Menu

All About Camp Minsi

About Camp Minsi

 

Camp Minsi is located on the shores of Stillwater Lake in the heart of the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. Donated to the Scouting program in 1949, Camp Minsi encompasses more than 1,200 acres of relatively flat Pennsylvania woodlands. The camp’s 314-acre lake provides sailing, swimming, fishing and other aquatic activities to the thousands of Scouts and Scouters who visit throughout the year.

Summer camp is the pinnacle of Scouting’s outdoor program. With many unique programs, Scouts have the opportunity to experience a variety of exciting activities at Camp Minsi. Each summer is filled with new programs and activities designed to peak the interests of every camper – from newest campers to the seasoned veterans.

 
Camp Minsi’s Trail to Adventure is a special program designed to help newer Scouts advance in the early ranks, while also working towards a few merit badges. The camp’s aquatics center, located on Stillwater Lake, offers many exciting programs – including swimming, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, rowing, stand-up paddleboarding, and sailboarding. ScoutCraft teaches valuable outdoor skills while offering unique challenges for Scouts of all ages. Over at Handicraft, Scouts are able to hone their craft in woodcarving, leatherwork, basketry, pottery and other trades. Camp Minsi’s Econ area offers in-depth environmental programs – including conservation projects and nature studies. And at Shooting Sports, Scouts have a chance to shoot rifles, shotguns and bows and arrows.
 
Camp Minsi’s unique Afternoon Adventures allow older Scouts and Venturing crews the opportunity to add some exciting challenges to their week. These high adventure programs include whitewater rafting, hiking, mountain biking, climbing, and more. Another treasured program at Camp Minsi is the Muck Hike, an unforgettable expedition for Scouts of all ages into the muddy swamps along the border of camp.
 
Camp Minsi features a centrally-located and spacious dining hall that serves three delicious meals a day. Within a short walk from the dining hall are 12 troop campsites with capacities that range from 20 to 90 campers. Further away are a number of backwoods outpost sites for a more rustic camping experience. There are over 20 miles of hiking trails throughout the camp that give Scouts an opportunity to experience a variety of flora, fauna and the intriguing geology of a glacial moraine. The varied wildlife that makes the camp their home grants both youth and adults the opportunity of experiencing and interacting with nature first-hand.
 
A week of summer camp at Camp Minsi is truly a week of living the Scouting life. Our experienced and enthusiastic staff are dedicated to helping you enjoy tremendous adventures and will offer help whenever you need it. At Camp Minsi you’ll have plenty of opportunities to add to your skills, to pass requirements for ranks advancement and merit badges, and (most importantly) have fun!
 
 
Camp Minsi’s Exciting Program Areas
 
Aquatics on Stillwater Lake
 

Stillwater Lake is one of the greatest attractions at Camp Minsi. The 314-acre lake provides a variety of aquatic activities – including swimming, sailing, canoeing, rowing, kayaking, and paddleboarding.

The area is also home to our newly expanded Waterfront Interactive Zone which includes water trampolines, climbable icebergs, and more. A popular event at the Waterfront is the weekly early-morning “Frigid Froggy” plunge into the lake. Another unique attraction is our giant “voyageur canoe” that can hold over 30 Scouts.

Merit badges offered at the waterfront may include Swimming, Lifesaving, Small-boat Sailing, Canoeing, Rowing, and Kayaking.

 
Citizenship & Communications (Cit-Com)
 

This program area helps Scouts develop their communication skills with the Communications merit badge. It also allows Scouts to explore their role as a citizen in their country and in the world through the Citizenship merit badges.

Many Scouts on the trail to Eagle will develop their skills and understanding of their duty to their country and to others at the Cit-Com area.

 
Dining Hall
 

Napoleon Bonaparte is quoted as saying ‘An army marches on its stomach’. The same is true of Scouts at camp. Camp Minsi has an experienced cook and kitchen staff that provides Scouts and Scouters with three delicious and healthy meals every day.

 
Ecology-Conservation (Econ)
 

At our Ecology-Conservation area, better known as “Econ,” Scouts get investigate the natural world. The area offers a variety of merit badges along with nature hikes, conservation projects, astronomy demos, and fishing opportunities.

Merit badges offered at Econ may include: Environmental Science, Exploration, Fish & Wildlife Management, Fishing, Forestry, Soil & Water Conservation, Weather, Mammal Study, and Reptile & Amphibian Study.

