Campouts
Pack 12 camps several times a year. Campouts are some of the most meaningful experiences in scouting — for many kids, their first time sleeping in a tent, their first time cooking over a fire, their first time looking up at a sky full of stars without city lights.
Campouts are family events. A parent or guardian must attend with each scout. We don’t drop off scouts at campouts — that’s for Scouts BSA, not Cub Scouts.
Where we camp
We camp at a mix of locations:
- Council scout camps — places like Bovay Scout Ranch and other Sam Houston Area Council facilities, which are designed for scouting use with cabins, mess halls, and program areas
- State and county parks in the Houston region
- Pack family campouts at locations chosen for the year’s program
Specific locations and dates appear on our calendar.
What to bring
A complete packing list will go out before each campout, but the basics:
Sleeping - Tent (or coordinate with another family if you don’t own one) - Sleeping bag rated for the expected weather - Sleeping pad or air mattress - Pillow
Clothing - Layers — Texas weather is unpredictable - Rain jacket, even if rain isn’t forecast - Closed-toe shoes (no sandals at the campsite) - A change of clothes - Hat, sunscreen, bug spray
Mess kit and water - Water bottle for each person - Plate, bowl, cup, utensils (reusable preferred)
Food - Some campouts are pack-cooked (we provide meals); others are family-cooked. The pre-trip email will say which.
Other - Flashlight or headlamp for each person - Camp chair - Class A uniform for the flag ceremony - Any personal medications
Don’t bring — electronics (beyond a phone for emergencies), open-toed shoes, valuable items.
Camping rules
A few non-negotiables:
- Two-deep leadership — at least two registered, trained adults are present at all pack activities, always.
- No alcohol or drugs at any pack event, period.
- No firearms or hunting weapons at any pack event.
- Adults sleep separately from kids who aren’t theirs. Tents are family units.
- Buddy system. Scouts move around the campsite in pairs or groups, not alone.
- Leave No Trace. We pack out everything we pack in, and leave the campsite cleaner than we found it.
Health forms
Every camper — scout and adult — needs a current Annual Health and Medical Record on file before camping. This is a Scouting America form your scout’s doctor fills out at their annual checkup. It’s good for a year.
Forms live at scouting.org. We’ll remind you and link directly when needed.
Your scout’s first campout
If your family has never camped before, don’t worry. We’ll pair you up with an experienced family who can help with tent setup, fire safety, and the general flow of a camping weekend. Many of our pack’s best camping families started out borrowing tents and figuring it out as they went.
It’s worth it. There’s something about a Cub Scout sitting around a campfire with a marshmallow on a stick that just sticks with kids for the rest of their lives.