Parent Resources

We offer several overnight Camp sessions, each with its own length and experiences, ranging from a first overnight camp experience to a longer session filled with outdoor adventures and time to build community.

Rookie Camp: A five-day introduction to overnight camp for first-time campers.

One-Week Camp: A shorter session with a balance of outdoor exploration, activities, and camp traditions.

Two-Week Camp: More time to explore interests, develop skills, and take part in a full day GLP, and a multi-day Preserve campout.

Three-Week Camp: The ultmiate GRP experience with advanced activities, Group Learning Project days, Campout, and additional time to build independence and community.

Learn more about our overnight camp programs here

Mornings are spent exploring the Preserve with Mentors. Afternoons offer a range of activities, from climbing and canoeing to fly fishing, mountain biking, and pioneer crafts. In the evenings, campers come together for campfires, games, performances, and other camp traditions.

The exact schedule varies by session, with longer sessions offering additional opportunities for specialized activities and overnight adventures.

Explore more about a Day at Camp here

Absolutely. Our 5-day Rookie Camp is designed specifically for first-time campers who are ready to try overnight camp but may feel a little unsure. Campers follow a familiar daily rhythm, explore the Preserve with their Mentor groups, try new activities, and get to know the camp community.

For families considering other sessions, the one-week option is another approachable introduction to camp, with plenty of opportunities to make friends and build confidence.

Learn more about Rookie Camp here

GRP Expeditions are outdoor adventure programs for teens that build outdoor skills, confidence, teamwork, and leadership through hands-on experiences in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Depending on the program, Expeditioners may go mountain biking, rock climbing, backpacking, or whitewater canoeing while learning to work together and care for the natural world.

Explore all GRP Expeditions here

No previous experience at GRP is required to join an Expedition. We offer different expedition levels for every camper. Our Base Camp Expeditions offer an introduction to outdoor adventure in a supportive setting, while our Blue Ridge Expedition takes teens farther into the backcountry, and Adventure Plus is designed for teens who are ready for more demanding backcountry experiences. Families should review the program details and contact GRP if they have questions about readiness.

Expeditions involve physical activity, teamwork, and spending time outdoors in changing conditions. GRP recommends building a basic level of fitness before the trip. Expeditioners should be prepared to challenge themselves, work cooperatively, and support their teammates.

Camper forms and required health information are managed through the CampInTouch parent portal and are due on May 1st. Log in to review the forms assigned to your camper, complete all required information, and check for upcoming deadlines.

We’ve gone paperless. Please do not mail hard copies to the camp office.

Log into your CampInTouch Portal here. If you have any questions or need to reset your login, please email

Camp at GRP involves plenty of exploring, playing, and spending time outside. Clothes and gear should be comfortable, durable, and suitable for getting wet or dirty, with layers for changing mountain weather.

Packing lists vary by session and are available on your CampIn Touch page or you can download them here:

Rookie and One Week Packing List
Two & Three Week Packing List
Base Camp Expedition Packing List
Blue Ridge and Adventure Plus Expedition Packing List
Leadership in Training Packing List

We recommend packing in a trunk or duffel for camp. These will help keep your camper’s belongings organized in their cabin. We partner with Everything Summer Camp for all of your packing needs!

Opening Day looks different depending on session.

Check-in is between 1 and 3 p.m for every session. During check-in, campers settle into their cabins, complete any outstanding paperwork, meet with health staff, turn in medications, and get ready for their session.

Before you leave home: Review your session’s arrival instructions in your CampInTouch Portal here, confirm all required forms are complete, and bring medications or have health information ready to discuss with the medical team.

Check-out is between 9 and 11 a.m. for all sessions. Families can collect luggage and Lost & Found items, pick up camper artwork, and visit the Camp Store.

Make sure you check your session-specific instructions in your CampInTouch Portal here.

GRP is located at 301 Green River Road, Cedar Mountain, North Carolina. The last 4 miles are on a bumpy, unpaved road. Most passenger cars will be fine, but go slowly and watch for potholes and wildlife.

GPS directions may not always be reliable for the final approach. Find directions here.

Campers may fly into either Asheville, NC (AVL) or Greenville/Spartanburg (GSP). Airline reservations should be made well in advance and paid for by parents. Please fill out the Transportation Form in your camper’s CampInTouch account at least two weeks prior to your child’s arrival.

It is preferable that flights arrive and depart between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. on opening and closing days. A camp staff member will assist campers and provide transportation to and from the airport on opening and closing days.

GRP recommends sending your camper with a cell phone as they travel in case of emergency. Be sure to program the camp number 828.698.8828 into it. Cell phones for campers who travel by air will be kept securely in the office until Closing Day.

Any changes to pick up or drop off location will be communicated to parents via phone or email. ** A staff member will contact the parent to them that their child has arrived safely and/or departed safely.**

If your child is flying to camp, it is easiest to have trunks shipped to camp. We partner with ShipCamps to ensure an efficient and secure process for our families. Registration for shipping with ShipCamps will open on February 3rd.

