The Boy Scouts of America offers a series of High Adventure camps for interested Scouts and Scouters. These are optional summer events at remarkable locations, as described below. Each year, interested Troop 890 scouts attend at least one of these camps and every four years attend the National Boy Scout Jamboree. The High Adventure base visited by 890 rotates each year so that boys will have an opportunity to visit each one during their time in Scouting.
Florida Sea Base, Islamorada, Florida
The Florida National High Adventure Sea Base operates 12 different adventures out of three locations: two in the Florida Keys and one in Marsh Harbour, Bahamas. The adventures Coral Reef Sailing, Sea Exploring, Eco Adventure, Florida Fishing, Scuba Adventure, Scuba Certification, and Live Aboard Scuba Adventure operate in the Florida Keys at Mile Marker 73.8 at Sea Base on Lower Matecumbe Key, located 75 miles south of Miami.
The Florida National High Adventure Sea Base is owned and operated by the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America to offer educational aquatic programs. Located in Islamorada, the near-shore reefs and clear waters offer unparalleled opportunities for long-term and short-term programs year-round. Visit the Florida Sea Base website at www.bsaseabase.org .
Philmont Scout Ranch, Cimarron, New Mexico
Born in 1938 as Philturn Rockymountain Scoutcamp, today’s Philmont Scout Ranch is a bustling center for high adventure and training. Its 34 staffed camps and 55 trail camps provide an unforgettable adventure in the high country along hundreds of miles of rugged, rocky trails.
The area surrounding the ranch is rich with history, from the Native Americans who made this arid land their home to the land barons of the 19th century. The town of Cimarron boasts a number of historical buildings, including the St. James Hotel—site of at least 26 killings during Cimarron’s wilder days.Visit the Philmont Scout Ranch website at www.philmontscoutranch.org .
Northern Tier, Ely, Minnesota
Since 1923, Scouts have been voyaging into the great north wilderness to seek adventure. Eagles soaring overhead, walleye swimming in the depths of pristine lakes, meeting a moose on the portage trail. The Northern Tier High Adventure Program is the ONLY outfitter in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and Canada charged by the Boy Scouts of America to deliver the Scouting program to Scouts and leaders adventuring into North America’s canoe country.
Some of the best weather, snow conditions, facilities, and terrain for cold-weather camping in North America are offered through the OKPIK adventure program. OKPIK provides a highly trained staff to help you learn cold-weather camping skills such as dog sledding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, clothing and sleeping systems, snow shelter building, animal tracking, cold-weather cooking, and ice fishing. Visit the Northern Tier website at www.ntier.org .
The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve, New River Gorge, West Virginia
The Summit (SBR) is the newest high-adventure base in Scouting, the permanent home of the national Scout jamboree, and the site of the 2019 World Scout Jamboree. Through outdoor action sports and experiential learning programs at world-class facilities, the Summit fosters achievement, adventure, and innovation in Scouting.
The Summit property is on 10,600 acres adjacent to the New River Gorge National River area. That means access to incredible outdoor terrain in the Appalachian Mountains that provides a home for some of the world’s best whitewater rafting, rock climbing, and mountain biking.
Visit the Summit website at www.summitbechtelreserve.org or https://summit.scouting.org .
National Scout Jamboree
This unique Boy Scouts event is a gathering of around 45,000 Scouts, leaders every four years to celebrate and showcase the BSA and its members. Visit the National Jamboree website for more information.