California Gay Adventures
We started with a camping trip.
The rest just followed.
California Gay Adventures was founded on a simple idea — that LGBTQ+ people deserve outdoor spaces that feel like home. That was over a decade ago. We haven’t stopped moving since.
How CGA started
California Gay Adventures started in September 2017, when 13 people who had connected on Facebook decided to go on an epic camping trip together in Yosemite National Park.
There were waterfalls, hikes, campfires, and the kind of conversations that made it clear this could become something bigger. We knew there was room for more than just meeting people in bars. We wanted to create something for the LGBTQ+ community that felt active, welcoming, and real.
What started as one camping trip quickly turned into more. More camping weekends. More hikes. Then bigger adventures, including international travel and social events. Over time, that original idea grew into the not for profit community we now know as California Gay Adventures.
Today, CGA brings people together through a full calendar of outdoor, social, and travel experiences, while continuing to build the same sense of connection that started around a campsite in Yosemite.
Who We Are
As a community-led organization, CGA is supported by member dues and donations that help fund programming and operations. Because CGA is a 501(c)(7) social organization, those contributions are not tax deductible. For inquiries: contact us.
What We Stand For
Our values aren't on a poster.
They're on the trail.
🛡️
Radical Inclusivity
Every identity, every background, every fitness level. If you’re LGBTQ+ or a genuine ally, you belong here. We mean that without asterisks.
⛰️
Adventure as Connection
Shared experiences in nature build something dinner parties and apps can’t. CGA adventures create real friendships because they ask something real of you.
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Community First
The event is the excuse. The community is the point. Every California Gay Adventures trip is organized to maximize connection — not just scenery.
Over a decade of shared adventures
800+
Active Members
160+
Adventures Per Year
10+
Years of Community
The People Behind California Gay Adventures
Run by adventurers, for adventurers
California Gay Adventures is run by a volunteer board of passionate LGBTQ+ adventurers. Team photos coming soon.
Want to be part of what we're building?
The best time to join was when we started. Second best time is now.