 
Handicraft
 

Handicraft focuses on a wide-range of arts and crafts. A popular area for Scouts of all ages, Handicraft allows Scouts to build skills in such areas as basket making, leatherworking, wood carving, and more.

Merit badges offered at Handicraft may include: Art, Basketry, Leatherwork, Pottery, Textiles, Space Exploration, and Wood Carving.

 
Health & Wellness
 

The Health Lodge is Camp Minsi’s first aid center. In addition to providing medical support to those in need, the area also provides meaningful instruction with several first aid and safety programs. The programs offered by this area help Scouts to be prepared by learning the actions that can be helpful and needed before, during, and after an emergency.

Merit Badges offered in the area may include: First Aid, Emergency Preparedness, Athletics, Sports, Personal Fitness, and Public Health.

 
High Adventure
 

If you are a thrill-seeker looking for outdoor challenges and fun, then look no further than Camp Minsi’s Afternoon Adventures. These programs provide a variety of unique outdoor adventures in the heart of the Poconos! Each day Scouts set-off for an afternoon of fun – including whitewater rafting, horseback riding, mountain biking, hiking, climbing, zip-lining, and much more. These are great options for older Scouts or Venturing crews looking for something new and exciting to do at camp.

 
Quartermaster Crew
 

This area focuses on building a variety of trade and technical skills. Build a sense of personal pride and achievement as they learn how to safely and successfully build, repair, fix, and engineer.

In addition to offering some trade skill merit badges, the Quartermasters is your place to go for service projects, tools, and campsite supplies throughout the week.

Merit Badges offered in the area may include: Engineering, Home Repair, Metalwork, Painting, Plumbing, Welding, and Woodwork.

 
ScoutCraft
 

ScoutCraft is the place to develop and showcase your outdoor skills – including camping, cooking, pioneering, orienteering, wilderness survival and overall outdoor living. Special programs include: Leave No Trace awareness training, cooking demos, woodsman events, vast pioneering projects, outposts, hikes, and much more.

Merit badges offered at ScoutCraft include: Camping, Cooking, Fire Safety, Geocaching, Orienteering, Pioneering, Indian Lore, Hiking, Backpacking, Wilderness Survival, and Signs, Signals & Codes.

 
Shooting Sports
 

Shooting sports is a fun way for Scouts to exercise minds as well as bodies, developing a steady hand, a good eye, and a disciplined mind. These programs provide instruction and opportunities in archery, rifle shooting, and shotgun shooting. In addition to merit badge instruction, the area offers daily open shoots open to all Scouts and leaders.

 
Sports & Recreation
 

Being involved in an athletic endeavor is not only a way to have fun, but it also is one of the best ways for each Scout to live up to their promise “to keep myself physically strong.” This area offers merit badges in addition to daily sporting and athletic activities for Scouts and Scouters.

Merit badges offered in this area include: Sports, Athletics, Game Design, Chess, Theater, and Personal Fitness.

 
Trail to Adventure (TTA)
 

The Trail to Adventure is Camp Minsi’s first-year camper program. Throughout the course of the week, Scouts will build skills necessary to succeed in Scouting while completing requirements for the ranks of Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class while building teamwork, leadership, and other Scout skills.

Activities include an introduction to Scout camp; knife, axe and saw safety (Totin’ Chip); first aid; swiming and water rescues; knots and lashings; flag etiquette; sports and games; a 5-mile hike; plant identification; fire safety (Fireman Chit); cooking; and a special overnight outpost.

 
Trainings & Adult Leader Programs
 

Training helps adult leaders deliver quality Scouting experiences to their youth. Leaders can utilize their time at camp to get trained (and have fun) with a variety of adult leader training opportunities. This is a great opportunity for leaders to get these essential trainings completed.

Trainings available at Camp Minsi include: Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills (IOLS), Safe Swim Defense, Safety Afloat, BSA Paddle Craft Safety, BSA Swim & Water Rescue, and more.

Camp Minsi also offers the Scout Leader Merit Badge, a special program that encourages leaders to take part in some fun and challenging activities throughout the week.

 
Your Campsite
 

Camp Minsi features twelve centrally-located Troop campsites with capacities that range from 10 to 90 campers (depending on the size of your troop). Each campsite is equipped with standard BSA canvas wall-tents on raised wooden platforms. Tents hold two cots that provide housing for a Scout and their buddy.

Each site also includes a newly remodeled comfort station with private flush latrine facilities and running water. A troop canopy, picnic tables and fire circle provide communal areas as well

 

Scroll to Top