Premiere scout camp in New Mexico from tent city to a deluxe tent you will enjoy I attended a conference so I was inside most of the time conference facilities need updates but are good. If you do not want to bring sheets and towels order the bed in a box Make sure you visit the scout museum and the shop. If you're going on Trek enjoy camping under the stars or rain do not forget the poncho Very good infirmary on site but try to spend your time on the trails and not with doctor Dan Outside the camp is the town so if you need dollar general a dinner or a coffee you may find what you need but Uber is not an option Getting to camp Drive Fly and Drive 227 miles from ABQ or a train to Raton about 40 miles away Shuttle service is available for a fee 100 from ABQ or 25 from train station one way. Plan ahead. Rental cars are not cheap Also if you drive set cruise control unless you want to find out the cost of a ticket. read more

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It's Philmont. Need I say more? I guess I do or I can't leave a review here. Watch your tent in base camp. Mine had a unwanted inhabitant. read more

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I can't accurately express just how much I love and miss Philmont. I spent 3 absolutely FANTASTIC summers there as a backcountry staff member and I constantly find myself day dreaming about being back in those woods. You don't know what if feels like to truly live until you get the opportunity to strip out all of the distractions that modern day life throws at you. There's nothing quite like waking up to the sunrise after "meadow crashing" and taking in the scent of the clean earth around you. IWGBTP read more

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Wow! I'm just not sure what to say about this place. We toured the Villa - spectacular - our docent was so knowledgable and informative. Kudos! The museum at the Ranch was fabulous - again, amazing and knowledgable docents. We met several scouts, both heading to their adventure and coming off their adventure - and all were so excited and proud of their experience. Such a wonderful life experience. The property is huge and so well organized. I highly recommend, wether you are a scout or not (I'm not/wasn't). It is well worth the trip/visit. read more

To many, Philmont is a mountain top experience. I would offer, that it is the Scouts who are in your Troop, Venture Crew, or Pack; or the Scouters who are in your District, who will be the beneficiaries of your experience here. My son and I have been here a few times both for BS training and hiking the trails. Depending upon what you have been nominated for by your District, there are so many wonderful courses you can take, from Cub and Den Leader training, to Scoutmaster and ASM Troop building, to Commissioner service and Key 3. They're all excellent! You need to remember a few things though, most importantly that you are at 8,500 feet and even the best Scouter, who is in greatest shape will notice the altitude at Philmont. So, it is important to pace yourself . Second, almost everyone is housed in one those old green tents you see on the front of the 1950's era BS handbook or any of the Joseph Csatari paintings. The good news is that you're on a wood platforms so you are not sleeping on the ground, and they have nice cots to put your sleeping bag on. Almost all the tents have mattresses. So you won't be roughing it And, remember to: Share, don't preach; Lead, but not by doing it alone; Listen, and not speak as much. Oh, yeah. The Scout Shop will look like your Christmas morning under the tree. LOL Enjoy! read more

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A life changing experience filled with challenges and amazing views. Me and a small part of our troop visited in June which was right before monsoon season and loved it. read more

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Will never go back very rude staff and the Discrimination was very disappointing and prominent I wish I could leave zero Stars I would never recommend especially if your child is a little on the heavy side they will make them feel like shit read more

If you are in Boy Scouts, there are three High Adventure bases in The U.S. One is in Florida (water based, scuba & snorkeling). Another is in Minnesota (canoeing). The other is here at Philmont in New Mexico (backpacking). Here at Philmont, the name of the game is the 12-day backpack. 4000 Scouts on the trails at the same time. In crews of 7-12 people, we treked over the Rocky Mountain based ranch, 214 square miles, stopping each night at a different base camp. Each camp has a program, like fly-fishing, black-powder rifle shooting, rock climbing, archery, orienteering, etc.. There are 30 or so expeditions to choose from, ranging from 50 miles in total distance to over 120 miles (that's 10 miles per day with a 55 pound backpack, plus the daily activity). It is grueling......and dirty.......and fun. It is a once in a lifetime kind of place. Eagle Scouts from our Troop tell us it's the highlight of their Scouting career. My son and I just finished...along with 11 other Scouts and 3 other dads. 12,000 foot elevations with rain, hail, dehydrated food, outside wooden toilet boxes, bears, chipmunks, mountain lions, and a great 1000 person strong camp staff. We are sore, tired, beat up and closer than ever before. A truly amazing place. read more

