Overnight Campouts

Camping

Cub Scout family camping falls into two categories: council-organized family camps and pack overnighters. Council-organized family camps are an overnight or longer event for Cub Scouts (including Webelos Scouts) and their families that involves more than one pack where the council provides the staffing and program. These events are often referred to as parent/pal, mom and me, or adventure weekends.  Pack overnighters are events involving more than one family from a single pack, focused on age-appropriate Cub Scout activities and conducted at council-approved locations.  

What camping gear is needed for a family campout? 

While specific camping gear is dependent on our wild and sometimes crazy Texas weather, here is a general list of camping supplies:

Tents

There are wide variety of tents you can choose from for camping. However, not all tents are created equal and some tents can be very expensive. For those new to camping, here are a few things to keep in mind when selecting a tent:

1. Affordability - Choose a tent that is within your budget and meets your needs. Large families may need more than one tent.   

   • How many people will be sleeping in the tent? 

   • How much camping gear will need to be stored in the tent?

   • How often will you use the tent?

2. Ease - How easy is the tent to set up?

   • Large, 8-10 man tents are great and will fit an entire family but are often very heavy and difficult to set up. 

   • Consider two smaller tents that are light weight and easier to set up.

   • Practice setting up your tent beforehand in your backyard. Setting up a new tent in the dark can be very frustrating. 

3. Weather - Is your tent suitable for the weather you are camping in?

   • In general, the Pack will try to campout on non-rainy weekends. However, all tents should have a rain fly and built-in ground cloth for protection.

For a more in-depth look at choosing the right tent, check out REI's camping resource page here.  

Leave No Trace

As a Pack and as individual scouters, we always try to adhere to the Outdoor Code and the 7 Leave No Trace principles wherever we go. This helps protect the outdoors so that everyone will be able to enjoy the outdoors in the future.

The Outdoor Code

As an American, I will do my best to -

• Be clean in my outdoor manners,

• Be careful with fires,

• Be considerate in the outdoors, and

• Be conservation minded.

Leave No Trace principles for kids

1. Know before you go

2. Choose the right path

3. Trash your trash

4. Leave what you find

5. Be careful with fire

6. Respect wildlife

7. Be kind to other visitors