Scouting and Guiding in California
Scouting in California has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.
- Follow California Scouts on Facebook for the latest scouting updates!
Early history (1910-1950)
Many Scouts in California prior to the charter of the BSA were the youth auxiliary of the California Highway Patrol (similar to Law Enforcement Explorers, while others belonged to the Peace Scouts of California, another pre-BSA Scouting association.
Recent history (1950-1990)
The 1953 National Scout Jamboree was held at Irvine Ranch, California. Jamboree Road in Newport Beach, California, commemorates the site of the 1953 Jamboree.
The 1973 National Order of the Arrow Conference was held at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
On May 1, 2006, Old Baldy Council merged into the San Gabriel Valley Council and the California Inland Empire Council.
Boy Scouting in California today
- See also California Eagles Nest - individuals who have made significant contributions to scouting in California.
BSA Councils in California
There are twenty-four Boy Scouts of America local councils in California.
ID# | Council Name | Office | Status | FB Link | OA Lodge | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
001 | 022 | Alameda Council | Oakland | Active | FB LINK | Kaweah Lodge 379 | One of the seven smallest councils in BSA and one of six serving the San Francisco Bay Area. | |
002 | 045 | California Inland Empire Council | Inland Empire | Active | FB Link | Cahuilla Lodge 127] | all of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties | |
003 | 491 | Crater Lake Council | Central Point OR | Active | FB | OA | Southern & Central Oregon and Northern parts of California. (Redwood, Siskiyou and Modoc Counties) | |
xxx | xxx | Desert Pacific Council | Renamed | See San Diego-Imperial Council | ||||
xxx | xxx | Forty-Niner Council | 1997 Merger | See Greater Yosemite Council | ||||
004 | 047 | Golden Empire Council | Sacramento Valley | Active | FB Link | Amangi Nacha 047 | serves a large section of Northern California, primarily the Sacramento Valley and the northern Sierra Nevada mountains. | |
005 | 033 | Greater Los Angeles Area Council | Los Angeles | Active | FB | Tuku'ut Lodge 141 | Combines the LA region and the San Gabriel Valley in 2015. | |
006 | 059 | Greater Yosemite Council | Modesto | Active | FB Link | Toloma Lodge 64 | Modesto, Stockton, Calaveras and San Joaquin Regions. | |
007 | 238 | Las Vegas Area Council | Las Vegas | Active | FB | Nebagamon Lodge 312 | Covers Southeastern corner of California including Needles and Blythe. | |
008 | 032 | Long Beach Area Council | Long Beach | Active | FB | Tribe of Tahquitz | ||
xxx | xxx | Los Angeles Area Council | 2015 Merger | Merged with San Gabriel Valley Council to create Greater Los Angeles Area Council. | ||||
009 | 053 | Los Padres Council | Santa Barbara | Active | FB | Chumash Lodge | Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties on the Central Coast. | |
010 | 035 | Marin Council | Marin Co | Active | FB | Talako Lodge | North SF Bay Area | |
xxx | xxx | Monterey Bay Area Council | 2012 Merger | See Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council | ||||
011 | 023 | Mount Diablo Silverado Council | Contra Costa CA | Active | FB | Wolfeboro Pioneers | Contra Costa County, Lake County, Napa County, Solano County and northern Alameda County. | |
012 | 239 | Nevada Area Council | Reno NV | Active | FB | Tannu Lodge | covers Northeastern California and most of Northern Nevada | |
xxx | xxx | Old Baldy Council | San Gabriel | 2006 Merger | Split and merged into San Gabriel Valley Council and California Inland Empire Council. | |||
013 | 039 | Orange County Council | So. Calif | Active | FB | Wiatava Lodge | ||
014 | 031 | Pacific Skyline Council | San Mateo County | Active | FB | Ohlone Lodge | serving youth in the San Mateo County and Santa Clara County regions. It was created in 1994 from a merger of the San Mateo and Stanford Area Councils. | |