This will be short. I was at Philmont as a scout in July of 1964 and to this day have only wonderful memories of my time there. I'll keep those memories to myself, so that's it for this review. read more

Not to be rude, but if you are checking Yelp to see the reviews of Philmont or the Training Center, you've missed the point... Hope off the couch, surf the site, then join a trek or take a training course. Best decision you will make... read more

They make you sleep in a tent, cook your own meals and hike with all your gear. Also it rained on me.

I did a regular trek-97, Trail Crew-98, & staff summers 01-05. Personally, I looove Philmont Scout Ranch. But, PSR, like life, is open to interpretation and experience is subjective. I will say that MOST people who go to PSR fall in love with the place. Have you seen the other reviews? For me, it was the best of times; it was the worst of times! When I did a regular trek-97, I had a tough time with my crew. We were dysfunctional before we arrived, the group dynamics got worse, & we fell apart by the time we got home. Despite this, I fell in love with the landscape & thought the staff had the coolest jobs. I'm from the Deep South, so PSR was the first time I ever hiked "real" mountains. I returned a year later for 28-day Trail Crew at Thunder Ridge and had the TIME OF MY LIFE. Of course, the trek and trail crew were not all rainbows and roses, but they were growth experiences and, over all, enjoyable. 01, 02, and 05, I was in the Ranger Dept. 03 and 04, I was in Cons(ervation). I had the privilege to do Rayado '02 and ROCS '04 as staff leadership. I'd return to PSR for work in a heart beat, but do recall the people who did not like PSR. In fact, one of "my" campers from 01 returned summer 02 for staff. I asked him how he liked working at PSR as a Ranger & he said he did not like it. I ran into a crew from CA that was not impressed with PSR, but they had hiked Mt. Whitney. (Who gets to do THAT?) I also carpooled with a couple of guys from my home state to PSR & they left half-way through the summer because they hated working at the Trading Post. I'd say, the bad jobs or boring departments provide more days off, so you should make the most of your "days" as they're called and go backpacking. That mitigates being stuck in Base Camp. Being a Ranger is probably the hardest job but it is where I grew the most as a person and professional. Try to meet people during Ranger training before everyone gets on staggered rotations because you could be seeing new faces all the time once summer is underway. Be in the best shape possible because feeling tired really brings you down and makes Philmont less phun. You could turn into a real Debbie Downer at the end of each day during backcountry programming or by the end of the trek. Also, BE PREPARED. Some of the crews I worked with seemed to have forgotten the Boy Scout motto. I had crews show up to base with new equipment in the box that didn't work on the trail. They never tested it before embarking on their travels to the Ranch. Listen to your Ranger. They're right 99% of the time. If you have a funny feeling about some instruction/training, ask other staff, Rangers, or crew in order to verify. And for gosh sake, follow bear procedures! You CAN get hurt or habituate a bear; and a fed bear is a dead bear. The other piece of advice is that, since PSR is a magical romantic place, people tend to drop their guard and get hurt (really bad). Don't do that. Unfortunately, The Ranch has had a culture that has ignored [ie, accepted & hidden] (sexual) harassment/assault. In other words, THEY HAVE A (SEXUAL) HARASSMENT/ASSAULT PROBLEM. For example, staff members have made sport of watching others shower in the backcountry shower houses, yet when notified, fencing hasn't always been repaired and roofs have not yet been built atop the prison-style showers. Voyeurism is a misdemeanor up to a 4th degree felony, but PSR won't get the police involved even involving U-18 campers This reminds me of the cult-like atmosphere w/n churches and the military. Mind your water bottles. Some staff & campers have been drugged &/or (sexually) assaulted by a staffer or advisor. No joke. I'm dead serious. However, it looks like PSR is attempting to work on the sexual harassment part of their culture, and I genuinely hope it is with sincerity, enthusiasm, and consistency. This is taken from their current website: "Repeated or serious offenses will result in disciplinary action or termination of employment. No staff member who reports a complaint in an appropriate manner will be subjected to reprisal or retaliation in any form." Most institutions have a Zero Tolerance policy & CALL THE POLICE I hope PSR is on it's way to that, but they need YOUR help. PSR leadership needs to watch Jackson Katz's TED Talk about harassment. Please don't forget that you're in the woods with a bunch of acquaintances (staff, advisor, & camper types) from all over the country-if not the world-& most of them are male, ages 16-60. This includes religious nut jobs, military cadets, & predators/opportunists. Keep in mind that PSR can be really dangerous because of the wildlife, terrain, weather, lightning,...and the PEOPLE. Run! Don't walk! Get help from another crew, random Ranger, or go to a staff camp! Hijack a radio or borrow a cell phone. Call the village police, Sheriff, or State Police & file a report. Find someone who will indeed help you. You deserve it. PSR won't protect you. PSR protects PSR. YOU protect YOU. read more

