BSA Camps

Steiner sites: (rated 2013)

All but eight of the sites have adirondaks or half cabins, each sleeps 12 boys. Some sites have multiple adirondacks. You can reserve one or more adirondacks in these sites depending on the number of boys you have, but each one requires a deposit. If you have more the 12 boys I would recommend using a double site. Some such as Lake or Wilderness are closer together and might be a little awkward for multiple troops. The camp director said you can have adults with the boys in adirondacks (since they are more open) while another staffer said you couldn't. You might sleep better if you don't. About half of the sites have vehicle/trailer access while the others require carrying or carting in your gear. The ones that do have access are Moosehorn, Deer, Porcupine, Chipmunk, Lake, Blue Jay, Lookout, Alpine and Cougar. Chipmuk and Lake need high clearance vehicles. Some of the better sites are Blue Jay, Lookout, Porcupine and Chipmunk because they are close in, accessible, flat and somewhat private. The worst site is a new one not on the map called Ponderosa. Here is a rundown on the sites.

Alpine - Flat, vehicle accessible, Adirondack 1 is further apart from the other two but it doesn't have a lot of space.

Blue Bell - Flat, large, not accessible, private

Blue Jay - Flat, large, vehicle accessible, private

Chipmunk - Flat, somewhat accessible, medium size.

Cougar - Flat, vehicle accessible, not real private but not much traffic

Deer - small, very accessible, close to road, flat area behind adirondack, not private

Elk Meadows - Large, not real flat, private, not vehicle accessible

Grizzly - not flat, not vehicle accessible, small, private, far from camp central.

Lake - somewhat accessible, only a couple tent sites down by the lake, drinking water only available half the time due to the elevation.

Lodge Pole - somewhat flat, large, private, not vehicle accessible

Moosehorn - very flat and very accessible, far from camp central.

Pine Martin - flat, large, not vehicle accessible, private

Pioneer - flat, large, not vehicle accessible, close to camp central, by some nice cliffs.

Picturesque - Has it's own private lake called Picturesque although not swimmable or fishable, but close to Scout Lake, pretty, not very accessible, private, far from camp central, not real flat but room for a couple tents close to the lake.

Ponderosa - Very rocky, small, not vehicle accessible, private, not on map - on hill between Blue Jay and Cougar

Porcupine - vehicle accessible, flat, but not a lot of room for tents.

Reid's Peak - Nice view, private, small, not vehicle accessible

Timberwolf - Great View of Bald Mountain, private, not vehicle accessible, rocky, small.

Wilderness - Flat, large, noise from rifle range, private - but some traffic to rifle range, not vehicle accessible, view of Pearl Lake.

Wolverine - Fairly flat, large, not vehicle accessible, private.

Bear Lake Aquatics Base Sites (rated 2015)

Most of the sites have A frames (instead of trees) with cement floors. Some have old shake shingles and some with new blue aluminum. A few sites have larger (nice) pavilion types covers. The sites on the north are closer to sandy beaches. Sites next to the water are long and narrow and may have foot traffic going through. But, being next to the water is probably worth it and they are the first ones reserved. The sites on the south have a nice view and close to most activities, but have rocky beaches. For the 'cover' column below, I put 'best' for those with larger pavilions,Those with 'good' generally have A frames with new aluminum covers. Those with 'ok' have the old shake shingles. But, they are gradually replacing the shingles with the newer roofing. Those with 'bad' have an old A frame without cement floors. Sign up early to get a good site. Take extra canopies. See http://troop287.blogspot.com/ for photos from another troop.

Cover Site Size Level Water distance Notes

Baha good medium yes medium

Balboa Bay ok large & long ok far

Big Sur good small ok medium pavilion but smaller, not private, close to activities

