Camp Discovery - Tennessee Jaycee Foundation

Camp Discovery — a project of Tennessee Jaycee Foundation — is a distinctive summer‑camp program on a 186‑acre site in Jackson County, Tennessee between Nashville and Knoxville, served to provide a rich, safe, and joyous camping experience for children, youth and adults with physical and/or developmental disabilities. The camp land borders the scenic Flynn’s Lick Creek area of Cordell Hull Lake, offering wooded rolling terrain, streams, lake frontage and natural setting focused on accessible nature for all participants. From its founding in the early 1980s — specifically opening in 1983 following development by the Tennessee Jaycees — Camp Discovery has evolved not only as a recreational outlet but as a therapeutic and inclusive community for its campers.

Programmatically, Camp Discovery emphasizes individualized support, a low counselor‑to‑camper ratio (often about 1:3 as noted in its camper application guidelines) and inclusive, fun activities such as arts & crafts, swimming, music, games, outdoor recreation, hiking, cabin life and campfires. The facility is well‑equipped: dormitory cabins that are air‑conditioned and insulated, a comfortable dining hall/recreational area, medical support with full‑time nursing care, and accessibility for campers across a wide age span (children through adults). The mission is clearly stated: to “provide a fun and safe environment” and to ensure “[persons] with special needs … experience the wonders of summer camp.” In this sense, Camp Discovery succeeds not just in offering a typical “fun camp” week, but in delivering meaningful opportunities for personal growth, social connection and community for individuals who may be underserved by mainstream camps — all within a beautiful Tennessee countryside setting.