Scouting in Minnesota has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live. Minnesota BSA Councils

Scouting America in Minnesota today

There are seven

Boy Scouts of America Scouting America is the largest scouting organization and one of the largest List of youth organizations, youth organizations in the United States, with over 1 million youth, including nearly 200,000 female participants. Founded as the Boy Sco ...

Scouting America local councils serving

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

. In addition, the

Northern Tier National High Adventure Bases Northern Tier is a collection of high adventure bases run by Scouting America in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness of Minnesota, Ontario's Quetico Provincial Park and Canadian Crown Lands, Manitoba's Atikaki Provincial Wilderness Par ...

of Scouting America is located in Minnesota.

Central Minnesota Council

CMC is headquartered in

Sartell, Minnesota Sartell is a city in Benton and Stearns Counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota that straddles the Mississippi River. It is part of the St. Cloud Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 19,351 at the 2020 census, making it St. Cl ...

. The council serves 46 communities in the area, ranging from

Nevis Nevis ( ) is an island in the Caribbean Sea that forms part of the inner arc of the Leeward Islands chain of the West Indies. Nevis and the neighbouring island of Saint Kitts constitute the Saint Kitts and Nevis, Federation of Saint Kitts ...

and Park Rapids in the northwest to Elk River in the southeast. Central Minnesota Council is made up of four districts: *North Star District *Pine Tree District *Scenic District *Gateway District

Parker Scout Reservation

Central Minnesota Council is home to Parker Scout Reservation, which was established in 1941 by Clyde Parker. The Camp sits on of wooded land on North Long Lake north of Brainerd, Minnesota.

Naguonabe Lodge

The Central Minnesota Council is supported by Naguonabe Lodge #31 of the Order of the Arrow. Naguonabe Lodge #31 was founded in 1927.

Gamehaven Council

Gamehaven Scouting serves seven counties in southeast Minnesota. From its council office located in Rochester MN, its area ranges from Red Wing MN to Winona MN to Owatonna MN and is bordered to the south by Iowa and the east by Wisconsin. In Rochester alone, there are more than 2,000 Scouts, including 26 Cub Scout packs (grades first through fifth) and more than 20 Scouts BSA troops (sixth grade through age 18). For older youth, Venturing is a high adventure outdoor program while Explorer Posts partner with firms like the Mayo Clinic, Cascade Veterinary Hospital, Gold Cross Ambulance, and Rochester Police to offer career development activities (age 14 through 21, coed). Gamehaven Scouting consists of these districts:

*Hiawatha District *Sugar Loaf District

*Wakpaota District

Blue Ox Lodge

Gamehaven Scouting is supported by Blue Ox Lodge #26 of the Order of the Arrow.

Gamehaven Paddles

Gamehaven Scouting has volunteers certified by the American Canoe Association in canoeing and kayaking. Youth awards and leader training are available to in-council, other councils, and the public. The council's kayak fleet ranges from recreational kayaks appropriate for Webelos Scouts to kayaks suitable for training for Lake Superior and Seabase trips. Gamehaven provides solo canoe training with Wenonah Argosy solo canoes and traditional tandem canoeing.

Gateway Area Council

Gateway Area Council serves Scouts in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Northern Star Council

Located in

Fort Snelling, Minnesota Fort Snelling is an unorganized territory of Hennepin County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is named after historic Fort Snelling, which is located within its boundaries. The district also includes Coldwater Spring park, Fort Snelling ...

, Northern Star Council was formed from the merger of Viking Council and Indianhead Council in 2005 and the subsequent merger of the Voyageurs Area Council in 2024.

Northern Lights Council

As of 2006, Northern Lights Council serves all of

North Dakota North Dakota ( ) is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota people, Dakota and Sioux peoples. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minneso ...

, and parts of

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state, state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota people, Dakota Sioux ...

, northwest

and northeast

Montana Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...

. Voyageur Trails District, Prairie Fire, Northern Lakes, and Northern Sky are the Districts in Minnesota.

Camp Wilderness

Northern Lights Council is home to Camp Wilderness, located on Bad Axe Lake near Emmaville, Minnesota in

Hubbard County, Minnesota Hubbard County is a county in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,344, and was estimated to be 22,050 in 2024, Its county seat is Park Rapids. Part of the Leech Lake Indian Res ...

