Philmont Scout Ranch Camps - Base Camp

Base Camp

Base Camp is the center of all Philmont administration, ingress, and egress. Most of its area is occupied by Camping Headquarters; ancillary facilities include the Seton Museum (devoted to Ernest Thompson Seton's Woodcraft Indians and other works), the Philmont Training Center and Villa Philmonte, the fire response facilities, the cattle headquarters, and the administration area. Its population exceeds that of Cimarron on most nights of the summer, according to the hiker's pamphlet. Mark Anderson is the current head of programs.

The Welcome Center is a large pavilion, which serves as a waiting area for crews arriving or departing from the ranch as well as crews leaving or returning on a trek. The Welcome Center's small office offers check-in instructions and general information. The Camp Administration and Logistical Services manage registration and orchestrate all the ranch's operations.

There are two dining halls, one for campers and one for staff. Services is a large L-shaped building whose facilities include rental and return of gear and issuance of trail food, lockers, in which crews may store gear they do not want to take on the trail, and a post office, which handles mail for staff and crew members.

The Health Lodge has health officers that communicate with backcountry staff by radio and can dispatch vehicles to retrieve people if necessary. Tooth of Time Traders sells camping and backpacking gear as well as souvenirs. The Snack Bar is in the same building at the trading post and sells snack foods, ice cream, and beverages.

There are four chapels: Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Latter-day Saints. Each chapel holds services every evening for incoming and some outgoing crews.

There are three tent cities: Trailbound, Homebound, and Staff. Each contains several shower houses. The staff tent city's capacity is roughly 900, though it is rarely full; Trailbound and Homebound each hold between 400 and 500 trekkers.