Program Opportunites
The Broad Creek Memorial Scout Reservation offers a variety of camping facilities and program opportunities that will interest and challenge a wide range of youth as well as adults. Many activities are offered on more than 1600 acres of undeveloped terrain. The following are program offerings along with applicable fees. It should be noted that several of the activities require leaders to have completed specific training courses in order to lead a group in that activity; members of the Broad Creek Program Committee must run other activities.
Hiking & BackpackingAquatics
Shooting Sports & Ranges
Sports & Outdoor Activities
Project C.O.P.E.
Volunteer Service
Hiking & Backpacking
Broad Creek offers more that 26.5 miles of blazed trails that will entertain as well as challenge the hiker. There is a wide range of both hilly and flatland terrains to travel. Hikers who want a challenge and are interested in learning about the trails they hike can earn the Broad Creek Hiker Award. The Broad Creek Hiker Award booklet is available at the camp trading post. Once completed, a recognition patch can be purchased at the Broad Creek Scout Shop.
For those interested in backpacking, wilderness outposts are available for use in the outer areas of the property. Hikers and backpackers seeking a challenge can start on Broad Creek property and hike the Mason-Dixon Trail. This trail cuts through part of Broad Creek, and runs both east and west from the property.
Campers using the facilities are invited to learn about and earn the new “Leave No Trace” program award. This program is being run by the BSA along with the National Park Service, and involves learning how to improve your camping skills and properly care for our wilderness environment. Once the requirements are completed, a recognition patch can be purchased at the Broad Creek Scout Shop.
All hikers using our facilities must file a “Hike Plan” with the campmaster or ranger at check-in. All camp trails are marked on the Broad Creek map. This map is posted on the website so units can use if for planning purposes, and large paper copies are available for purchase at the Broad Creek Scout Shop.
Aquatics
Rental of canoes, kayaks and rowboats are available to our campers. Rowboats can only be used on Lake Straus. Kayaks, canoes and canoe trailers are all available for rent for off-property use. Advance reservations must be made for use of our watercraft. Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat certification cards must be on hand at the time the watercraft are picked up. Rangers and campmasters are not allowed to release watercraft without photocopies of this required training. All rentals include the use of paddles, oars and PFD’s. Please note that Cub Scouts can only rent rowboats.
Fees
$15 per craft per day$25 per craft for the weekend
$35 per canoe trailer
Trailers have 1-7/8” or 2” hitch couplers and 4-pin flat lighting connectors.
Shooting Sports Ranges
Rifle, Shotgun, Archery
Saffran, Spencer and Oest (archery only) Ranges are available on a first-come, first served bases. All reservations for ranges are made through Camping Services. A copy of applicable training cards (NRA, NAA or BSA) must be in the instructors’ possession while at camp. The fee for one half (1/2) day (a.m. or p.m.) of range use is $25. This fee includes:
Rifle: 12 guns, cleaning supplies, targets, eye and ear protectionShotgun: 2 shotguns, batteries (if applicable), eye and ear protection
Archery: 8 bows, 40 arrows, 8 target butts, protective equipment
Ammunition and pigeons should be provided by the instructor or unit. The rifles take .22 long rifle ammunition and the shotguns take .20 gauge 7 or 9 shot rounds. Replacement and additional arrows are available for $4 apiece. The unit is responsible for removing all trash and cleaning up all spent round at each range.
A certified instructor must be obtained by the unit. If you need assistance in securing an instructor, contact Judi Robilotta from the Field Sports Association at judirobilotta@comcast.net.
Sports & Outdoor Activities
Fishing
Fishing in Lake Straus or in Broad Creek itself can be fun and challenging. Campers are encouraged to bring their own fishing tackle. A fishing license is not required as long as you are fishing and camping on Broad Creek property.
Orienteering
Broad Creek offers several very challenging orienteering courses laid out throughout the entire reservation. Orienteering at its best is the discipline of map reading combined with compass skills and physical fitness. The numbered targets are marked on the Broad Creek camp map. Also on the map are suggestions on starting and participating in the Orienteering Challenge. This is a very rapidly growing sport throughout the country.
October 30th, 2010: Take part in the 34th Annual Scout Orienteering Day!
Download the information and registration form here.
Basketball
Each camp hosts a recreation size basketball court. Basketballs can be brought from home or they can be checked out when a group checks in at registration. Courts are available on a first come, first served basis.
