Summer
Let the Fun Begin
That’s right! Scouting is about outing and the Laurel Highlands Council has numerous opportunities for Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA to get outdoors.
Outdoor adventure is a promise made to Scouts when they join Scouting. Today the amount of time kids spend outside is alarmingly low…only minutes per day! Through Scouting our goal is to get our Scouts outside where they have the opportunities to canoe, hike, shoot, swim and just be Scouts.
Whether it is a weekend trip or a week-long adventure to one of our summer resident camps, there are lots of options and programs throughout the year. Climbing, shooting, fishing, hiking, and much more await. Choose your adventure!
CUB SCOUT SUMMER ADVENTURES
At resident camps, Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts camp overnight. Every year, the resident camp has a different theme and different adventures. Upcoming themes include Wild West, Space, Knights of the Roundtable, Safari, and Dinosaurs. At resident camp, Cub Scouts, Webelos Scouts, their leaders, and parents get to try new skills and have a lot of fun with our incredible summer camp staff.
Cub Scout Day Camp is an exciting program that is full of activities and adventure at a location close to home with no overnight stay. Day Camp is an introductory outdoor program for Tigers, Cub Scouts, and Webelos with little camping experience
Cub Scout Community Day Camp
Cub Scout Day Camp is three days of exciting fun, exciting program activities and adventure at a location close to home with no overnight stay. Day Camp is an introductory outdoor program for Tigers, Cub Scouts, and Webelos with little camping experience. Programs are run by BSA National Camp School trained volunteers and are inspected and accredited annually by the Laurel Highlands Council.
Our community day camp will run throughout the daily program of challenge, adventure, creativity, and learning. Both daytime and evening “twilight” camp opportunities are available. Scouts, families, dens, and packs can attend any camp that fits their schedule provided they have the required adult leadership. They are also welcome to attend more than one day camp as each one is a little different.
Rookie Camp at Camp Independence
Rookie Camp is a one-night Camp Independence experience which is perfect for younger Scouts and others who have never been to summer camp before.
Participants will have the opportunity to tour Camp Independence, meet the camp staff, participate in a few favorite camp activities like BB shooting and archery, have a meal in the camp dining hall, and enjoy a classic Camp Independence campfire!
Pack Camp at Camp Independence
Perfect for families with multiple Scouts, Pack Camp provides a program for all age groups in the pack at the same time. The program is structured so each age group gets a chance to participate in age-appropriate activities and advancement opportunities while camping and experiencing the fun of camp together. All sessions include an option for Webelos and Arrow of Light Scouts to stay after the younger Scouts have gone home for an extra day and night of Webelos-focused programs.
SCOUTS BSA SUMMER ADVENTURES
The Laurel Highlands Council operates two outstanding summer resident camps for Scouts BSA as well as a high adventure program. Heritage Reservation in Farmington, Pennsylvania is home to both Camp Liberty, a patrol cooking camp, and Camp Freedom, a dining hall camp as well as our high adventure program, Eagle Base.
Both camps balance merit badge opportunities with fun outdoor adventures and have programs for older Scouts. Explore all of our camp expereinces below.
Camp Freedom
Camp Freedom is Heritage Reservation’s dining hall camp. All of the camp gathers together three times per day to enjoy a meal and some fellowship. Eating in the dining hall allows more time for units to focus on advancement and other camp programs.
Join us for adventure at Camp Freedom, Heritage Reservation’s Scouts BSA resident camp with a dining hall! In a location offering campsites on ridge tops and on waterfronts, Camp Freedom is the perfect place for your troop to camp this summer. A dining hall with a capacity of 400 is responsible for feeding hungry Scouts and Scouters – we’ll save you a seat!
Add to that the exciting program we offer – over 50 merit badge offerings, a first year camper program, the Day Trek older Scout adventure program, and much more – and it makes perfect sense why thousands of Scouts continue to call Camp Freedom their home away from home each and every summer.
All sessions capped at 400 attendees. Campsite capacity does not reflect session capacity.
Camp Liberty
Camp Liberty is a full patrol cooking camp. Scouts pick up their food each day from the camp commissary and cook it themselves in their campsite all week. There are only a few full patrol cooking camps left in the United States. The patrol cooking format helps unit leadership bring the patrol method to life and reinforce it like nothing else.
Located on a peninsula jutting out into Lake Courage, Camp Liberty is Heritage Reservation’s Scouts BSA resident camp where the patrol method truly comes alive! Patrols work together to cook all of their own meals in their campsite using food picked up from the camp commissary. Nothing brings patrols together and develops leadership like having to figure out how to get a group to feed themselves all week. Although it may seem to be a lot of work, most units report having more down time to relax and work on other things not being confined by the schedule of a dining hall. Units who attend Camp Liberty never want to go anywhere else!
All sessions capped at 400 attendees. Campsite capacity does not reflect session capacity.
Eagle Base Day Trek Program
The Eagle Base Day Trek program is for older Scouts BSA who want to attend summer camp with their troop at Camp Liberty or Freedom but are looking for something more than merit badges. Day Trek participants camp with their troop in Camp Liberty or Freedom, then head out for adventure during the day returning by dinner to participate in evening camp program options including an older scout Eagle Evening Program. Scouts can even hop back and forth between days of merit badges and days of Day Trek programs! Mix and match, the possibilities are endless!
