BEST BUDDIES BREAKAWAY CAMP: PALO ALTO
HIKING EXPERIENCE
April 8-12, 2026
What to Expect
Camp attendees will enjoy an epic five-day hiking experience between April 8–12, 2026, at the luxurious Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park. Set in the rolling hills of Palo Alto, hikers receive the amenities, support, and structure of professional athletes. Each day includes a full curriculum with expert guidance on pacing, fitness, nutrition, recovery, and wellness.
All hiking routes are designed to accommodate advanced and beginner ability/fitness levels. Time cutoffs allow for turn around points for those who meet the requirements. This enables the group to start and end together, ensuring all participants reach their daily hiking goal.
The camp features Ironman World Champion and fitness guru Leanda Cave, and ultra-distance pro runner, Jonathan Toker, who both bring years of racing, mentoring, and coaching experience. Participants seeking a structured, goal-based approach can work directly with Leanda, a USAT Certified Coach, through focused pre-hike meetings and post-hike debriefs.
Supported by licensed coaches, professional chefs, and massage therapists, this five-star camp raises funds and awareness for Best Buddies International’s mission.
What's included
Five days of professionally-led hikes through Palo Alto with Pro guides SAG support.
- Hike alongside former professional triathlete, Leanda Cave, ultra endurance pro runner, Jonathan Toker and other fitness/hiking experts.
- On-site hike leaders for support before, during and after hikes.
- Fully catered and luxury style health-conscious rest stops to include some homemade items, bars, electrolyte powder, gels, and towelettes.
- Custom Best Buddies hiking gear including T-shirt, hat and Camelbak.
- Daily pre-hike briefing, route-overview, technical discussion and Q&A with hike leaders over coffee and light breakfast.
- Correspondence with coach in the weeks leading up to the Camp to discuss preparation and fitness goals.
- Option for one-on-one break-out sessions with a hike leader throughout the Camp.
- Every hiker will obtain a fitness knowledge to achieve health, nutrition and wellness goals for the year.
What's included
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- Intimate, nature-immersed experience; open to all fitness levels
- Private accommodations for each guest at 5-star resorts
- Custom rain jacket and CamelBak backpack included
- One guided hike each day featuring rugged coastlines and breathtaking views
- Morning yoga sessions to prepare body and mind
- Daily afternoon fitness classes for cross-training and recovery
- Complimentary daily massages
- Full access to resort amenities, including:
- Heated outdoor pool
- Jacuzzi
- Sauna
- Spa
- Nutrition and wellness discussions led by experienced staff
- Caring, attentive, and knowledgeable staff support throughout the week
- A signature “Hiking Queen Stage” – a marquee hike that challenges and inspires
Nutrition and Wellness
Providing a holistic approach to training with special attention given to nutrition and post-training recovery.
- Daily gourmet, nutrient-dense group breakfasts, lunches, and dinners
- Daily post-hike massage and nutrition in the Best Buddies Recovery Room
- Presentations by leading fitness experts, including professional exercise physiologists
- Learn how train and recover for optimal performance day-in and day-out
- Hiking focused guided yoga, stretch, and foam-rolling sessions designed to improve flexibility, relieve tension, alleviate sore muscles, and promote recovery
Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park
The Camp package includes a complimentary four (4) night stay at the Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park.
- Complimentary stay at the Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park for four (4) nights.
- Guests will have access to the resort’s five-star spa, pool, and fitness facilities
- Complimentary daily laundry service
DAILY ITINERARY
Wednesday, April 8 - Sunday, April 12, 2026
Wake up in to the beauty of the California rolling hills at the Rosewood Sand Hill, where refined comfort meets a spacious retreat. For the next five days you will enjoy daily a breakfast while taking in the serenity of the Santa Cruz mountains. Now that you have disconnected from the hustle and bustle of your daily grind, it’s time to take a deeper dive into nature where you will experience a vigorous hiking adventure. You will be guided by our experts, and encounter seasonal treasures, including wildflowers and birdlife as you wind your way through Redwood forests or up open pastures on mountain side – all in your pace and your time. Once you return to the Rosewood, you will receive a bountiful lunch and rejuvenating massage before rolling into the evening for a social dinner amongst fellow hikers, where we recap the day over a culinary delight.
Day 1
Arastradero Preserve Loop
It’s always refreshing to end a travel day with a hike to get the blood flowing. This loop features some good hills and nice views to set the mood for the days ahead. While the average grade is only 4%, the max grade goes up to 15% towards Arastradero Lake, which is just enough to raise the heart rate before coming back down. This is a good opportunity to determine your hiking level for the future hikes. For those who wish to do 4 miles, one of our experienced our hike leaders will take you on the out-and-back hiking routes.