015 | 042 | Piedmont Council | Piedmont CA | Active | FB | Hungteetsepoppi Lodge | Not to be confused with Piedmont County NC in North Carolina of the same name. | |
016 | 041 | Redwood Empire Council | Santa Rosa CA | Active | FB | Orca Lodge | Covers Sonoma and Mendocino Counties in Northern California. Founded 1919. | |
017 | 049 | San Diego-Imperial Council | San Diego | Active | FB | Tiwahe Lodge | covers all of San Diego and Imperial Counties. | |
018 | 028 | San Francisco Bay Area Council | San Leandro CA | Active | FB | Achewon Nimat Lodge | ||
xxx | xxx | San Gabriel Valley Council | 2015 Merger | Merged with Los Angeles Area Council to create Greater Los Angeles Area Council. | ||||
xxx | xxx | Santa Clara County Council | 2012 Merger | Merged into Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council | ||||
019 | 055 | Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council | Monterey CA | Active | FB | Saklan Lodge | serving Santa Clara County, Santa Cruz County, San Benito County, and Monterey County. | |
020 | 030 | Southern Sierra Council | Bakersfield CA | Active | FB | Yowlumne Lodge | Covers Kern, Inyo and Mono Counties. | |
021 | 057 | Ventura County Council | Camarillo CA | Active | [ https://www.facebook.com/VCCBSA/ FB] | Topa Topa Lodge | ||
022 | Verdugo Hills Council | |||||||
023 | Western Los Angeles County Council |
BSA Scout Camps in California
Camping is at the heart and pride of the Scouting program. Activities include everything from day and weekend camps, unit and family campouts, to long-term camps and high adventure trips. Scout camps operated by BSA council units located in or closeby to California:
Camp Name | Council | Status | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ahwahnee Scout Reservation | ||||
Anza Scout Camp | ||||
Arataba Scout Camp | California Inland Empire Council | Closed | Barton Flats CA | closed in 1960 |
Berrysea Scout Camp | ||||
Balboa Scout Camp | San Diego-Imperial Council | Urban Base Camp | San Diego CA | Urban setting in scenic Balboa Park, adjacent to San Diego Zoo. Visit historic sites and nearby attractions. (Council HQ) |
Big Horn Scout Camp | Greater Los Angeles Area Council | Active Summer Camp Program | Lake Arrowhead | Large traditional mountain summer camp with shooting sports and equestrian ranch. |
Boulder Creek Scout Reservation | Pacific Skyline Council | |||
Cabrillo Beach Youth Waterfront Sports Center | Greater Los Angeles Area Council | Aquatics Center | San Pedro CA | provides a unique aquatics and beach camping experience |
Cedarbrook Scout Camp | Alameda Council | Closed | Closed in 1999. | |
Chanwanakee | ||||
Chesebrough Scout Reservation | Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council | Active | Castle Rock State Park | Year round camp connected to major backpacking trails in the Santa Cruz Mountains. |
Circle B Scout Ranch | Old Baldy Area Council | Closed | Lake Isabella | Open from the late 1950's until 1974, |
Cutter Scout Reservation | ||||
Cherry Valley | Greater Los Angeles Area Council | Aquatic Base Summer Camp |
Santa Catalina Island | Located on the leeward side two coves north of Two Harbors at Cherry Cove. |
Conestoga | ||||
Crescent M | ||||
Cutter Scout Reservatons | Pacific Skyline Council | |||
Dimond-O | ||||
Echo | ||||
Ed Barrer | ||||
Emerald Bay | Western Los Angeles County Council | Aquatic Base Summer Camp |
Catalina Island | operating since 1925 |
Emerson Scout Camp | California Inland Empire Council | Summer Camp | Idyllwild CA | Operated since 1919 - Oldest operating Scout Camp in California. |
Fiesta Island Youth Aquatic Center | San Diego-Imperial Council | Summer Camp | San Diego CA | Popular Sea Base located adjacent to Sea World San Diego in Mission Bay, San Diego |
Firestone Scout Reservation | Greater Los Angeles Area Council | Active | Diamond Bar CA | Cubland and Scout World camping facilities and shooting ranges. |
