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

Boy Scouts of America in Minnesota today

There are eight

Boy Scouts of America The Boy Scouts of America (BSA, colloquially the Boy Scouts) is one of the largest scouting organizations and one of the largest List of youth organizations, youth organizations in the United States, with about 1.2 million youth partici ...

(BSA) local councils serving

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the List of U.S. states and territories by population, 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minne ...

. In addition, the

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

of the BSA 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. Clou ...

. Ranging from

Nevis Nevis is a small 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 one country: the Saint Kitts and Nevis, Federation ...

and Park Rapids in the northwest to Elk River in the southeast, the council serves 46 communities in the area. 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 who are certified by the American Canoe Association in both canoeing and kayaking. Youth awards and leader training is available on request to in-council, other councils, and to the public. Our 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 as well as traditional tandem canoeing. Check out the Google Group called Gamehaven Paddles.

Gateway Area Council

Gateway Area Council serves Scouts in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Northern Star Council

Located in

Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center ...

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

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 Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minnesota to the east, S ...

, and parts of South Dakota, northwest Minnesota and northeast

Montana Montana () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West List of regions of the United States#Census Bureau-designated regions and divisions, division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North ...

. Voyageur Trails District is one of two NLC 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. Its county seat is Park Rapids. Part of the Leech Lake Indian Reservation is in the county. History The c ...

. Founded by

Herman Stern Herman Stern (August 9, 1887 – June 20, 1980) was an American humanitarian, social and economic activist, businessman, visionary and director of the North Dakota Winter Show, and Holocaust rescuer. Early life Born in Oberbrechen, Germany ...

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 the National Council owns the much larger

Philmont Scout Ranch Philmont Scout Ranch is a ranch located in Colfax County, New Mexico, near the village of Cimarron; it covers of wilderness in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains on the east side of the Cimarron Range of the Rocky Mountains. Donated by oil baro ...

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe, New Mexico, Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Albuquerque metropolitan area, Tiguex , Offi ...

, 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

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. 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 Lakota people, Lakota and Dakota peo ...

Iowa Iowa () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wiscon ...

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 t
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 o
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.

Voyageurs Area Council

Headquartered in Hermantown, Minnesota, Voyageurs Area Council serves Scouts in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Its

Order of the Arrow The Order of the Arrow (OA) is the honor society of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), composed of Scouts and Scouters who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives as elected by their peers. The society was created by E. Urner ...

Lodge is Ka'niss Ma'ingan Lodge #196.

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 most populous city in the U.S. state of South Dakota and the 130th-most populous city in the United States. It is the county seat of Minnehaha County and also extends into Lincoln County to the south, which continues up ...

Web Site: http://www.gsdakotahorizons.org

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 Waite Park is a city in Stearns County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 8,341 at the 2020 census. It is part of the St. Cloud Metropolitan Statistical Area. History Waite Park was incorporated in 1893. The city was named for Hen ...

Website: http://www.girlscoutslp.org Camps: *Camp Roundelay is near Minong, Wisconsin *Northern Lakes Canoe Base is north of

Ely, Minnesota Ely ( ) is a city in Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,268 at the 2020 census. Located on the Vermilion iron range, Ely once had several iron ore mines. It is an entry point for campers and canoers into the B ...

and near the

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW or BWCA) is a wilderness area within the Superior National Forest in the northeastern part of the US state of Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the Un ...

*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, United States. The population was 941 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Cass County. Walker is part of the Brainerd Micropolitan Statistical Area. Minnesota State Highways 34, 200, an ...

*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 (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center ...

Website: http://www.girlscoutsrv.org Camps: * Camp Elk River is near

Zimmerman, MN Zimmerman is a city in Sherburne County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 5,228 at the 2010 census. Zimmerman is a predominantly rural community. U.S. Highway 169 serves as a main route in the area. The community is 42 miles north- ...

. * 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 Houston is a city in Houston County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 997 at the 2020 census. History The community was named after Sam Houston, first president of the Republic of Texas. In 1852, William McSpadden platted the orig ...

Scouting museums in Minnesota

Many Point Scout Camp History Center

North Star Museum of Boy Scouting and Girl Scouting

North Saint Paul, Minnesota North Saint Paul (abbreviated North St. Paul) is a city in Ramsey County, Minnesota, United States, located east-northeast of the city of Saint Paul. The population was 11,460 at the 2010 census. North Saint Paul is a distinct city, and not ...

References

Central Region (Boy Scouts of America)