“There are few words to describe KBF Mountain Bike Camp as well as the word magic,” says KBF Program & Research Director Amy. 

The 2026 KBF Mountain Bike Camp brought 15 camp participants and 26 volunteers together in one place for 3 days of unforgettable mountain biking, connection, and skill progression. “There is nothing as impactful to me as spending time with my community in the outdoors,” described Erin from Washington. “This camp had that in spades!!”

Planned strategically during peak foliage, this year’s camp had the prettiest, most vibrant colors Vermont has seen in years. With 360 mountain views, the Burke Mountain Hotel provided a beautiful and cozy home base for the week. The first two days of biking were hosted at Kingdom Trails, a Vermont trail network with over 53 accessible mountain bike trails. The parking lot at Mike’s Tiki Bar, East Village Pump tracks, Ridge Run to New School and White School, and the Wildflower Backyard gave athletes the opportunity to explore equipment, get settled into their rigs, and dial in fundamental skills like cornering, body positioning, and technical braking. 

Day 3 put everyone’s skills to the test with private access to the Burke Bike Park. With the entire mountain to themselves, athletes explored speed, pitch, and mastered the chairlift transfer.

This camp utilizes the full reach of the widespread KBF community, bringing together top leaders, coaches, and organizations in adaptive mountain biking from across North America.

A huge THANK YOU to:

  • Vermont Adaptive: Statewide 
  • New England Disabled Sports: New Hampshire
  • Bowhead Corp: Calgary, Alberta
  • National Ability Center: Park City, UT
  • Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance: Washington state
  • Catalyst Sports: Southeast US

“The sense of camaraderie and support grew stronger throughout the week,” said Victor from New York. “The staff at KBF and the volunteers were top-notch, providing outstanding guidance and encouragement every roll of the way. This was truly a camp where we all felt like we belonged!”

This camp has the opportunity to support athletes no matter if they are a beginner, expert, or anything in between. About half of the athletes have only been involved in adaptive sports for a few years, and some even less than one. “This week was a lot of firsts for me: driving since my injury, traveling alone with my disability, mountain biking, transferring into the bike and chair lift, being in a large group of people with similar injuries,” says Emmy from New York. “It helped ease the fear I had in the hospital that I wouldn’t be able to return to being immersed in the outdoors.”

For seasoned bikers like Josh from Florida, this camp was an opportunity to push himself to the next level on the rugged Vermont terrain. “These were the most challenging trails I’ve ever ridden,” Josh said. “I did my first black diamond trail … the coolest part was at the bottom of the trail my heart was beating and my hands were shaking as if I had just skydived from an airplane! It has been many years since I have had that kind of thrill, probably the last time I went skydiving.” 

As always, learning to ride bikes is a mere side effect of this camp. “I learned specific tips for living with a spinal cord injury from peers,” says Emmy. “I now have a list of resources for grants. And I made friends I feel confident I will keep in touch with.”  

When asked to provide 1 word to describe the impact this camp had on them, camp participants said:

“This camp represents the type of support that I crave!” exclaims Emma from Utah. “It’s a support that believes in me and trusts I’m capable of greatness. It’s a support that encourages connection, independence and freedom. I’m so grateful to feel accepted and cared about.”

Athletes flew in from as far as Washington state and drove from as far as Illinois. “I have been progressively traveling more and this was the farthest and longest trip I’ve done by myself,” says Alida, who drove up to Northern Vermont from Connecticut. When surveyed at the end of the camp, all camp participants unanimously agreed that this camp made them feel more comfortable traveling, a better self advocate, and a greater sense of independence. 

Campers also reported a unanimous sense of community, an opportunity to learn something about themselves, and a greater sense of confidence in self. “I came away from this camp feeling capable and competent,” said Michele from Massachusetts. “The Kelly Brush Foundation is a conduit of restoring life to those who feel as though they had lost it.”

Thank you to every single person who supported our mission to make this camp happen. A special thank you to the New Balance Foundation for helping make this a reality!