Dispatch from the Smokies: The Adventure Is Underway

Camp Manitowa’s ninth-grade campers have officially taken the magic on the road.

Our 2026 Smoky Mountains crew is off and adventuring—and early reports from trip leader Stephanie Brown are very good.

According to Stephanie, this is an awesome group of campers and they’re having a wonderful time exploring the Smokies together.

The trip is one of the biggest adventures of the summer for our oldest campers, giving them the chance to leave Benton behind for a few days, experience the Great Smoky Mountains, and make an entirely new set of Manitowa memories along the way.

Families can follow the adventure through the Camp Manitowa Smoky Mountains 2026 Facebook group, where the trip team is sharing photos and updates from the road.

And there are plenty more pictures to come.

More from the Smokies soon. For now, the adventure is officially underway. ⛰️🏕️✌🏼