Forest Lawn Scout Reservation | Greater Los Angeles Area Council | Active | Lake Arrowhead | AKA Camp Big Horn. |
Fleischmann Scout Camp | Nevada Area Council | Summer Camp | Mount Lassen Volcanic Park | Located in the Cascade Mountains. |
French | ||||
Harvey West | ||||
Helendade Scout Camp | California Inland Empire Council | Closed 2018 | Running Springs CA | Partially burned in the California October 2007 fires |
Herms Scout Camp | Mount Diablo Silverado Council | Urban Base Camp | El Cerrito CA | Base camp for touring historic sites and attractions in the San Francisco Bay Area. |
Hi-Sierra Scout Camp | Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council | Active Summer Camp Program | Tuolumne County | Located in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range and set in a historical logging camp, Hi-Sierra embraces this living history opportunity by immersing Scouts in a fully themed mountain man town. |
Holcomb Valley Scout Camp | Greater Los Angeles Area Council | Active | Big Bear | Located north of Big Bear Lake in the old mining district of Belleville on the site of the old Hitchcock Ranch and close to the Pacific Crest Trail. |
Hubert Eaton Scout Reservation | Greater Los Angeles Area Council | Active | Lake Arrowhead | AKA Camp Big Horn. |
Irvine Ranch | Orange County Council | Active | Irvine Regional Park | Outdoor Education Center with overnight educational programs. Science, Shooting Sports, Academics, Mining and more. |
I-Yee-Que | ||||
Josepho | Western Los Angeles County Council | Active | Opened in 1941, Rhe 110-acre camp is located in the Santa Monica Mountains in Los Angeles County. | |
Jubilee Scout Ranch | Western Los Angeles County Council | Closed | Closed in 2003 | |
Log Cabin Wilderness Camp | Los Angeles Area Council | Active | Inyo N.F. | A high adventure base camp located in the Inyo National Forest, near the Tioga Pass Road on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada bordering the Hoover Wilderness and Yosemite National Park. |
Kern Scout Camp | ||||
Kit Carson Scout Camp | ||||
Lassen Scout Camp | Golden Empire Council | Active | Norther Butte Co. | Overnight horse treks in the Sierra Nevadas. |
Camp Lindblad | Mount Diablo Silverado Council | Closed | Santa Cruz Mtns | Sold in 2017 |
Log Cabin Wilderness Camp | Greater Los Angeles Area Council | Hi-Adventure Base | Lee Vining CA | Eastern Sierra adventure base camp. |
Long Beach Sea Base | Long Beach Area Council | Sea Base | Long Beach CA | hosts traditional aquatics summer camp and many Sea Scouting adventure treks. Frequent host of the International Sea Scout Cup Race. |
Lost Valley | Orange County Council | Summer Camp | Borrego Desert | Desert hi-adventure program |
Makualla Scout Camp | Crater Lake Council | Active Summer Camp Hi-Adventure Base |
Crater Lake OR | Features both a traditional summer camp program and hi-adventure whitewater rafting, caving, mountain biking and several tall mountain hikes. |
Marin Sierra Scout Camp | Marin Council | Active Summer Camp Hi-Adventure Base |
Chubb Lake | 320-acre camping facility in Tahoe National Forest. |
Masonite Navarro | Redwood Empire Council | Active | Navarro CA | Located near Navarro in Mendocino County, CA. |
Mataguay Scout Camp | San Diego-Imperial Council | Active Summer Camp | NE San Diego County | Located near Palomar Mountain and Lake Henshaw. Popular features include Glider rides, equestrian trips and quick access to backpacking on Pacific Crest Trail. |
McConnell Scout Camp | Greater Yosemite Council | Active | Livingston CA | Located on the banks of the beautiful Merced River and used for Council Trainings, Cub Resident Camps and Unit Campouts. Home of the Yosemite Klondike Derby. |
Mensinger Scout Camp | Greater Yosemite Council | Summer Camp | Stanislaus National Forest | Features deep Merit Badge classes in all-day format instead of traditional hour-by-hour program. |
Camp Minkalo | ||||