See Route & Schedule
Schedule
12:00 PM – Guest arrival at Rosewood Sand Hill (Menlo Park)
12:00 PM – 3:00 PM – Hiker meeting and gear check / distribution
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Departure to trailhead
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM – Welcome dinner with schedule overview and group goals discussion
Day 2
Wunderlich Loop
Think views, views, views! But you don’t get to see the glory of this hike without working for it! This is a lovely loop through redwood and evergreen forest, cool canyons, and a few areas of chaparral and open meadow. It’s a steady uphill followed by steady downhill, with virtually no flat trail, so come prepared for climbing and descending. In most places, the trails are gradual and not too technical, making this a potentially strenuous hike, where some of you may chose to venture to run part of the route. For those less inclined to go the full distance, you can opt to turn at the 4 mile mark where one of our guides will escort you back to the start.
See Route & Schedule
Schedule
5:00 AM – 6:00 AM – Meditation / stretching session
5:30 AM – 7:30 AM – Coffee and breakfast
7:30 AM – Hiker meeting
8:00 AM – 1:00 PM – Departure to trailhead and hike
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM – Lunch at Rosewood
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Massage and compression therapy with protein smoothies in the spa
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM – Nutrition seminar
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM – Dinner at Rosewood
Day 3
Hamms Gulch – Spring Ridge Trail Loop
This trail provides access to vast open areas of Skyline Drive. The trail starts off on a road before entering the woods, where we begin to climb up the gulch. We will be taking in the beauty of the wildflowers alongside the trail as it ascends to the hilltop. The trail moves through the woods via a series of steep climbs and switchbacks until it finally reaches a small parking lot sits off Skyline Drive. From the summit of Windy Hill, we observe the sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay, South Bay area, and other preserves that stretch out to the east. And to the west, the Santa Monica Mountains provide a reprieve from Silicon Valley. As we descend steeply back into the lower parts of the route through open fields, once again we will be met with view of open spaces covered with wildflowers.
See Route & Schedule
Schedule
5:00 AM – 6:00 AM – Meditation / stretching session
5:30 AM – 7:30 AM – Coffee and breakfast
7:30 AM – Hiker meeting
8:00 AM – 1:00 PM – Departure to trailhead
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM – Lunch at Rosewood
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Strength & Conditioning Seminar
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM – Nutrition seminar
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM – Dinner at Rosewood
Day 4
Queen Stage – Purisima Creek & Bay Area Ridge Trail
Bay Area Ridge and Purisima Creek Trails link together in this spectacular Redwoods Forest Open Space Preserve. You will be challenged on this part loop/ part out-and-back route through forested canyons and over high ridges with ocean views. It’s not just about the uphill. In the first 2 miles, we will lose more than 1,000 feet of elevation before we regain it on a steady climb out of the canyon to reach our turning point.
See Route & Schedule
Schedule
5:00 AM – 6:00 AM – Meditation / stretching session
5:30 AM – 7:30 AM – Coffee and breakfast
7:30 AM – Hiker meeting
8:00 AM – 1:00 PM – Departure to trailhead
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM – Lunch at Rosewood
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Massage and compression therapy with protein smoothies in the spa
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM – Recovery seminar
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM – Dinner at Rosewood
Day 5
Stanford Dish Loop
The Stanford Dish Loop trail is a popular, paved trail that rises and falls along the hills above Stanford University. This picturesque easy hike will conclude our hiking experience with views of Stanford University, Hoover Tower, and the rest of the South Bay. At the highest point of the trail, we will pass by some antennas and the satellite dish that was built in the 1960’s and is used by the university for research to this day.
See Route & Schedule
Route
Schedule
5:00 AM – 6:00 AM – Meditation / stretching session
5:30 AM – 7:30 AM – Coffee and breakfast
7:30 AM – Hiker meeting
8:00 AM – 11:00 AM – Departure to trailhead and hike
11:30 AM – 1:30 PM – Lunch at Rosewood
11:30 AM – 1:30 PM – Massage and compression therapy with protein smoothies in the spa
12:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Check-out and departure
Five-Day Breakaway Camp Package
$8,000 One-Time Hiker Fee ($4,000 Deposit Due at Registration)
Once registered, you’ll have access to your own fundraising webpage, which you can easily personalize. Your webpage makes it easy for donors to give and for you to ask for and keep track of donations.
We’ll also provide you with fundraising materials, including email and letter templates, posters and step-by-step guides for holding your own fundraising events. And, you’ll have the support of a Best Buddies Coach. Whether you are new to fundraising, or an old pro, we’ve got all the tools you’ll need to not only meet, but exceed your fundraising goals.
Supporting Best Buddies
All funds raised benefit Best Buddies International, the largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people worldwide with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Our programs empower people with IDD to form meaningful friendships with their peers, secure jobs, improve communication and advocacy skills, and live independently, while also offering support for their families.
The IDD community that Best Buddies serves individuals with IDD and their families. The IDD community includes, but is not limited to, people with Down syndrome, autism, Fragile X, Williams syndrome, and other undiagnosed disabilities.