From July 28 through August 1, five High Fives Foundation athletes came together in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, for the 2026 Return to Dirt Gals Camp, five days built around adaptive off-road driving, adventure, and community.
Return to Dirt creates opportunities for individuals with mobility-limiting injuries to get behind the wheel of adaptive off-road vehicles and experience the freedom of exploring Colorado’s backcountry. At Gals Camp, that mission took on an added layer…creating a space for women to learn, drive, connect, and experience the trails together.
Five Athletes, One Crew
The camp brought together five athletes, many of whom arrived as strangers. Over the course of the week, days on the trail quickly turned into shared experiences, inside jokes, encouragement, and new friendships.
For Return to Dirt’s Tim Burr, that connection was one of the biggest highlights of the entire camp.
“The group dynamic at this camp was one of the best I’ve ever seen. Most people didn’t know each other beforehand, but by the end, you could see that some great friendships had been planted.” — Tim Burr, Return to Dirt
That sense of community is a huge part of why camps like this matter. Adaptive recreation can open the door to new experiences, but doing it alongside people who understand the challenges, excitement, and possibilities that come with life after injury can make those experiences even more meaningful.
More Than Miles on the Trail
Throughout the camp, athletes had the opportunity to get behind the wheel, build confidence with adaptive driving equipment, explore the terrain surrounding Glenwood Springs, fish, paraglide, and support one another along the way.
Every day offered a chance to learn something new, whether that meant navigating a new section of trail, becoming more comfortable behind the wheel, or simply discovering what was possible with the right equipment and crew. By the end of the week, Gals Camp had become about much more than off-roading. It was about independence. Confidence. Community. And finding people who make you want to plan the next adventure before the current one is even over.
Five athletes arrived in Glenwood Springs for a Return to Dirt camp. Five days later, they left with miles of adventure behind them and a few new friendships to take home.
High Five to the athletes, crew, volunteers, and Return to Dirt team who made the 2026 Gals Camp possible.