If you are ready to experience true high adventure, then our Eagle Base Trek program is for you! These unique treks are available for Scouts BSA, Venturers, and Explorers 14 years of age or older. Your entire patrol, crew, or post can participate together, or individuals can sign up on their own to participate with other Scouts. Each day, participants select a different adventure activity either on-site at Heritage Reservation or off-site in conjunction with our partner vendors. All activities are led and supported by our OUTSTANDING Eagle Base staff.
EAGLE BASE DAY TREK PROGRAM OFFERINGS
Programs offered through Eagle Base include the following:
- ATV Adventure
- Canopy Tour
- River Canoeing
- Caving
- Fly Fishing
- Hiking
- Kayaking
- C.O.P.E.
- Sporting Clays
- Whitewater Rafting
Camp Resources
2024 Leader Guides
Registration Resources
- Camp Leader Appreciation Letter Form
- Background Clearances
- LHC Camp Background Clearance Policy
- Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance – Click Here
- Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check – Click Here
- FBI Finger Printing – Click Here, Use code 1KG6ZJ
- If you’ve lived in PA for 10 years consecutively or longer – Click Here
- Non-PA Resident Background Clearance Disclosure Form
- LHC Camp Background Clearance Policy
- LHC Camp Roster Form – Please bring four copies to camp: one for medical checks, one for the camp office, one for swim checks, and one to post in your campsite.
- Rosters can also be generated directly from the online registration site.
- Scout Early Release Form
- Summer Camp Refund Request Form
- Suggested Camp Independence Packing List
Summer Camp Registration System Tutorials
- How to look up an existing registration
- How to Confirm Participants
- How to update participant information and make a payment
- How to Set up, Import, and use the My Roster feature – PDF
- How to set up the My Roster feature – Video
- Using Parent PortalÂ
- Merit Badge and Activity Sign Up
- Reports
- Scoutbook import from Blackpug (Summer Camp Registration System)
New tutorials coming soon!
Program & Advancement Resources
Pre-Camp Swim Classification Form
2024 Scouts BSA Merit Badge and Activity Schedule
*Help Scouts plan their activities
2024 Camp Independence Advancement Requirements Covered
2024 Camp Awards
Eagle Base Day Trek Waivers & Release Forms
- Day Trek Release Forms
- ATV Adventure Release Form
- ATV E-Course
- Lower Caving Release Form
- Wilderness Voyageurs Release Form (Youth) – Required for rafting and fly fishing participants.Â
- Wilderness Voyageurs Release Form (Adult) – Required for rafting and fly fishing, participants
- Sporting Clays Release (UPDATED 6/1/2022)
- Cowboy Action Shooting
- WVU Canopy Tour and Ropes Course Release *NEW 2023*
General Medical Resources
GENERAL MEDICAL RESOURCES
- BSA Health & Medical Record Parts A and B – Required for Camp Independence Cub Resident, 3-night Webelos Resident, Rookie Camp, Pack Camp, Family Adventure Camp.
- BSA Health & Medical Record Parts A, B, and C – Required for all Scouts BSA Resident Camps, Eagle Base, and Camp Independence 4-day Webelos Sessions.
- BSA Health & Medical Form FAQ
- LHC Supplemental Medical Form – Complete and attach to all medical forms –Â Updated 2023
- Unit Prescription Drug Distribution Record Form – Use this form to track the distribution of medication within your campsite. Turn it in at the end of the week.
- Immunization Exemption Request Form – Attach to Health & Medical Record
- Medical Care Exemption Request – Attach to Health & Medical Record
- Pre-Event Medical Screening Checklist –Â Use Checklist to screen before arrival.
Menus & Meals
Heritage Menus
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- Independence Menu 2024
- Freedom Menu 2024
- Liberty Menu 2024
- 2024 Special Dietary Request Form – All campers requesting special dietary accommodations must complete and submit this form no less than two weeks prior to arrival.
- Camp Liberty Patrol Box Information
Camp Promotion
PROMOTION VIDEOS
- Scouts BSA Resident Camp Promo Video (Heritage)
- Cub Scout Resident Camp Promo Video (Heritage)
PRINTED RESOURCES (HARD COPIES AVAILABLE THROUGH THE LHC CAMPING DEPARTMENT)
Camp Maps
HERITAGE RESERVATION
2024 Camp Evaluations
Pre-Camp Leader Meetings
Cub Scouts - Camp Independence
Scouts BSA - Camps Freedom & Liberty
Summer Camp Change Form
Please use this form to request the following updates to your 2023 Summer registration at Heritage Reservation.
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- Add a sibling discount
- Remove Attendees
- Add Attendees (within 1 week of arrival)
- Update Registration Contact Information (if the person has changed since you registered)
- Request any other type of change
2024 Summer Camp Staff
Learn more about how you can become a summer staff member at Heritage Reservation!
Get out of the house and join us as part of our 2024 Winter Weekend Staff. Positions run seasonally during January and February.