What Camp Highlander does

Camp Highlander is a privately held residential summer camp founded in 1957 and currently operating atop Forge Mountain in Mills River, North Carolina. The company serves families with children ages 6-16 through a separated co-ed model, placing boys and girls on opposite sides of the property with gender-specific cabins while sharing meals, transitions, and evening programs. Core programming spans more than 40 activities across wilderness, sports, arts, waterfront, horseback riding, off-camp overnights, and evening programs, anchored by signature installations such as the Crow's Nest high ropes course and a mountain biking pump track. Sessions range from an 8-day introductory format for first-time campers through 2-week and 4-week options, supplemented by a Counselor in Training (CIT) leadership track for ages 15-16 and Family Sessions.

The business operates on a direct-to-consumer model, with families registering through the Camp in Touch platform, supplemented by word-of-mouth referrals, blog content from directors, organic social media (Instagram and Facebook), in-person home shows, and an active alumni community organized around the annual reunion and Legacy Project. Revenue is generated primarily through session tuition, with ancillary streams including the camp store, camper accounts, wedding venue rentals utilizing the historic Lodge (built 1927), and alumni-related offerings such as $100 Legacy Project cobblestones and $450-per-person reunion packages. The American Camp Association accreditation underpins credibility and adherence to industry health, safety, and risk management standards.

Camp Highlander is owned and operated by Bryan and Melissa Fitzgerald, who purchased the business in 2018-2019 from Melissa's parents, Karl and Shelley Alexander, after joining the camp in 2002 and serving in virtually every operational role. The company employs 51-100 staff across seasonal and year-round positions, including an assistant director, registrar/media director, and operational leadership that lives on-site. There is no disclosed institutional investment, no public listing, and no expansion beyond the single Mills River site.

Name

Camp Highlander

Legal name

Camp Highlander

Website

https://camphighlander.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Camp Highlander is a privately held residential summer camp in Mills River, North Carolina, serving families with children ages 6-16 through a separated co-ed model with 8-day, 2-week, and 4-week sessions and 40+ activities, owned and operated on-site by the Fitzgerald family.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Horse Shoe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Summer Camp Session Tuition: Camp Highlander generates revenue through session-based tuition fees for residential summer camp programs. They offer an 8-day session for new campers, 2-week sessions (their most popular), and a 4-week session. Additional revenue streams include family camp sessions, the camp store, camper accounts, and the Legacy Project ( Assembly Court brick/pathway sales).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Camp Highlander is a residential summer camp in Mills River, North Carolina, serving boys and girls ages 6-16. The camp operates a separated co-ed model with gender-specific cabins and sessions ranging from 8 days to 4 weeks. It offers more than 40 activities spanning wilderness, sports, arts, waterfront, and horseback riding, supported by ACA accreditation and a year-round on-site ownership team.

Product overview

Camp Highlander is a residential summer camp offering a portfolio of programs for boys and girls ages 6-16. The core offering consists of the Summer Camp Program with a separated co-ed model, split into Girls' Camp and Boys' Camp operating on opposite sides of the property. Activity programs include Wilderness, Sports, Arts, Waterfront, Horseback Riding, Off-Camp & Overnight, and Evening Programs. Special features include the Crow's Nest High Ropes Course (launched 2015) and Mountain Biking (reintroduced 2022). Additional offerings include Counselor in Training, Family Sessions, Camp Weddings venue rental, and The Legacy Project alumni commemorative program. Sessions range from 8 days to 4 weeks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Boys' Summer Camp Program Gender-separated residential summer program for boys ages 6-16, with boys-only cabins, dedicated counselors, and a tailored activity schedule. Sessions range from 8 days to 4 weeks.
• Girls' Summer Camp Program Gender-separated residential summer program for girls ages 6-16, with girls-only cabins, dedicated counselors, and a tailored activity schedule. Sessions range from 8 days to 4 weeks.
• Kick-Off Camp Shorter introductory session designed as a starter camp experience for campers new to Camp Highlander.
• Counselor-in-Training (CIT) Program Leadership and counselor-preparation program for older campers, focused on developing responsibility and mentoring skills within the camp setting.
• Family Sessions Multi-generational camp session format that allows families to attend and participate in camp activities together.
• Camp Weddings and Private Events Rental of Camp Highlander's facilities for weddings and private events hosted by alumni and other guests.
• The Legacy Project Permanent-engraved cobblestone program for returning campers, with each cobblestone sold at a $500 contribution toward the dining hall walkway.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• American Camp AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCamp Highlander is an ACA-accredited camp, meaning it adheres to the American Camp Association's standards for health, safety, and risk management. The ACA provides resources for parents evaluating camps and research on camp benefits. The blog references ACA studies on loneliness, resilience, and the value of summer camp.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• American Camp Association: Industry association that accredits Camp Highlander and thousands of other US camps, setting health, safety, and program standards. Not a competitor but a key ecosystem participant that influences parental choice and competitive positioning across the entire residential camp category.

Direct peers

• Camp Towanda: Coed residential summer camp in Honesdale, PA, with a similar long operating history, broad activity program, and character-development focus. Comparable on traditional residential model, scale, and multi-generational family attendance.
• Camp Laurel: Coed residential summer camp in Mount Vernon, Maine, offering a comprehensive sports, arts, and waterfront program. Comparable on traditional residential structure, broad activity breadth, and family-camp orientation.
• Camp Mondamin: Long-running boys' residential summer camp in Hendersonville, NC, focused on character development and traditional camp activities. Comparable on geography, mission-driven positioning, and gender-specific cabin model that mirrors Highlander's boys' side.
• Camp Greystone: Long-established residential summer camp in Tuxedo, North Carolina, offering a similar mix of sports, arts, waterfront, and adventure activities for boys and girls. Comparable on program breadth, coed structure, and Southeast US market positioning.
• Camp Carolina: Boys' residential summer camp in Brevard, NC, with a traditional multi-activity program including water, sports, and adventure. Comparable on gender-specific structure, NC mountain location, and traditional camp philosophy.
• Camp Pinnacle: Coed residential summer camp located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, serving a similar age range with a broad activity program. Most directly comparable peer given overlapping geography, coed model, and program structure.
• Camp Merrie-Woode: Historic girls' residential summer camp in Sapphire, NC, with a similar long operating history, character-development mission, and broad activity offering. Directly comparable on mission, longevity, and gender-specific programming approach.
• Camp Kanata: Coed residential summer camp in Wake Forest, NC, offering a similar broad activity program (sports, water, arts, adventure) for a similar age range. Directly comparable peer on residential model and Southeast US location.

Broad incumbents

• Camp Ramah: Network of Jewish residential summer camps across multiple US locations with strong values-based programming and year-round engagement. Comparable on residential model, character/values framework analogous to CHIF, and multi-site scale — broader but thematically similar mission-driven camp operator.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/camphighlander
• Instagraminstagram.com/camphighlandernc
• Xx.com/CampHighlander

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Camp Highlander