Philmont Scout Ranch Camps - Staffed Camps - Current Staffed Camps

Current Staffed Camps

Abreu

A Mexican homestead beloved for its Cantina, which serves snacks and root beer. Its other program includes a Mexican dinner, goat-milking, and other farm-related activities and maintenance. It is set in the year 1912. Elevation: 7,240 ft (2,210 m).; location: South Country; water: purified from spigot; facilities: showers, latrines.

Apache Springs

Located in the far southwest corner of the ranch, Apache Springs sits on the edge of a large alpine meadow. While not an interpretive history camp (staff are not dressed in period clothing) the program relates the history and culture of the Jicarilla Apache who inhabited the region up until the mid 19th century. The camp features a small "village" of teepees where talks are given on the history and lifestyle of the Jicarilla as well as the opportunity to handle genuine artifacts. Scouts also have the opportunity to make real arrowheads and experience a "sweat lodge". Elevation: 9,400 ft (2,900 m).; location: South Country, 36°23′16″N 105°08′36″W / 36.38778°N 105.14333°W / 36.38778; -105.14333

Baldy Town

Baldy Town, at the base of Mount Baldy in Colfax County, New Mexico, was a prominent town in Old West culture and folklore, serving as the base for gold mining operations on the mountain before mining in the area ceased and the town was completely abandoned. Among the ruins of the town, at an elevation of 10,000 feet (3,000 m), Philmont now runs a staffed camp and commissary, which includes a trading post and showers. Its programs include a history of the town and climbing Baldy Mountain, which is the highest on the ranch at an elevation of 12,441 feet (3,792 m).

The land around Baldy Town and Mount Baldy was purchased in 1963 by Norton Clapp, vice-president of the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America. The purchase added 10,098 acres (40.87 km2) to Philmont Scout Ranch.

Beaubien

Located at the northerly end of picturesque Bonita Canyon, Beaubien is largely considered the hub of the South Country. Virtually all treks that route through the South Country come here. Some treks spend a "layover" here, i.e. they stay here for two nights allowing for a little R&R during their trek. The program features the life of the cowboy, both historical and modern, with horseback rides, branding, a chuckwagon dinner prepared (partially) by the staff, and a western campfire. Many campers choose to brand their hiking boots, belts, and other brandable articles with either the Slash Crazy S and/or the Bar P Crazy S brands of Philmont. Beaubien is named in honor of Carlos Beaubien who, along with Guadalupe Miranda, owned the original Mexican land grant of which Philmont is now a part.

Black Mountain

A log cabin assumed to be constructed in 1895 as part of a hydraulic mining operation sits next to the blacksmithing forge, campfire ring, and rifle range. Crews who come here take a step back in time in a way that few other interpretive history camps at Philmont are able to do. The program is a hybrid of homesteading, mining, and early western settlement, set in reconstruction era America. Staff portray the roles of civil war veterans who have come west to carve out new lives, work for the Cimarron Indian Agency, and perhaps begin a settlement. Black-powder shooting skills and blacksmithing are taught in a manner where participants can appreciate the range of skills that were necessary to settle the West. Because this camp is inaccessible to vehicles, burros are used to bring provisions in and garbage out of camp. For this reason, the staff do not accept garbage from crews. The camp is located along the North Fork Urraca Creek at the southwesterly base of Black Mountain, one of the more prominent peaks on the ranch. Latrines are back-to-back and sit in the open.

Elevation = 9,040'; 36°26.58′N 105°05.50′W / 36.44300°N 105.09167°W / 36.44300; -105.09167; water: stream, must be treated

Carson Meadows

Opened in the summer of 2004, Carson Meadows was converted to a staff camp during the summer of 2005 it is the southernmost camp on the Ranch. Located above the Rayado Canyon to the south, it is a short hike from Abreu, turning south at the Old Abreu trail camp. Carson Meadows is situated on, as the name implies, a gorgeous meadow surrounded by thick woods. From the gorgeous cabin one has a spectacular view of the Tooth of Time, framed by Fowler Mesa to the east and Urraca Mesa to the west. Carson's program is search and rescue.

Cimarroncito

The hub of the Central Country, this camp provides rock climbing and an excellent conservation site. Its conservation staff have been working to restore the meadow to its former state in order to improve the water table for the village of Cimarron. The camp also features chapel services.

