Hiking Club

Welcome to our hiking club, which aims to get the scouts of Pack 354 (and their friends and families) out of the house and into nature!

Hike Information

1. We will schedule several hikes each year, generally on a Saturday or a Sunday, to give everyone a chance to come to as many as they can. The dates and times will be announced in the Pack’s newsletter and posted on the Remind app. Any cancellation due to weather or other unforeseen factors will be posted as soon as possible.  

2. Hikes will be at different local parks or trails. We will vary the hiking - sometimes it will be a nature walk and other times we’ll have a scheduled event during the hike such as geocaching. We will try to make the hike as informative and entertaining for the scouts as possible.

3. Hikes will vary in difficulty, starting easy and getting gradually more difficult.  We will let you know the difficulty ahead of time. We will also schedule one longer, more challenging hike.

4. Hikes will generally take between 1-2 hours. 

5. Miles will be tracked for each scout.  These miles are cumulative across the scout’s years in the Pack.

6. Hikes are WEATHER PERMITTING. We will not hike in the pouring rain or if the weather is excessively cold.

7. Any Cub Scout in Pack 354 can join the club, at any time of the year.  

8. Siblings, family and friends are all invited to join us on the hikes.

9. For each hike, we will ask for volunteers - someone to be at the front of the line and follow trail markers, and someone to be at the end of the line, to ensure that our hiking party stays together.

10. Wear appropriate clothing and plan for the weather. Bring plenty of water and snacks. Wear comfortable shoes. For the shorter four hikes, assume we’ll be walking straight through with one or two 10-15 minutes breaks for snacks and any necessary adjustments (shoe tying, etc). We will provide more concise information for the challenge hike prior to the event.

11. Please feel free to suggest hiking times/dates/locations for consideration!

Hiking Awards

Scouts may only receive awards if they are currently registered in Pack 354.  Siblings are always welcome to attend but may not receive awards.

Mileage and hiking awards are cumulative across a scout’s time in Pack 354.  

1. Scouts will receive a Hiking Patch after their first hike, at the next Pack Meeting.

2. Scouts will receive a Hiking Stick after their second hike, at the next Pack Meeting. 

3. Special prizes will be awarded to scouts as they accumulate hiking miles with the Hiking Club!  These items can be used to decorate the scout’s hiking stick.

1. 1. 10 miles: Cub Scout Medallion

   2. 20 miles: Paracord and beads

   3. 30 miles: Whistle/compass

   4. 40 miles: Survival bandana

   5. 50 miles: Hydration Backpack

4. Miles can be earned through Cub Scout events only - Hiking Club, pack outings, or den outings.  

Please join us in the great outdoors and enjoy the nature that Long Island has to offer!