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.
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
BSA Councils in California
There are twenty-four Boy Scouts of America local councils in California.
- Alameda Council #022 - One of the seven smallest councils in BSA and one of six serving the San Francisco Bay Area.
- California Inland Empire Council #045 - includes all of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
- Crater Lake Council #491 - covers Southern & Central Oregon and Northern parts of California. (Redwood, Siskiyou and Modoc Counties)
- Desert Pacific Council - See San Diego-Imperial Council
- Forty-Niner Council - 1997 merged into Greater Yosemite Council.
- Golden Empire Council #047 - serves a large section of Northern California, primarily the Sacramento Valley and the northern Sierra Nevada mountains.
- Greater Los Angeles Area Council #033 - Combines the LA region and the San Gabriel Valley in 2015.
- Greater Yosemite Council #059 - Modesto, Stockton, Calaveras and San Joaquin Regions.
- Las Vegas Area Council #238 - Southeastern corner of California including Needles and Blythe.
- Long Beach Area Council #032 - Southern California
- Los Padres Council #053 - Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties on the Central Coast.
- Marin Council #035 - San Francisco Bay Area.
- Monterey Bay Area Council
- Mount Diablo Silverado Council
- Nevada Area Council
- Old Baldy Council - in 2006 this council merged into San Gabriel Valley Council and California Inland Empire Council.
- Orange County Council
- Pacific Skyline Council
- Piedmont Council
- Redwood Empire Council
- San Diego-Imperial Council #049 - covers all of San Diego and Imperial Counties.
- San Francisco Bay Area Council
- San Gabriel Valley Council - in 2015, this council was merged with Los Angeles Area Council to create Greater Los Angeles Area Council.
- Santa Clara County Council
- Southern Sierra Council
- Ventura County Council
- Verdugo Hills Council
- Western Los Angeles County Council
- See also California Eagles Nest - individuals who have made significant contributions to scouting in California.
BSA Scout Camps in California
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 | Cub Camp | San Diego CA | Urban setting in scenic Balboa Park, adjacent to San Diego Zoo and other popular nearby attractions. (Council HQ) |
Camp Big Horn | 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 | ||||
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 | Santa Cruz Mountains | Also called Camp Chesebrough is a 544 acre (2.2 km²) Boy Scouts of America camp in the Santa Cruz Mountains of Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties, California. |
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 | ||||
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 | ||||
French | ||||
Harvey West | ||||
Helendade Scout Camp | California Inland Empire Council | Closed 2018 | Running Springs CA | Partially burned in the California October 2007 fires |
Herms | ||||
Hi-Sierra | Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council | Active | Tuolumne County | Located in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. This camp is at notably high altitude, with the majority of its buildings standing at approximately 4,800 feet and the highest point of the mountain standing over a mile high at 5,300 feet. |
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 Outdoor Education Center | Orange County Council | Active | ||
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. |
Lindblad (cub?) | ||||
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. |
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. |
Camp Marin Sierra | 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 | ||||
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. |
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. |
Camp Pico Blanco | ||||
Camp Pomponio | ||||
Rancho Alegre | Los Padres Council | Active | Lake Cachuma | Elevation 2200 feet in the wooded oak foothills of Los Padres National Forest. Features Lifeguard Academy and year round Outdoor School. |
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 | ||||
Camp Royaneh | ||||
Sierra North HA | ||||
Camp Silverado | ||||
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. |
Camp Wolfeboro | ||||
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. |
See also
External links and references
- Randall, Laura. "Topanga, down to earth and yet worlds away." The Los Angeles Times October 13, 2002
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