Silver on the sage, Starlit skies above, Aspen covered hills, Country that I love. Philmont, here's to thee, Scouting Paradise, Out in God's country, tonight Wind in whispering pines, Eagles soaring high, Purple mountains rise, Against an azure sky. Philmont, here's to thee, Scouting Paradise, Out in God's country, tonight. read more

I really loved my experience at philmont scout ranch every campfire I attended was fabulous I liked cooking hanging bear bags and the staffs

My son loved it. He got a little sick and they took care of him like I would have. The sceneries are absolutely breathtaking.

Lots of walking, food was meh, went between hot and cold, rained a few times, Baldy was too windy. Best time of my life!

I have been to Philmont 5 times. Three as a scout in the 1970's, and again as an adult adviser in 2011 and 2013. Philmont is 214 square miles in NE New Mexico (just east of Taos and Wheeler Peak) donated to BSA by Waite Phillips, of the "Phillips 66" gas station empire. It is a well oiled machine that lets over 22,000 Scouts each year experience 10 nights backpacking, 11 days hiking, plus two nights at base camp on either end. There are food depots so you re-supply every 3 or 4 days. You camp at 7,000 to 10,000 feet, and the highest peaks are above 11,000 feet, with Mt Baldy being 12,441 feet and Mt Phillips being 11,742. As you can tell from all the 5-star reviews, the experience is awesome. Just getting off the grid for two weeks, hiking every day, seeing the beautiful vistas, pushing yourself and your crew physically and mentally, is something very special. Be sure to prepare with several conditioning hikes so your gear and your body is ready. This is very important, and it makes the difference between having a great time or a miserable time. There are staffed camps with various programs such as Rock Climbing, Fly Fishing, Black Powder Rifle, Black Smithing, Mine Tours, Shotgun Shooting, Homesteading (i.e., milking goats). Each crew does a conservation project such as trail building, or trail un-building (i.e., obliterating a bad trail in the wrong place), or forest thinning (i.e., cutting down dead trees). There are trail camps with very little amenities, and you might have one or two dry camps where you need to worry about managing your water supply. Bring a water filter system, or use their supplied water purification tablets in those cases. Staffed camps have chlorinated water supplies. Trails range from well groomed to rocky and tricky. The views are great. Wildlife include many deer, "minibears" (i.e., chipmunks), turkey, and the occasional bear and mountain lion. They have a well honed system for keeping food and "smellables" suspended in bear bags to keep you safe from the wandering bears. The food is good - much better now than when I was a scout in the 70's, thanks to all the high energy food products that support bikers, hikers, runners, etc. Of course, your first cheeseburger and beer after you get off the trail is the best thing ever, but seriously, you aren't going to go hungry on the trip. Philmont employs over 1,000 staff each year. They are all in love with the place, which is no surprise. If you are over 18 and love the outdoors, consider it! read more