. Founded by Herman Stern in 1946, Camp Wilderness is a camp. On August 18, 2006, the camp celebrated its 60th anniversary by opening the Butler Wilderness Outpost, a Cub Scout camp for the scouts to attend. Camp Wilderness is, by area, the largest Scouts camp owned and operated by a Minnesota Scouting Council, although Scouting America owns the much larger

Philmont Scout Ranch Philmont Scout Ranch is a ranch located in Colfax County, New Mexico, United States, near the village of Cimarron. Donated by oil baron Waite Phillips, the ranch is owned by Scouting America. It is a high adventure base where crews of Scouts ...

New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...

, and the slightly larger Charles L. Sommers Northern Tier Base, also located in

Sioux Council

Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Sioux Council serves Scouts in

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

and Minnesota. *Buffalo Ridge District serves Lincoln, Lyon, and Murray counties in Minnesota. Camp Shetek is located in Murray County on Lake Shetek near Currie, Minnesota. *Prairie Hills District serves Pipestone, Nobles, and Rock counties in Minnesota.

Twin Valley Council

Located in Mankato MN.

*River Stone District *Cedar Valley District *Western Prairie District

Cuyuna Scout Camp

Twin Valley Council is home to Cuyuna Scout Camp, established as Camp Cuyuna in 1967. The Camp sits on of wooded land surrounded by six lakes (Goodrich, Little Pickerel, Big Pickerel, Lily, Grass, Cranberry). Additionally, Lake Russell (originally Command Lake) sits entirely within the boundaries of Cuyuna Scout Camp. Cuyuna Scout Camp ("Cuyuna," for short) is located northeast of Crosslake, Minnesota. Campsites are arranged for scouts to sleep and eat as patrols with a central troop assembly area. Patrols draw their rations from a central

Commissary A commissary is a government official charged with oversight or an ecclesiastical official who exercises in special circumstances the jurisdiction of a bishop. In many countries, the term is used as an administrative or police title. It often c ...

and cook all of their meals together except for two Camp-wide meals, on Sunday and Friday nights.

Girl Scouting in Minnesota Today

Three Girl Scout Councils serve Minnesota.

Girl Scouts - Dakota Horizons

See Scouting in South Dakota. Serves a large portion of northwestern Minnesota and Rock County in southwestern Minnesota. Headquarters:

Sioux Falls, South Dakota Sioux Falls ( ) is the List of cities in South Dakota, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Dakota and the List of United States cities by population, 117th-most populous city in the United States. It is the county seat of Minnehaha Coun ...

Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin Lakes and Pines Council

Lakes and Pines Council serves 11,000 girls in 39 counties throughout the northern half of Minnesota and northwest corner of Wisconsin. Northern Pine and Land of Lakes Councils joined together Jan. 1, 2008 to form Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin Lakes and Pines. Headquarters: Waite Park, Minnesota Camps: *Camp Roundelay is near

Minong, Wisconsin Minong ( ) is a village in Washburn County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 548 at the 2020 census. The village is located within the Town of Minong. History ''Minong'' is a name derived from the Ojibwe language. It is generally ...

*Northern Lakes Canoe Base is north of

Ely, Minnesota Ely ( ) is a city in St. Louis County, Minnesota, St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,268 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located on the Vermilion Range (Minnesota), Vermilion iron range, Ely once ha ...

and near the

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW or BWCA) comprises of pristine forests, glacial lakes, and streams in the Superior National Forest. Located entirely within the U.S. state of Minnesota at the Boundary Waters, the wilderness are ...

*Camp Shingobee Timbers is in

Chippewa National Forest Chippewa National Forest is a National Forest located in north central Minnesota, United States, in the counties of Itasca, Cass and Beltrami. Forest headquarters are located in Cass Lake, Minnesota. There are local ranger district offices ...

near

Walker, Minnesota Walker is a city in Cass County, Minnesota, Cass County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 966 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the county seat of Cass County. Walker is part of the Brainerd, Minnesota, Brainerd B ...

*Camp Sanderson is near Spicer, MN.

Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys

In partnership with 18,000 adult volunteers, the Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys helps nearly 45,000 girls each year—in all or portions of 49 counties in southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Headquarters:

St. Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (often abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 311,527, making it Minnesota's second-most populous city a ...

Camps: * Camp Elk River is near Zimmerman, MN. * Camp Lakamaga is near Marine, MN. * Camp Northwoods is near Mason, WI. * Camp Singing Hills is near Waterville, MN * Camp Whispering Hills is near Houston, MN

Scouting museums in Minnesota

* Many Point Scout Camp History Center * North Star Museum of Boy Scouting and Girl Scouting, North Saint Paul, Minnesota

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Scouting In Minnesota Youth organizations based in Minnesota

Central Region (Boy Scouts of America)