Camp Mirimichi HA Base | ||||
Camp Mirimichi | ||||
Camp Nejedly | ||||
Newport Sea Base | Orange County Council | Aquatic Hi-Adventure | Newport Harbor | Serves a variety of oceangoing adventures. |
Camp Noyo | Redwood Empire Council | Active | Mendocino County | Located on the Noyo River in Mendocino County, CA. |
Camp O'Hara | ||||
Camp Okihi | ||||
Camp Oljato | Pacific Skyline Council | Active | Huntington Lake | Located at Huntington Lake in Lakeshore, CA and was founded in 1941 as a Jewish boys' singing camp. |
Oso Lake Scout Camp | Orange County Council | Open | O'Neill Regional Park | features a 100-acre lake for fishing, camping and shooting sports. |
Camp Pacifico | ||||
Camp Pahatsi | ||||
Pardee Scout Sea Base | Western Los Angeles County Council | Active | Marina Del Rey | |
Pendola Scout Reservation | Greater Yosemite Council | Active | Stanislaus National Forest | Home of Camp Mensinger and Pendola Sierra Adventure Base. |
Pico Blanco | Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council | Active Summer Camp Program | Big Sur | Beautiful Coastal Forest Setting |
Camp Pomponio | ||||
Rancho Alegre | Los Padres Council | Closed Fire Damage |
Lake Cachuma | Elevation 2200 feet in the wooded oak foothills of Los Padres National Forest. Features Lifeguard Academy and year round Outdoor School. This camp was severely damaged in the Whittier Fire of 2018 and is temporarily closed. |
Rancho Los Flores | Orange County Council | Closed | Camp Pendleton USMC | |
Rancho Los Mochos | ||||
Camp Riggs (AKA: Elk River Scout Camp) |
Crater Lake Council | Primitive Camp | Eureka CA | former logging camp located in the redwoods near Eureka California |
Camp Robert Cole | Golden Empire Council | Active | Truckee Lake | Beautiful High Sierra wilderness adventure camp near Lake Truckee. |
Camp Rokili | Orange County Council | Closed | Barton Flats | |
Camp Royaneh | ||||
Schoepe Scout Reservation AKA: Lost Valley |
Orange County Council | Summer Camp | Borrego Desert | Includes desert hi-adventure programs |
Sierra North HA | ||||
Camp Silverado | Mount Diablo Silverado Council | Closed | Silver Lake CA | |
Soap Creek | Greater Yosemite Council | Sierra Adventure Base | Stanislaus N.F. | Backpacking, BMX and Canoe Treks in the . |
Stockton Sea Scout Base | ||||
Tahquitz Scout Camp | Long Beach Area Council | Summer Camp | San Bernardino Mountains | sits on one square mile of pristine forest land next Mount San Gorgonio, tallest mountain peak in SoCal. |
Camp Tamarancho | Marin Council | Active | Fairfax CA | 480 acres of meadows, redwood- and oak-forested campsites. Famous for world-class bike trails. |
Three Falls Camp | ||||
Trask Scout Reservation | Greater Los Angeles Area Council | Wilderness Camp | Monrovia Canyon | |
Verdugo Pines | ||||
Camp Whitsett | Western Los Angeles County Council | Active | Sequoia National Forest | |
Winton Scout Camp | Golden Empire Council | Summer Camp | Bear River | Combination wilderness and aquatic camp with overnight canoe treks on Bear River Reservoir in the Central Sierra Nevada mountains. |
Wolfeboro Scout Camp | Mount Diablo Silverado Council | Active Summer Camp / Fall Camp | Stanislaus National Forest | High Sierra Boy Scout camp with watersports, rock climbing and shooting sports. |
Camp Wolverton | Western Los Angeles County Council | Active | Located in the Sequoia National Park | |
Wente Scout Reservation | San Fransico Bay Area Council | Active | 2200 Acres located in hills outside of Willits, CA | |
Will J. Reid Reservation | Long Beach Area Council | Closed | Sold to developer in 2013. |
Girl Scouting in California
- A Council in the greater Los Angeles area: A new council, name to be decided, will be in the greater Los Angeles area and will be a merger of Angeles Girl Scout Council, Girl Scout Council of Greater Long Beach, Joshua Tree Council, Mt. Wilson Vista Council, Spanish Trails Council, and the San Fernando Valley Girl Scout Council.
