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The WORST and BEST Ways to Earn this Badge
The WORST and BEST Ways to Earn this Badge
The Worst Way
The Worst Way
The worst way to earn this merit badge is to camp 20 nights, then get your blue card, and then meet with your counselor. You might find that you never did one of the requirements like planning a camping trip, cooking, leading others, or go on some special trips like snow camping, canoe camping, or bike camping. Let's hope you are not 17 and 11 months old, thinking that those three cabin camping trips at a ski resort count toward your Eagle-required Camping Merit Badge. (If you find you are in a rush, download and consider this guidance, "How to Satisfy Most Camping MB Requirements in One Overnight Campout."
The Best Way
The Best Way
The absolute best way to earn this badge is to start early and have fun on camping trips. As soon as possible, you should understand the requirements, learn the skills, and use the skills every time you go camping. MOST IMPORTANTLY -- KEEP GOOD RECORDS OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS! What records? Here's a short list:
Record your camping nights in your Scout Handbook and have a leader sign the entry. Verify that nights are recorded in electronically on Scoutbook.
When you fulfill a requirement on a campout, use the Troop 128 Camping Merit Badge Insert to ask your Scoutmaster or an Assistant Scoutmaster to acknowledge your completion.
When you make a Leave No Trace plan for a camping trip, save it to show a counselor later.
If you are a Den Chief of a Webelos den, use the opportunity to complete requirement 4.b. and save the paperwork. Get your Den Leader to sign a note to give your counselor. Similarly, Patrol Leaders are in an ideal position to complete 4.b., but again, save the paperwork and have a Scoutmaster or Assistant Scoutmaster sign your planning documents.
The Merit Badge Process
The Merit Badge Process
The BSA's Guide to Advancement (2025), at page 47, summarizes the recommended merit badge process in 13 steps shown here.
Keep in mind:
A youth member must not meet one-on-one with an adult. Sessions with counselors must take place in accordance with the Guide to Safe Scouting.
Notwithstanding the minimum leader requirements, age- and program-appropriate supervision must always be provided.
Youth should be encouraged to bring a buddy, such as a friend, parent, guardian, brother, sister, other relative—or, better yet, another Scout working on the same badge.
If merit badge counseling includes any web-based interaction, it must be conducted in accordance with BSA’s social media guidelines.
Always copy one or more authorized adults on email messages between counselors and Scouts.
When meeting with the counselor, the Scout should bring any required projects. If these cannot be transported, the Scout should present evidence, such as photographs or adult verification. The unit leader, for example, might state that a satisfactory bridge or tower has been built for the Pioneering merit badge or that meals were prepared for Cooking. If there are questions that requirements were met, a counselor may confirm with adults involved.
Completing similar requirements for other awards or ranks will not always be counted for Camping Merit badge. Click here for details.
Once satisfied, the counselor signs the blue card or otherwise documents completion using the date upon which the Scout completed the requirements, or in the case of partials, records the individual requirements passed.
See Guide to Advancement, para. 7.0.3.0
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