Let this Virginia camp’s sign point you toward 10 famous Scouting spots

Looking for the world’s top Scouting destinations?

You can put away your compass.

Thanks to a sign at the Heart of Virginia Council’s Camp T Brady Saunders, finding your way to the 10 most-famous Scouting spots is easier than ever.

The guidepost, which recently added a sign pointing to the new Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve, lists the as-the-crow-flies distance from the camp near Richmond, Va., to sites around the globe.

It’s a great way to show Scouts that Scouting exists across the country and around the world. Wouldn’t it be great to see similar signs at council camps nationwide?

But first, let’s take a closer look at the locations on the sign and where they fit into the world of Scouting. Here’s a quick refresher:

  • Fort A.P. Hill, Va.: Site of eight national Scout jamborees from 1981 to 2010
  • Summit Bechtel Reserve, Beckley, W.Va.: The BSA’s fourth national high-adventure base and the site of future national Scout jamborees and 2019 World Scout Jamboree
  • Sea Base, Islamorada, Fla.: The premier destination for sailing, scuba, and other open-sea adventures
  • Northern Tier, Ely, Minn.: The prime place for canoeing in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and Canada
  • Irving, Tex.: Site of the Boy Scouts of America’s official headquarters (and the home of Scouting magazine!)
  • Philmont, Cimarron, N.M.: The legendary land of backcountry hiking and top-flight training
  • Brownsea Island: Baden-Powell’s first Scout encampment, located in Poole, southern England
  • Gilwell Park: The famous campsite and training center for leaders, located north of London
  • Kandersteg, Switzerland: The official World Scout Center of the World Organization of the Scout Movement
  • Nyeri, Kenya: Burial site of Scouting founder Lord Baden-Powell, who once wrote, “the nearer to Nyeri the nearer to bliss”

Chime in: The guidepost covers 10 top Scouting sites, but there are certainly more that qualify. Which locations would you add to the sign? Share your thought below.

(Thanks to Kevin Meek, vice president of marketing and PR for the Heart of Virginia Council, for the tip!)


About Bryan Wendell 3282 Articles
Bryan Wendell, an Eagle Scout, is the founder of Bryan on Scouting and a contributing writer.