
retreats
Join me for inspiring retreats that promote personal growth and creativity.
Queer Summer Camp 2025
AUG. 7-10, 2025
Palisade, MN
Come experience summer camp the way you never did as a kid!
Hosted by: Madelyn Steen and Kenen Heggernes (Coach K)
all-inclusive weekend for LGBTQ+
in beautiful Palisade, MN
Join us for a 3-night adventure in beautiful Palisade, MN, where you can experience summer camp the way you never did as a kid! This all-inclusive weekend for LGBTQ+ (age 30+) combines the nostalgia of childhood camp with the freedom to be your authentic self. For many of us, camp wasn’t a place where we could be fully out or ourselves—now it can be. Whether you’re here to meet people, reconnect with nature, or simply celebrate in an inclusive space, Queer Summer Camp is your chance to create the summer memories you’ve always deserved.
This is the very first annual Queer Summer Camp, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring this dream to life! To ensure everyone has the best experience possible, we’re limiting spaces to just 30 campers this year. Our goal is to create an intimate, welcoming space where connections can flourish and every camper feels seen and valued. We hope this will be the start of a beautiful tradition that grows with time. Join us for this inaugural year and be part of something truly special!
Sample Schedule
7am-8am → Sunrise Nature Yoga
8am-9am → Breakfast
9am-10am → Bee Ecology and Hive Exploration
10am-12pm → Canoe/swim
12pm-1pm → Lunch
1pm-3pm → Challenge Course - Across Lava River, onto the Teeter-Totter, and over the Wall!
3pm-4:30pm → Free Time (hike, rest, connect, etc.)
4:30pm-6pm → Crafts
6pm-7pm → Dinner
7pm-8pm → Talent Show Prep
8pm-onward → Karaoke and Dancer dark

Additional Info
-
Bunk-style camp cabins
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Morning nature yoga
Outdoor adventures and games
Canoeing/swimming
Archery
Crafts and talent show
Great music
Many more camp activities!
-
Real camp bunk-style lodging (without roughing it) at Long Lake Conservation Center. Each room has two to four bunk beds with private showers and restrooms. Bring your sleeping bag!
Camp is located in Palisade, MN on Long Lake with access to loads of nature to explore.
-
We’re thrilled to provide all your meals at camp! Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are lovingly prepared from scratch by Chef Joel Hoppe and the Long Lake team. You can check out a sample menu here to see what’s cooking.
Long Lake is a nut-free facility and offers vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free options upon request. Let us know about any dietary needs when you register, and we’ll do our very best to make sure you’re well-fed during your time at camp.
-
This is an all-inclusive weekend, except for your travel to get to camp! That means the pricing includes lodging, meals, camp programing, and activities. There will be a $300 deposit to reserve your spot. This will go towards your final payment.
Registration is $650 total
-
Queer Summer Camp is excited to share about a partial scholarship opportunity made available by private donation for any BIPOC community members interested in joining the retreat.
The Queer Summer Camp BIPOC partial scholarship is for 5 campers for $200 off.
This partial scholarship is available on a first come first serve basis. The privilege that affords some of us to attend or host this retreat was built upon trauma and inequity to BIPOC people and this scholarship is meant to be one small step towards acknowledging the harm.
If you would like to donate to the BIPOC Fund for future retreat scholarships, please click on the DONATE button at the bottom of this page or contact Madelyn Steen at madelynsteen@hushmail.com We appreciate any and all donations!
-
All sales are final and non-refundable.*
A non-refundable registration fee of $300 is needed to secure your spot by June 1, 2025. This $300 deposit goes towards the final payment. The full retreat booking fee is due by July 1, 2025.
We allow guests a 72-hour grace period to cancel after initial booking with a full refund. After the 72-hour grace period, the cancellation policy of no refunds goes into effect.
Should you need to cancel your booking, please contact Madelyn via email madelynsteen@hushmail.com. We regret we cannot pay for any expenses, costs, or losses incurred by you as a result of you canceling your booking.
We also allow guests to transfer their booking to another person with no transfer fees. If you are unable to attend the retreat and would like to transfer your booking, please contact Madelyn as soon as possible madelynsteen@hushmail.com. Your replacement will need to sign an agreement to take on booking and payment responsibilities. Until they do so, you will be responsible for any fees incurred. If there is a waitlist, we will attempt to help you find a transfer for your booking.
We reserve the right to cancel or reschedule retreats due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control (e.g., extreme weather, natural disasters, or venue issues). In such cases:
If we cancel, participants will have the option to transfer their booking to a future retreat or receive a full refund.
If we reschedule, participants may transfer to the new date or request a full refund if unable to attend.
We partner with third-party providers for accommodations. In the rare event that these providers cannot fulfill their commitments, we will make every effort to secure suitable alternatives. If no alternatives can be found, participants will have the option to move their booking to a future retreat or receive a full refund.
We HIGHLY encourage travel insurance! We cannot accept liability if your transportation plans are disrupted or canceled. It is your responsibility to ensure you have adequate documentation such as visas and passports to travel.
Meet Your camp Hosts
Madelyn Steen (she/her), LMFT
Maddawg is a queer therapist, nature kid turned world wanderer, avid hiker, animal lover, and adventurous spirit. With years of experience as a therapist, she understands the power of community in fostering joy and belonging. Inspired by outdoor adventures and the power of play, she created Queer Summer Camp to bring people together in a fun, affirming environment.
Kenen Heggernes (she/they)
Coach K spends her time playing. As a former college lacrosse coach turned parent, she loves to spend her time being active with friends and family. With decades of experience bringing people together through play and movement, she’s a new yogi and can finally touch her toes.
Madelyn Steen, (she/her), LMFT, is a nature kid turned world wanderer, avid hiker, animal lover, and adventurous spirit.
Maddie Johnson (she/her), LMFT, ATR loves music, art, laughing until your cheeks hurt, good food and being outdoors.
More camp intros to come…

*Queer Summer Camp is not therapy. It is simply a space for community, connection, and fun!