Clark's Fork

A western program camp set in the year 1950, with horseback rides, branding, chuckwagon dinners and a western campfire. A very busy camp and typically gets extremely crowded with crews moving in both directions. The camp also contains a steer-roping practice area and two sets of horseshoe pits

Due to its proximity to Philmont's base camp and its function as a funnel for crews finishing their treks via the Tooth of Time, Clark's is a large and busy camp. For dinner, Scouts and leaders are served a "chuckwagon" beef stew, a signature of Philmont. Many crews take trail rides on the camps horses. Rides can be reserved in advance by crew leaders.

Clark's Fork is an excellent place to get belts, boots and other gear branded with the Philmont horse brand or cattle brand.

Sites: 21; elevation: 7,530'; 36°28′07″N 105°02′54″W / 36.46861°N 105.04833°W / 36.46861; -105.04833 (Clark's Fork Camp); water: in-camp spigots; facilities: showers; program: Western Lore, Horse Rides, Chuckwagon Dinner.

Clear Creek

This camp features the history of the fur trade prior to 1840. Program includes loading and shooting muzzleloading black-powder rifles, a demonstration of beaver trapping techniques, tomahawk throwing, and a talk on the history of the North American fur trade and examination of artifacts in the "trappers cabin". Evening activities consist of the telling of "yarns", or folklore tales from the days of the fur trade. At approximately 10,200 feet (3,100 m), Clear Creek is the highest staffed camp on the ranch. Cold, wet weather (even snow) is not uncommon during the summer months at this elevation. Clear Creek is located near the headwaters of the Rayado River and is named after the original name of Mt. Phillips, Clear Creek Mountain. The actual Clear Creek flows off of the north side of Mt. Phillips within the Cimarron Canyon Wildlife Area.

Crater Lake

This camp sits on a large incline above 8000 ft on the eastern slopes of Fowler Pass between Fowler Mesa and Trail Peak. The theme of the camp is early 20th century logging, and staff portray the Continental Tie and Lumber Company, which actually operated to the north in the Ponil Canyons. Activities include spar pole climbing and hand-hewn railroad tie construction. The staff also hosts a campfire with a magnificent view of the Tooth of Time. The lake more closely resembles a pond and is not actually located in a crater. It was formed by a rock slide from the slopes of Fowler Mesa which created a natural bowl fed by a spring.

Crooked Creek

One of the more primitive staffed camps, Crooked Creek is similar to Black Mountain in that it is not accessible by vehicle. The camp is located on the edge of a large, high meadow and features programs related to the life of the homesteader. An early staffed camp many years ago, Crooked Creek was a trail camp until 1990, when it was decided that homesteading would be a good addition to Philmont's interpretive history camps. In 1990, Crooked Creek was among the first camps (along with Cimmaroncito and Abreu) in Philmont's history to feature a coed staff. Like many other of Philmont's interpretive history camps, the staff live as primitively as the life they portray. Gardening, candle making, livestock care, woodworking skills, and lively games of "mountain bowling" are some of the activities presented here.

Cypher's Mine

This camp is located along the upper reaches of the North Fork Cimarroncito River. The program revolves around gold and other "hard rock" mining that historically occurred in the area. Program activities are highlighted by a tour of the Contention mine. Another larger mine known as the Thunder exists just south of the camp as do smaller mines such as the Garst, the Gloria, and the Anaconda, but they are not the subject of any program activities. Other program activities include blacksmithing and goldpanning. The camp is named in honor of Charles Cypher, an early miner in the area. Cypher's Mine is the only camp on the ranch where crews do not pitch tents at their campsites. Due to the narrow, rocky canyon in which the camp is located, campsites contain three-walled roofed structures officially referred to as "adirondacks", but the local camp vernacular for them is "shacks". A variety of original structures and artifacts from the mining days of the late 19th century are featured at this camp. Cypher's Mine features an evening program called a "Stomp" inside one of the old structures, modeled after the evening revelry of miners.

Dan Beard

Elevation: 7,990 ft (2,440 m).; location 36°40′42″N 105°05′15″W / 36.67833°N 105.08750°W / 36.67833; -105.08750. Located in the burn, Dan Beard is a home to a challenge course, a program designed to teach teamwork and critical thinking skills within a group. In 2006, Dan Beard received a new challenge course wall and new campsites to compensate for those lost in the Ponil complex fire. Three sites are located a short hike up a hill in the canyon, while the rest of the camp sites are nestled in the hills behind the challenge course. During the summer 2011 season, the Dan Beard staff also included a nightly yoga program.