I went there as a boy scout in 04 and absolutely loved it. It was a LOT of hard work but when you get to the top of the mountain and look out, it feels great. You get to see everything and think I did this. Needless to say that all the hiking badge was done. I would love to go back and do it every year if I could. It was one of the best things I have ever done. read more

Wow. Philmont, 1980, 81. I had the time of my life. We (Troop 5, Austin, TX) took an 80 mile trek because we wanted to do everything; all the best camps were spread out all over the ranch. We got up in the mountains and one guy became very ill after we did some hiking in cold rain. We built a fire and he got better. I think it was in the Copper park area. Everyone's patience became a little frayed. The guys who were jerkizoids were even worse jerkizoids on the trail, but that's why we love them... We did some hikes that took all day; we arrived after dark, set up, and went to bed, only to get up again early and start hiking. We got up above the snow line - wow. Practically walking vertically, I looked over my shoulder in time to see the guy behind me fall, his feet flew up and were exactly where his head was the instant before. One night, the camp next to ours had all their food eaten by bears. They had to hike in another direction for more food. We got to another camp and had to hike sooo long for water; the closest spring was dry. The big campfire before the trip - unforgettable. Sparks flew waaay up, into the night sky. We were lucky I guess - one guy practically carried the whole thing, with stories, etc. All of us singing together was perhaps the best part. Then we walked back to our tents in darkness, lost in thought. Tent city - pretty cool; the tents were rigged on wooden platforms, no stakes pulling out in midnight rainstorms. Got into one camp - showers! But you had to build a fire under a water tank if you wanted hot water. Sorry, too much work, and not enough proper wood nearby either. :) On the last day we did some conservation work. Hmm... Pretty slow slogging, building a trail by hand. We never saw any bears or mountain lions, and never ran into any real trouble. I took moleskin, and wore my boots before I got there. We always had water. We wanted to hike the Tooth, but thunderstorms, and the fear of lightning, prevented us. Take Chigarid, if you can find some. It is available online. It's the best for ticks and chiggers. 35 years have passed for me since my visit. I say: go to Philmont. Savor it. Realize this: for many of us, it is the best time of our lives. It was for me. The good and the bad become unforgettable, gracefully aged memories, like a cameo of life itself, in the wilderness, with some friends. I watched Ingmar Bergman's Seventh Seal: "I shall remember our words, and shall bear this memory between my hands as carefully as a bowl of fresh milk." How can anyone not rate this five stars? Shame on your sorry butt. May 1000 ticks infest your shorts! :) read more