- Angeles Girl Scout Council Santa Monica, CA, http://www.angeles.org
- Girl Scout Council of Greater Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, http://www.gscglb.org
- Girl Scouts - Joshua Tree Council, Bakersfield, CA, http://www.girlsfirst.org
- Girl Scouts - Mount Wilson Vista Council Arcadia, CA, http://www.gsmwvc.org
- San Fernando Valley Girl Scout Council, Chatsworth, CA, http://www.sfvgsc.org
- Girl Scouts - Spanish Trails Council, Montclair, CA, http://www.gsspanishtrails.org
- Girl Scouts of California's Central Coast
- Girl Scouts of Monterey Bay, Castroville, CA, http://gsmontereybay.org
- Tres Condados Girl Scout Council, Santa Barbara, CA, http://www.gstc.org
- Girl Scouts Golden Valley Council, Fresno, CA, http://www.girlscoutsgvc.org
- Girl Scouts of Northern California, http://girlscoutsnorcal.org/
- Girl Scouts of Konocti Council, Santa Rosa, CA, http://www.konoctigirlscouts.org
- Girl Scouts of San Francisco Bay Area, Oakland, CA, http://www.girlscoutsbayarea.org
- Girl Scouts of Santa Clara County, San Jose, CA, http://www.girlscoutsofscc.org
- Girl Scouts of Sierra Cascade, Chico, CA, http://www.girlscoutssc.org
- Girl Scout Council of Napa-Solano, Fairfield, CA, http://www.gscns.org
- Girl Scouts Heart of Central California
- Girl Scouts Muir Trail Council, Modesto, CA, http://www.girlscoutsmtc.org
- Girl Scouts of Tierra Del Oro, Rancho Cordova, CA http://www.tdogs.org
- Girl Scout Council of Orange County, Costa Mesa, CA http://www.gscoc.org
- Girl Scouts, San Diego-Imperial Council, San Diego, CA http://www.girlscoutssdi.org
- Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council, Redlands, CA http://www.gssgc.org
International Scouting in California
- Mataguay International Camporee (annual event at Mataguay Scout Camp) held in May each year, is attended by hundreds of International Scouting units from around the world, including many from Mexico, Central and South America.
- Cambodian Scouting in exile existed at least into the early 1990s in Los Angeles, alongside fellow Vietnamese Scouting in exile and Laotian Scouting in exile groups.
- Colonel Oleg Pantyukhov, Chief Scout of Russia, moved to the United States, where large troops of Russian Scouts were established in cities such as San Francisco, Burlingame, Los Angeles, etc.
- Külföldi Magyar Cserkészszövetség Hungarian Scouting maintains four troops in Los Angeles and two in San Francisco.
California Hi-Adventure
Camp Name | Council | Status | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cherry Valley | Greater Los Angeles Area Council | Aquatic Base Summer Camp |
Santa Catalina Island | Located on the leeward side two coves north of Two Harbors at Cherry Cove. |
Fiesta Island Youth Aquatic Center | San Diego-Imperial Council | Summer Camp | San Diego CA | Popular Sea Base located adjacent to Sea World San Diego in Mission Bay, San Diego |
Lava Beds National Monument | Volcano | Modoc County | located in northeastern California, on the northeastern flank of Medicine Lake Volcano and has the largest total area covered by a volcano in the Cascade Range. Here are found numerous lava tube caves, with 25 having marked entrances and developed trails for public access and exploration. | |
Pacific Crest Trail | 3000 mile trail | California | From Mexican border, up the length of California, across Oregon and Washington, to the Canadian border. It provides numerous opportunities for both shorter and longer backpacking trips and high adventure training. | |
Redwood National and State Parks | Nature Park | Humboldt County | a group of four parks, together, protect 45% of all remaining coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) old-growth forests. These trees are the tallest and one of the most massive tree species on Earth. | |
Camp Winton | Golden Empire Council | BSA Aquatics Base | Bear River | Combination wilderness and aquatic camp with overnight canoe treks on Bear River Reservoir in the Central Sierra Nevada mountains. |
Scouting by County
Alameda / Alpine / Amador / Butte / Calaveras / Colusa / Contra Costa / Del Norte / El Dorado / Fresno / Glenn / Humboldt / Imperial / Inyo / Kern / Kings / Lake / Lassen / Los Angeles / Madera / Marin / Mariposa / Mendocino / Merced / Modoc / Mono / Monterey / Napa / Nevada / Orange / Placer / Plumas / Riverside / Sacramento / San Benito / San Bernardino / San Diego / San Francisco / San Joaquin / San Luis Obispo / San Mateo / Santa Barbara / Santa Clara / Santa Cruz / Shasta / Sierra / Siskiyou / Solano / Sonoma / Stanislaus / Sutter / Tehema / Trinity / Tulare / Tuolumne / Ventura / Yolo / Ventura
See also
External links and references
- Randall, Laura. "Topanga, down to earth and yet worlds away." The Los Angeles Times October 13, 2002
|