Dean Cow

Located just outside the burn area (from the Ponil Complex Fire), this camp offers arguably the most difficult participant rock climbing on the ranch. Other activities include rappelling as well as a traverse wall for use in the evening hours. The cabin offers the famous "porch challenge," a series of climbing holds, ropes, and crimps across the porch. Those who complete the porch challenge usually receive a small prize, such as a pudding cup. Dean Cow's other popular "activity" is its heated showers available to participants. Staff at Dean Cow often spend down time climbing the canyon's multiple, challenging walls. From 1990 to 2009, Dean Cow offered a climbing wall for use during evening hours. For Summer 2010, the climbing wall was replaced with a traverse wall. As of August 2010, the old climbing wall still stands, but with the hand-holds removed. The staff will offer a small prize (usually a food item) to a camper who completes the traverse wall.

Fish Camp

Formerly known as Rayado Lodge, Fish Camp is the site of the three original hunting and fishing lodge of Waite Phillips, located in the South Country. The camp is first person interpretive, and program includes lodge tours, fly tying, and fly fishing. Fish Camp is notable as one of Waite Phillips's "favorite spots on the Ranch," according to son Chope who visits every year.

French Henry

Located in a deep, narrow canyon just below Baldy Mountain, French Henry features programs revolving around the rich mining history of the Baldy Country. Gold panning, blacksmithing, and a tour of a small portion of the massive Aztec mine are featured here. The mine tour is in an access drift within the Ponil Level 2 of the Aztec Mine, which at its height, contained over 30 miles (48 km) of tunnels and other workings. The main part of this camp contains the foundations of an old ore mill. Waste from this mill results in the only place on Philmont where crews can consistently find actual gold in their pans. The staff lives in original structures built in 1930s. The camp is named in honor of Henry Buruel, a Frenchman who mined in the area as early as 1869. Stories of his untimely death in neighboring Baldy Town have led to numerous legends of his haunting of this camp. This is the only non-commissary camp with no overnight campers due to the lack of flat areas for campsites. Elevation: 9,650 ft (2,940 m).; location: North Country, 36°38′10″N 105°11′00″W / 36.63611°N 105.18333°W / 36.63611; -105.18333.

Harlan

Harlan is the place for 12-gauge shotgun shooting (shooting clay pigeons), and burro racing; a popular Harlan sport in which each crew races their burro around certain obstacles in attempt to beat the other crews' burros.

Head of Dean

This North Country camp is home to a magnificent view of the Rockies in back of the staff cabin, as well as a basketball court, many hummingbirds, a weather station, a turkey family, and team-building challenge events. These are challenges such as getting an entire crew up a sheer 12-foot (3.7 m) wall.

Hunting Lodge

Centered on the well-maintained cabin built by Waite Phillips for his many hunting excursions, the Hunting Lodge is located in a busy area of the ranch's central country, and serves as a hub for vehicles and for trekkers passing between Cypher's Mine, Clark's Fork and Cimarroncito. It also serves as a major attraction for the youth participants of the Philmont Training Center. Program includes a tour of Phillips' cabin and evening stories told by the fireplace.

Indian Writings

Indian Writings hosts many petroglyphs on the large rock faces around the camp. Also there are a few excavation sites and archaeological digs corresponding to these ancient writings, each with their own stories. Campers usually take the hour to an hour and a half tour of the easy-to-reach writings and excavation sites. Both new and exiting scouts are found here, as it is located close to 6-Mile Gate turnaround.

Miners Park

This South Country camp is noted for its rock climbing and traverse wall. The camp is built around a large meadow, in which mountain lions may appear to hunt mule deer and other such prey. The program area is arguably the farthest on the ranch from the actual campsites, typically a 30-minute hike up to the rock formation known as "Betty's Bra." In the evening it is possible to hear Crater Lake staff and campers yell to the "hippie climbers" of Miners Park during their campfire program.

Miranda

This North/Baldy Country camp is home to a large meadow with a black-powder rifle range along with a throwing tomahawk range. The staff portray a mountain man/fur-trappers rendezvous, and display various trappers and traders wares in the teepees in the meadow. Miranda is noted for its evening activity, Mountain Ball, a variant of baseball with five bases and two teams in the field at any one time. After Mountain Ball, it is tradition for all participants to yell "We are the finest Mountain Ball players in all the land! Bring us your finest meats and cheeses!" towards Head of Dean camp. As it is uncommon for crews to beat the staff in Mountain Ball, crews that do defeat the staff become honorary members of the AKC, a legendary crew who first beat the staff in an epic game, winning 21-2-0. As of July 2006, the camp is suffering from bear problems.