Our shipping address is Green River Preserve, 301 Green River Road, Cedar Mountain, NC 28718. To ensure luggage is present on opening day,we recommend sending luggage or trunks to camp a week to ten days prior to your child’s arrival. To expedite this, please send all shipping information to our Administrative Director. Please indicate specifically which pieces of luggage are to be shipped.

Complete all required health forms in the CampInTouch Portal , including information about medications, allergies, and other health needs.

If your camper takes medication, upload the dosage and administration instructions before camp. Medication should be packaged in blister packs by a pharmasist and clearly labelled with your camper’s name, date of birth, medication name, and time of administration. Our health team is also able blister pack medication upon arrival, if needed. At check-in, give all medications directly to the medical staff and discuss any important health needs or instructions.

Health and/or temporary accident insurance are highly recommended for camp. Parents are responsible for medical expenses incurred during camp, and medical bills will be submitted to the parent’s insurance carrier. A camp nurse or director will contact you by phone if your camper experiences a significant illness or injury.

Cabin assignments are based on factors such as age and grade to help with camper compatibility.

Campers frequently want to be in the same cabin as a friend. We are glad to honor such requests when mutual, provided the campers are of the same grade and/or age. The request should be made on the camper’s application. We ask that campers only request one friend to be in the same cabin and we cannot guarantee placement in any particular cabin.

If a cabin request cannot be honored, it may be possible to pair children in mentor groups. The mentor group is a camper’s core group during the session and he/she will spend each morning between breakfast and lunch exploring the Preserve with this peer group.

YES! Campers love to receive mail from family and friends, so write often! Campers are encouraged to write home at least once per session. During our two– and three–week sessions, our counselors send a letter to parents about their camper.

We ask you not to send packages to your camper as it can lead to unintended competition within the cabin group and sometimes even hurt feelings. We reserve the right to return, at your expense, any packages sent in violation of this rule.

Our Mailing Address: Camper’s name Green River Preserve 301 Green River Road Cedar Mountain, NC 28718

Our email policy is an extension of our effort to slow our campers down. While emails are convenient for parents, too many emails may lead to homesickness, so we ask that you please use snail mail. We welcome emails to the Program Director regarding your camper.

GRP encourages families to give campers space to settle into camp, build relationships, and become more independent. Therefore we discourage email, phone, and visitation interruptions from parents or relatives during the camp session.

Our office gladly accepts phone calls (828-698-8828) from parents interested in their child’s progress at camp. We call every new camper’s parents with a mid-session update. Children should not be called during a session except in the case of emergency.

Camp office number: 828-698-8828

Meals are hearty, delicious and kid-friendly. Breakfast entrees are supplemented with a fruit and yogurt bar. Lunch offers a soup, and dinner has a rice and bean bar. A vegetarian entree is available at all meals and reasonable accommodations may be made for campers with food allergies. A chalkboard displayed in the Dining Lodge lists all the items on the menu as well as any common allergens found in each dish.

Campers who have dietary restrictions or allergies are encouraged to bring any preferred snacks or meal supplements. Personal food must be checked in to the Kitchen.

Due to the number of children with severe nut allergies, Green River Preserve is a nut-free community.** Products containing peanuts or tree nuts are not allowed in the Dining Lodge or Kitchen. Please call the camp office at 828-698-8828 if you have questions about meals, allergies, or dietary restrictions.

We feel that birthdays are very special and we love celebrating them with your child. Campers get a cake on their bithday and staff sing a special birthday song to them in the dining hall!

A professional cleaner provides laundry service for two week and three week campers. Laundry service is not available for one week campers. Nevertheless, clothes are sometimes stained or lost. Please do not send new or valuable clothes or clothes that will bleed. Laundry fees are included in the tuition.

Pro Tip: Label all your camper’s clothes!

Campers should not bring cash to camp. Instead parents can set up a credit line amount in their CampInTouch Portalthat can be spent at the camp store. We recommend a camp store credit line of $50.00 per week. This ammount is automatically selected whenever parents are unavailable or do not make their wishes known. Camp store payments will processed after each session. Unused will either be donated to our Annual Fund or refunded depending on what the parent has selected.

Our infirmary is staffed by a registered nurse and medical assistant throughout the summer. They provide first aid, assess minor illnesses and injuries, and monitor campers’ health and well-being. If more advanced care is needed, local physicians’ offices and nearby hospitals are available.

If your camper takes medication, upload their medication details, dosages, and administration instructions to your CampInTouch Portal before camp. Our medical staff administer medications according to the instructions provided, with scheduled medication times including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bedtime.

A completed medical form and proof of health and accident insurance coverage are required for admission. Parents are responsible for medical expenses incurred during camp, and medical bills will be submitted to the parent’s insurance carrier. A camp nurse or director will contact parents by phone in the event of a significant illness or injury.