Dates, Directions, How to Prepare, and Additional Safety Protocols

Thank you for your interest in visiting Camp! More than 138,000 campers have found courage, strength, and friendship since we opened in 2004. Here are details to prepare for your visit. Please review the below information in full prior to committing to your visit. If you have any questions, please let your staff host know.

Summer Visitor Days - All in-person visits are 11am-1:30pm

• Thursday, June 8th – Skeletal Dysplasia & MPS

• Saturday, June 17th – Kidney Disease & transplant

• Tuesday, June 27th – Muscular Dystrophy

• Sunday, July 9th – special diagnoses

• Wednesday, july 19th – hemophilia/vwd & thalassemia

• Saturday, July 29th – Liver disease & Transplant, pidd, tpn & IBD

• Friday, august 11th – sibling

Virtual Visits  (none at this time)

In preparation for in-person visits, please see the below information, requirements, and forms:

• The Painted Turtle is a medical specialty Camp for children with serious illnesses. All campers, volunteers, staff, and visitors must fulfill very specific vaccination requirements because many campers are immune-compromised and cannot fight infections.
• All in-person visitors must be fully vaccinated against MMR and COVID-19 (two-dose series for Pfizer or Moderna or Novavax or one dose for Johnson & Johnson Janssen or bivalent vaccine).  
• We will need proof of a negative COVID test, which we can do onsite when you arrive, or a negative antigen test that you can do the morning of your visit. If needed, we can provide an antigen test.
• If visiting when Camp is not in session, no negative COVID test is needed.
• Masks are optional. We encourage frequent hand sanitizing and handwashing.
• We have an On-site Visitor Release, Medical Reporting, & Hold Harmless Form where we require visitors over 18 years of age to self-report and visitors under 18 years of age to self-report AND provide proof of select immunizations. Please complete this between 2-10 days before your visit.
• Let us know if you’ve been sick in the 10 days prior to your visit.

On-site Visitor Release, Medical Reporting, & Hold Harmless Form

Having difficulty accessing the On-site Visitor Release, Medical Reporting, & Hold Harmless Form?
Click here to download, fill out, and submit to donate@thepaintedturtle.org 

Here is how an in-person visit will go:

• Your staff host will meet you at 10:45 am at the front gate. 
• Bring a picture of a negative antigen home test with the name of the person taking the test on a piece of paper or the test itself, with the date the person took the test (must be the morning of the visit), or our medical team can conduct a rapid PCR test onsite.
• After proof of a negative COVID test, you’ll take a golf cart tour of Camp in action visiting program areas around Camp.
• You’ll join us for lunch with campers and counselors at 12:30 pm, followed by singing and dancing, and visitor pictures.
• Return to the front gate for departure.

Map and Directions to Camp:

Click here for directions. We recommend taking Route 2. It takes about 1 ½ hours to get to Lake Hughes from LA.

Dress:

Please dress comfortably for Camp. We do recommend good walking shoes, sunglasses, and a hat.

Weather:

Check out the weather forecast for Camp here. We will provide water and sunblock as well.

Photography:

You are welcome to take pictures of The Painted Turtle site and facility on your tour. To respect the privacy of all participants, we ask that visitors do not take any photos that include any campers or family members.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to let your staff host know. We thank you in advance for ensuring our campers and staff stay healthy and well!