If you’re looking for incredible adventures beyond what Kentucky offers, national BSA high adventure bases may be just the ticket. The BSA operates four national high adventure bases located throughout the country. Each offers the opportunity for Scouts and Venturers to form a trek crew and take an itinerary throughout the backcountry.
Philmont Scout Ranch is called a “backpacker’s paradise” with good reason. Located in the mountains of New Mexico near the town of Cimarron, Philmont offers unparalleled opportunities for crews to backpack across thousands of acres in the backcountry. In addition to these treks, Philmont also offers individual programs such as Trail Crew Trek, Ranch Hands, and the prestigious Rayado program. The council organizes treks to Philmont every few years, but your crew can go yourselves if you have enough people. You can find out more about Philmont at its website: http://philmontscoutranch.org.
Northern Tier focuses on canoeing across the many lakes of northern Minnesota. Venturers can choose an itinerary that stays in the United States or one that goes into Canada. Beautiful sunrises and sunsets, lots of water, and a pristine wilderness await the crew that chooses Northern Tier. Find out more on its website: http://ntier.org.
The Florida Sea Base is based in the Florida Keys and offers adventures in sailing, snorkeling, and even trips to the BSA’s own island, Big Munson Island. Check out its website for more information: http://www.bsaseabase.org.
The Summit Bechtel Reserve is the BSA’s newest base. Nestled in the New River Gorge of West Virginia, the Summit is home to a high adventure base, a Scout camp, and a national training center. It is also the home of all future National Scout Jamborees, as well as the 2019 World Jamboree. You can find more information at its website: http://www.summitbsa.org.
In addition to these bases run by National BSA, there are also several high adventure bases run by local councils.
Latimer High Adventure Base is located in Tennessee, just a few hours away from most of our council. The base offers rappelling, white water rafting, hiking, and more. http://www.latimerbsa.org
The Atchafalaya Swamp Base is located in the Atchafalaya Swamp in Louisiana. The base’s high adventure treks have been growing rapidly in popularity over the past few years, likely because of the challenging yet unique experience they offer. http://www.bsaswampbase.org
The Maine High Adventure Base offers canoe treks through the Maine Wilderness. http://www.mainehighadventure.org
Sea Scout Base Galveston provides a watercraft program based in Galveston, TX. This is a growing program like Swamp Base and offers sailing, kayaking, and more. http://ssbgalveston.org/scouting.php