuf (above left), a fifth grader at Waskowitz Outdoor Education Center.

Photo: Jorge Rivas

🌲 You’re 10 years old. You’ve laced up your sneakers and stepped into a forest alive with birdsong and moss-draped trees. For the first time, you’re camping with other curious kids—hiking trails, crossing a wobbly bridge, and learning about the wonders of the natural world.

That’s the magic fifth graders feel each year at Camp Waskowitz in the foothills of Washington’s North Cascades. And thanks to Trust for Public Land, that magic will be protected for generations to come. 

Last year, we teamed up with local partners to protect the forest surrounding the camp from encroaching development, keeping over 300 acres open for students and the public to enjoy. 

💫 The real magic of Camp Waskowitz isn’t the stunning scenery; it’s how time spent outdoors transforms kids. They swap screens for trails, bunkmates become lifelong friends, and fears turn into triumphs.

As we gear up for National Public Lands Day on September 27, take a walk through this story and see how this camp’s legacy is growing, one child—and one bridge-crossing—at a time. 

Happy camping, 

Your friends at Trust for Public Land 

How important were camp experiences in your childhood?