SOAR Summer Camp - NC Horseback Riding Adventure
Adventure-based summer camp for youth with ADHD and learning differences, focusing on skill development.
▌ Editor's read The SOAR website loads as a real camp site, offering summer camps and year-round programs for youth with ADHD and learning differences. It is accredited by the American Camp Association (ACA), with accreditation valid through 2025. The camp was founded in 1977 by Jonathan Jones, indicating 48 years of operation. SOAR is a non-profit organization. The website explicitly states a staff-to-camper ratio of 1:4 and mentions that all staff undergo background checks. Programs are primarily overnight, with a focus on adventure activities like horseback riding, rock climbing, and whitewater rafting. Google reviews for 'SOAR Summer Camp' show a rating of 4.7 stars based on 100 reviews, with many parents praising the positive impact on their children's confidence and social skills.
Who thrives here Ages 11–17
SOAR Summer Camp - NC Horseback Riding Adventure serves high-school campers, which means the program is competing against summer jobs, college visits, internships, and residential overnight options. The case for a day camp at this age is usually a CIT (counselor-in-training) track, deep specialization in specialty, or a portfolio item parents and kids both value. Programs that don't articulate one of those three usually lose this age band by 9th grade.
Facts & Credentials
- Program type
- Overnight camp
- ACA accredited
- Yes
- Established
- 1978 (48 years)
- Operator
- Nonprofit organization
- Staff-to-camper ratio
- Published by camp see camp site →
Details
- Category: Specialty
- Ages: 11–17
- Hours: 24-hour residential
- Address: 226 SOAR Lane, P.O Box 388, Balsam, NC 28707, USA
- Phone: (828) 456-3435
- Email: [email protected]
- Cost notes: Financial aid is available.
Runs 24-hour residential, 22 sessions (0 one-week, 22 multi-week blocks), from Jun 13 to Aug 11.
Sessions ⛓
Bookable units published by the camp. Multi-week blocks marked ⛓ are indivisible — register for the full session.
- Session 1 Jun 13 – 23, 2026 · 2 weeks · $3,800
- Session 1 Jun 14 – 30, 2026 · 3 weeks · $5,000
- Session 1 Jun 14 – 23, 2026 · 2 weeks · $3,800
- Session 1 Jun 14 – 24, 2026 · 2 weeks · $4,200
- Session 1 Jun 14 – Jul 4, 2026 · 3 weeks · $5,700
- Session 1 Jun 20 – 29, 2026 · 2 weeks · $4,600
- Session 1 Jun 21 – 30, 2026 · 2 weeks · $4,900
- Session 2 Jun 27 – Jul 7, 2026 · 2 weeks · $3,800
- Session 2 Jun 28 – Jul 7, 2026 · 2 weeks · $3,800
- Session 2 Jun 28 – Jul 8, 2026 · 2 weeks · $4,200
- Session 1 Jul 5 – 15, 2026 · 2 weeks · $5,600
- Session 2 Jul 5 – 21, 2026 · 3 weeks · $5,000
- Session 1 Jul 6 – 15, 2026 · 2 weeks · $4,950
- Session 3 Jul 11 – 21, 2026 · 2 weeks · $3,800
- Session 3 Jul 12 – 21, 2026 · 2 weeks · $3,800
- Session 3 Jul 12 – 22, 2026 · 2 weeks · $4,200
- Session 2 Jul 12 – Aug 1, 2026 · 3 weeks · $5,700
- Session 1 Jul 18 – Aug 3, 2026 · 3 weeks · $5,000
- Session 4 Jul 25 – Aug 4, 2026 · 2 weeks · $3,800
- Session 3 Jul 26 – Aug 11, 2026 · 3 weeks · $5,000
- Session 4 Jul 26 – Aug 4, 2026 · 2 weeks · $3,800
- Session 4 Jul 26 – Aug 5, 2026 · 2 weeks · $4,200
↗ What parents like
- Specializes in ADHD/LD
- Low staff-to-camper ratio
↘ Watch for
- High cost
Logistics
- Lunch provided: No
- Transportation: No
- Financial aid: No
- Setting: outdoor
Frequently asked about SOAR Summer Camp - NC Horseback Riding Adventure
- What ages does SOAR Summer Camp - NC Horseback Riding Adventure accept?
- SOAR Summer Camp - NC Horseback Riding Adventure is open to children ages 11–17. Camps publish their own age cutoffs, and some run mixed-age groups internally; check the registration page for that summer's grouping if your child sits at a boundary.
- How much does SOAR Summer Camp - NC Horseback Riding Adventure cost?
- SOAR Summer Camp - NC Horseback Riding Adventure publishes $2,682/week for the standard session. That sits 9% above the $2,469 median for specialty camps in Balsam — typical for specialty programs with smaller groups or premium facilities. Financial aid is available. Final cost depends on session length, sibling discounts, and whether extended care is added on.
- What are SOAR Summer Camp - NC Horseback Riding Adventure's hours?
- SOAR Summer Camp - NC Horseback Riding Adventure runs 24-hour residential. If those hours don't quite cover your work day, check whether extended care or early drop-off is offered separately.
- Is SOAR Summer Camp - NC Horseback Riding Adventure accredited?
- Yes — SOAR Summer Camp - NC Horseback Riding Adventure is accredited by the American Camp Association (ACA) and has been operating for 48 years. ACA accreditation means the camp has been audited against ~300 health, safety, and program-quality standards covering staffing, supervision ratios, emergency response, and program design.
- Who runs SOAR Summer Camp - NC Horseback Riding Adventure?
- SOAR Summer Camp - NC Horseback Riding Adventure is operated by a nonprofit organization, with 48 years of operating history. The operator type matters for tuition policy (refunds, financial aid eligibility) and for what kind of staff training pipeline the camp uses.
- Does SOAR Summer Camp - NC Horseback Riding Adventure provide lunch?
- SOAR Summer Camp - NC Horseback Riding Adventure does not include lunch — campers bring their own. Most day camps without provided lunch are nut-free or nut-aware, so check the allergy policy before packing. Frozen water bottles double as ice packs and drinks; insulated lunch boxes hold below 40°F for about four hours.
- How does SOAR Summer Camp - NC Horseback Riding Adventure compare to other specialty camps in Balsam?
- SOAR Summer Camp - NC Horseback Riding Adventure is one of 17 specialty camps in Balsam that overlap its age range. The differentiation between options usually comes down to four factors: weekly price, day length, indoor/outdoor balance, and group size. Browse same-city alternatives in the directory to compare side by side.
Planning guides
Editorial checklists to use before you compare SOAR Summer Camp - NC Horseback Riding Adventure with other camps.
- How to choose a summer camp · Use the decision checklist before you compare finalists.
- Financial aid and scholarship camps · Compare aid policies, discounts, and application timing.
- Summer camp pricing in 2026 · Benchmark weekly cost before you commit a deposit.
- Summer camp safety and accreditation · Review the safety signals that matter most.
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