Cape Cod good large ok medium

Cape Lookout large A small no close

Capri Sound large A long & narrow ok close on a hill

Coral Gables good medium ok medium

Cutters Cove bad long & narrow ok far

Dana Point good large ok far

Daytona Beach bad long & narrow yes medium

Delaware Bay good large yes close

Emerald Bay ok small no far

Garfield Beach none small yes far It's an extra site between New Haven & Daytona

Hampton Beach best small ok far

Key Largo good large yes close

Kodiak Island bad large ok medium nice view

La Jolla ok large yes far

Long Beach bad long & narrow ok medium

Monterey Bay bad small no close nice view

Nantucket good medium yes far

New Haven best long & narrow yes medium my favorite

Pebble Beach best long & narrow no close

Port Angeles good medium yes far

Port Royal Sound ok large yes medium

Plymouth Bay good large no medium

Quincy Bay good small no close

Sandy Hook good medium no close

Santa Cruz bad medium yes medium

Stone Harbor ok medium ok close

Ventura best small no close bad access, nice view

Waikiki Beach large A long & narrow ok close Isolated but rocky

Willard Bay best small ok medium

Hinckley Scout Ranch Sites: (rated 2017)

Many of the sites have few level places for tents, especially on the northeast slope. A shovel and mattock might be helpful for leveling sites.

But, they have been adding nice bathrooms with flush toilets and water faucets near the sites. With 54 sites I mostly rated the sites as bad, okay, good or great.

On some I noted how accessible they are by vehicle. None are far from a road, but may need to carry gear in a couple hundred feet.

This can be a problem if you're not doing the food plan and have to carry stuff to and from a trailer every meal.

Alsop Peak - Ok, small, no shade 2-3 level spots

Badger - Good, big but little shade

Bear River - Good, water, 4 tents, shade, small area, by main traffic road

Black Bear - Good, 5 level spots, not a lot of shade, close to bathroom

Bobcat - Ok, maybe 1 level spot, but close to water and bathroom

Bronze Palm - Good, large, flat, secluded area but bad access and little shade

Brotherhood - Good, small split area, good access, 5 tents

Colorado River - Good, large, not very shaded

Denali - Ok, good access, sloped, close to bathroom & showers

Duchesne River - Good, shaded, accessible, close to bathrooms

Eagle - Great, slight slope, 8 tents, fair access, close to Life site

Elk - Ok, 2 level spots

Ensign Peak - Good, but small

Escalante Creek - Ok, small central area, tents dispirsed, good access

Falcon - Great, accessible, close to water front but far from everything else

Finch - Ok, small but accessible

First Class - Great, medium large site, close to showers and nature area

Fox - Bad, sloped but close to restrooms and water

Fremont River - Great, big, 20 tents, accessible, very close to water and bathrooms

Gold Palm - Great, large, good access, secluded, 10 tents

Green River - Bad, little shade, small, not level, 2 tents, not private, close to water

Hayden Peak - Good, good layout, 2 level site

Jordan River - Bad, small, no shade, not private, restrooms right in site

King's Peak - Ok, dead trees

Life - Great, big, good access, close to bathrooms and Eagle site

Lone Peak - Ok, 3-4 tents

Marmot - Bad, sloped, close to water front but far from everything else

Moose - Good, big, level, not private, by a parking lot

Mountain Goat - Ok, 2 level, not private

Mt. Baldy - Bad

Mt. Beluh - Ok, small

Mt. Doom - Ok, small, 2 tents

Mt. Nebo - Good, medium size,

Mt. Ogden - Ok, bad access, sloped, but secluded, maybe 1 or 2 level spots. Not as close to Monson lodge as appears on map.

Mt. Olympus - Good but small

Mule Deer - Bad, big open sloped site, no shade

Owl - Great, private but not very accessible, close to water front but far from everything else

Prove River - Great, big, 8 tents

Rabbit - Ok, maybe 2 level spots, sloped,

Racoon - Bad, small, 2 tents, poor access

Ranger - Ok, good access, secluded, long narrow slope, maybe 1 or 2 level spots

San Juan Creek - Good, but little shade, isolated, 4 tents

Second Class - Good, large, good access, some slope

Severe River - Ok, shaded, small, far to water

Silver Palm - Good, 5 tents, good access, medium size area, close to bathroom & showers

Snake River - Good, little shade, 5 tents, river access

Star - Great, level, large, by showers

Tenderfoot - Great, large, 6 level spots

Vigil - Ok, good access, 2 level spots

Weber River - Good, big area, 4 tents, nice view, not real accessible

Willard Peak - Bad

Woodpecker - Great, big, but two level site