Ponil

The former base camp for the Philturn Rocky Mountain Scout Camp, Ponil not only has a commissary but also contains a trading post. Ponil provides camping and a Western Lore program. Western lore program includes: A cantina, cantina show, chuckwagon dinner and breakfast, lassoing, branding, and horse shoes. Crews can learn from the wrangler staff how to pack burros at Ponil, and then take them along to their next camp. There is a fifty pound weight limit for how much the burros can carry, which typically is equal to three days of trail meals. Many crews also take horseback/dude rides here, in which the wrangler staff take you on a scenic view of the forest and surrounding area. Ponil is also the starting and ending location for many North Country Cavalcades, where instead of backpacking for 10 days, a crew can ride horses from camp to camp along a set itinerary. Elevation: 7,050 ft (2,150 m).; location: North Country, 36°37′56″N 105°00′07″W / 36.63222°N 105.00194°W / 36.63222; -105.00194

Phillips Junction

Phillips Junction (PJ) is a Commissary (a food pickup for crews) and a moderately-stocked trading post. They offer unlimited free apples and oranges for crews going through. It has water purified from spigot, showers and latrines. No camping. PJ's not a destination- it is used almost exclusively as a food pickup.

Pueblano

Setup as a mock logging camp of the Continental Tie and Lumber Company, Pueblano offers theme oriented program. The program offers spar pole climbing and hand-hewn railroad tie construction during the day, and "Loggerball" and a campfire in the evening. Loggerball is a game similar to baseball. The camp staff, known as the Log Dogs, always beat the campers. The rules change each inning, and the staff members make lots of noise during the reading of the rules in order to confuse the campers. Elevation: 8,100 ft (2,500 m).; location: North Country, 36°37′30″N 105°06′51″W / 36.62500°N 105.11417°W / 36.62500; -105.11417.

Rayado

Located 7 miles (usually traveled by bus) from base camp. Great activity to do on first/last day in base camp. Features a replica 1860's hacienda built on property once owned by mountain man Kit Carson. Program offered: Interactive 1-hour tour of the Kit Carson Museum, may include demonstrations of blacksmithing, black-powder riflery, woodworking, cooking, or tomahawk throwing. This is one of the few areas of Philmont open to the public. Hours of Museum 8-5, every day during the summer season.

Rich Cabins

Although considered a part of the ranch, Rich Cabins is outside of the Philmont boundary on Ted Turner's Vermejo Park Ranch. The Rich family lived at this location from the late 1880s to the 1920s and therefore the camp and its program is focused on that homesteading era. Program includes: historical cabin tours, gardening, wood working (some years), catching chickens, milking cows, and various projects that the staff may be working on to improve the camp. Additionally, there is a commissary located at Rich.

Ring Place

Found in the Valle Vidal, this camp has astronomy, folk weather, and cabin tours of their historic cabin.

Sawmill

Sawmill has a wood-fired boiler for hot showers and a program focused on high-powered rifle shooting (.30-06) where participants are taught how to re-load their own rounds and to shoot. Has a beautiful view down the valley towards the east and the prairie below. Highly recommended to wake up early and watch sunrise, as the sun rises in the valley below, and provides for unforgettable views.

Seally Canyon

A Valle Vidal camp. The program feature is search and rescue.

Urraca

A camp sited on the north side of Urraca Mesa with a great view to the North looking toward Base Camp. Inspiration Point is a great side hike from this camp. The camp program includes challenge (team building) activities designed to help instill a sense of teamwork within the crew while teaching them to be willing and ready to think outside the box. Campsites are neatly separated from the program area and sited along a hillside in the Ponderosa pines next to a meadow; cool breezes funnel down Urraca and the adjacent passes. Most crews arrive at Urraca after climbing up and over Urraca Mesa. Legend holds that the Mesa is haunted, with tales ranging from eerie blue lights to "imps" running around at night. Crews crossing the mesa might encounter some cattle.

Ute Gulch Commissary

Commissary and trading post; no camping. This is a trail outpost with the commissary on one end of the building and the trading post on the other.

The trading post carries primarily the bare essentials-- but also a few other goodies to eat and drink which are a welcome respite from trail food.

Offers fresh fruit to those picking up food. After experiencing extreme bear problems in 2005, Ute Gulch Commissary became one of the first commissaries to use electric fences around the building.

It sits at 7,920 feet (2,410 m) elevation and is located at 36°30.80′N 105°03′W / 36.51333°N 105.050°W / 36.51333; -105.050.

Whiteman Vega

A Valle Vidal camp. It features Mountain Bike riding and also provides an excellent starting point for any layover crews that would like to hike Little Costilla, a demanding and yet rewarding mountain west by north-west of the camp.

Zastrow

Location: South Country

This staffed camp is home to the land navigation program, and is a common camp to pass through or stay at for crews at the beginning or end of their south country treks. Crews that stay the night can make fruit cobbler for dessert.