Sand Volleyball
Each camp has a sand volleyball court for the use by our campers. Volleyballs can be checked out at registration or they can be brought from home. Camp Saffran and Camp Oest have single courts while Camp Spencer has two courts side by side. Courts are available on a first come, first served basis.
Sports Equipment
Broad Creek campers may check out any of our other sports equipment. We have soccer balls, footballs, basketballs and volleyballs.
Project C.O.P.E.
Project C.O.P.E., Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience, is a national program of the Boy Scouts of America. The program is composed of group initiative games, trust events, low course events and high course events. Participants climb, swing, balance, jump, and devise solutions to a variety of problems. The activities and events are designed to meet the needs of people of all ages who are seeking ways to challenge and expand their physical and mental abilities. Most participants achieve much more than they imagined they could. C.O.P.E emphasizes building self-esteem, developing leadership and working as a team to accomplish tasks. It provides opportunities for every participant to succeed as an individual and as a member of a group. While the goals and objectives of Project C.O.P.E. are intended for Scouting youth, the great scope and flexibility of the program make it appropriate for people of all ages and abilities.
Project C.O.P.E. Offerings at BCMSR
Hidden in the woods of Broad Creek is the Baltimore Area Council’s own C.O.P.E course. All participants who use the course must be 13 by January 1st of the year of participation and have a BSA Medical form with them. Long pants are recommended and sneakers or light-hiking boots is recommended for footwear. Non-Scout groups must sign a holdharmless agreement and show proof of insurance. Food and lodging not included. Scheduling is very flexible. A deposit of $100, refundable until two weeks prior, is required to reserve a date.
Low Course Events
C.O.P.E Low-Course Events (8 hours) do not require participants to be on belay. While individual coordination and strength are helpful, participants accomplish the low-course activities with the support and combined efforts of the group. The low course offers a full day of team building and leadership development encompassing initiative games and a large portion of the low course events. It’s a fun and character-building experience for any group. The cost is $20 per person with a minimum group size of 10. Bring a bandanna, water bottle, and a bag lunch to be eaten on the course.
Low course elements include: All aboard, Trolleys, A-frame transfer, Spider web, Nitro crossing, Triangle traverse, Porthole, Swinging log, Criss-cross, Waterwheel, Whale watcher, Traffic jam, The beam, Trust fall, Tunnel, Tire on pole, Artesian beams, Wild Woosey, Tire traverse, The wall.
High Course Events
C.O.P.E High-Course Events require participants to be on belay. High-course events also tend to focus on individual initiative rather than group problem solving. However, these events must be completed with group support and safety belays.
High course elements includes: Cargo net, climbing wall, vertical play pen, Giant’s ladder, Heeby-jeeby, Multivine, 3-wire (Monkey Bridge), 2-wire, Zip line, Rope climb, caving ladder. Rappelling is also available.
C.O.P.E Weekend
This is a packed weekend of the C.O.P.E activity. It starts Friday evening with initiative games and continues until noon on Sunday with the zip line. Every moment is C.O.P.E. related. The cost is $45 per person with a minimum group size of 10. Bring a bandana, a water bottle, and a bag lunch to be eaten on the course Saturday and possibly on Sunday.
More Information
For more C.O.P.E information contact: Alex Heagy at Aheagy@bacscouter.org. To make camp site reservations contact Laurie McIver at campingservices@baltimorebsa.org.Volunteer Service
Conservation Projects
Broad Creek offers campers the opportunity to learn about the local environment. The Council Conservation Committee produces a list of needed conservation projects that must be done to maintain or improve camp land and facilities. We encourage all our campers to consider getting involved and improving our land area. Whether building and distributing bat boxes or bird nesting boxes, repairing eroded trails, cutting new trails, or working on the wetlands, we welcome campers to sign up with our rangers to take on a conservation project.
Volunteers providing ten (10) hours of service to camp in a calendar year will earn the prestigious Broad Creek Service Award. Any ten hours worked in a year qualifies a participant for this award, which is presented by the camp rangers.
Campmasters
The Campmaster Corps is a group of volunteers that help the rangers on weekends to check units in and out of camp. We provide sleeping facilities in Reservation Headquarters for the assigned weekend. Campmasters are the communication link between the campers and the ranger staff. These men and women plan a key role in helping our campers experience a full and rich outdoor adventure. More information is available by contacting the rangers at camp or the Head Campmaster. Volunteers can sign up for one or more weekends during our year-round camping season, September through May.
Ron Lyons, Campmaster Coordinatorcampmaster@baltimorebsa.org