Although I haven't been to any other national scout camps within the United States, I have to say that this one definitely is one to check out if you EVER get the chance. For a scout camp, this place is the bee's knees. Philmont is definitely not what you would expect if you haven't been there the first time. When you get there, this awesome guy comes out and enthusiastically greets you, kind of scaring the shit out of you. But he's so awesome, that yeah, I see why he acts that way. The first day is boring, although you do get to get used to everything there. There is so much to deal with, it's like the first day of any other scout camp, except, there is no swim test, and everything else takes longer, which I don't mind, because you end up leaving for your trek the next day. The high points of the trek aren't exactly as spectacular as other places (Yosemite, Sequoia, or Whitney), but the place does offer something you aren't normally going to get to see on any other trek. Besides the fact that you are more than 2 miles above sea level, the place is awesome. My favorite points (peaks) include Baldy Mountain and Tooth of Time. I have to say that each one was different from the other and offered many different sites. On top of Baldy Mountain, you get a way better view, and the trek up isn't nearly as difficult. We left around 7:30am from Baldy Town and reached the top at 11:34am. It's not really a great time, but there were plenty of other troops taking longer. The last 30 minutes, the trek up is a bunch of rocks that are very difficult to climb up. You are also at a very steep slope, which also makes it difficult to climb up. The view at the top was definitely worth it though. You could see into Colorado, Texas (what I believe was Texas O_O) and also throughout the scout ranch itself. Being up that high is an experience you will never experience in any other scout camp, because of the fact that most of them don't have the same terrain. Coming down though, was very difficult on our legs, just as much as going up. You have to go down the sea of rocks, hoping you are not going to slide down (you won't, but it's kind of scary). We were very lucky we didn't face many weather problems, because the days before and after, were apparently some of the worst times to go up to Baldy. We got up there before the storm actually came back down to Baldy Town, which was very reluctant, because the clouds started to form as we peaked. The Tooth of Time was a very different experience because of the fact that you had to boulder your way up, instead of the other peaks we climbed. This was only a 400 foot trek up, but it was more exerting because of the fact that it was big rocks you had to climb up. At the top, you can see a spectacular view of NM and also the base camp. I have to say that I enjoyed the view here more, because of the fact that I could see our destination. It was also very difficult to get down from, because of the fact that it is much more difficult to get down after bouldering your way up. Base Camp: I have to say that base camp was alright. There are a lot more facilities here, paved walkways, basketball, volleyball, a great mini market, and an awesome store (This store had everything for you, if you came with nothing). Although check-in takes forever, things are alright, cause you get to experience Philmont. The dining hall serves mediocre food (but I can understand because of HOW many people they get a day and throughout the summer and how efficient they HAVE to be). The campfires here are not like your normal campfires either. They weren't what I expected, and I felt that they didn't give you that whole camp feeling, but I mean, you weren't going to be there long, so they served their jobs. Tents were set up for you so you didn't have to setup your tent when you were trailbound or homebound. The showers were okay (NOTHING compared to the ones at Cimarroncito) and the bathrooms were dirty, but that's what expected when so many people go through them when it's summer time. Programs throughout the Trek: I went on itinerary 21, and I have to say that I definitely enjoyed the programs that we got. Although we didn't get to check out as much of Ponil's programs (because it was storming while we were there), I'm assuming they are similar to Clark's Fork, because of the fact that they offered similar things. I didn't get to do branding, throw the lasso, or check out anything else there, but the camp seemed nice, and I wasn't reluctant enough to try the root beer, because I didn't have my money on me. The store there also wasn't what I expected, because it didn't have everything I needed there (The only thing I was really looking for was a rain jacket). But it had literally everything else you could need if you were to run into any problems on the trail. Learning about how to pack a burro was awesome though, and I thoroughly enjoyed my burro (Sanchez). read more

The iconic Philmont Scout Ranch. Spectacular natural beauty, but not on the level of West Coast wonders, Yosemite, Kings Canyon, the Sierra Nevada or Cascades. Despite its remote location, Philmont is unique in its ability to accommodate 15-20 thousand guests each summer. Los Angeles Area Council (LAAC) Log Cabin Wilderness Camp provides access to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Yosemite wilderness experience without the Philmont safety net. Millions visit 5% of Yosemite each year, Log Cabin Wilderness Camp lets Scouts in the back door without all the traffic, more choices in what to eat and a real wilderness experience. Share your Philmont experiences, what worked, what did not. Which BSA camps in other parts of the US offer equal or better adventures? read more

I was at Philmont in July of 2015 and had the time of my life! It was incredible! Completely different than Iowa! Only downside was I got sick on th 3rd of 5th day! read more

I recently returned from a 12-day trek at Philmont and can honestly say that it was probably one of the most challenging things I've ever done! That being said, it was an amazing experience! Though I'll admit, I arrived at base camp with a bit of a pessimistic attitude. I really didn't want to be there, as I felt it would be a waste of my summer. Boy, was I wrong! Once we left base camp on the bus, we headed straight for the 'Back Country', where my eyes beheld some of the most breathtaking scenery! The next 12 days were continually filled with this same panoramic landscape. Each day was challenging in its own way, though always filled with a memorable laugh or event. My personal highlights included hiking Mt. Baldy (12,441 ft.) and watching the invigorating Cantina Show (at Ponil). After the trek was over, I was so ecstatic that I had gone and that I had completed all 90 miles. I would 100% recommend this ranch! Please take fair warning, this is not for the light of heart. Even if times get hard, persevere and carry on! read more