This great South Country itinerary will take you through pristine parts of Philmont with a variety of great program opportunities. Start at Rayado Trailhead where you will learn about Kit Carson and Lucien Maxwells Santa Fe Trail outpost. After a night enjoying the stars at Olympia, hike to Carson Meadows for a search and rescue program and learn about wilderness medicine. The next day youll hike through the scenic Rayado Canyon on your way through Fish Camp to Agua Fria. Tour Rayado Lodge, one of Waite Phillips favorite places! Enjoy the beautiful hike from Agua Fria to Lost Cabins before taking a pit stop at Apache Springs to learn about the life of the Jicarilla Apache. Next, youll hike to one of Philmonts newest camps, Garcia Cow. Keep your eyes peeled for the elk herd! Your next day will bring you for a visit to the homesteaders at Crooked Creek before making your way to your layover at Phillips Junction. Get your rest, youll need it as you side hike up to Beaubien for some Western Lore and Branding, but also for your Conservation project. The next day youll hike Big Red on your way to Divide for the night. Get up early to side hike up to Mount Phillips before dropping down into Black Mountain camp where youll enjoy the muzzle loading rifle and blacksmithing programs. During your beautiful yet challenging hike down the North Fork Urraca trail the next morning, look for the Grizzly Tooth rock formation as you make your way to Miners Park where you will rock climb and rappel. Your last night will be at Stockade Ridge where youll get a great view of the Tooth of Time. Enjoy the High Ropes Course & Climbing Tower at Rocky Mountain Scout Camp as you pass by, they will be waiting for you! Get some rest, youll be up early on your last morning and side hike the Tooth before you get picked up by a bus from Lovers Leap Trailhead. Next Stop… Base Camp | ||||
Per the Guidebook to Itineraries: "Due to potential emergencies, such as catastrophic fires, Crews must not deviate from their assigned itinerary. Changes are only permitted for bona fide medical emergencies and must be approved in advance by the Logistics Department." |
Dry Camps: Divide; Unique Campsite: Buck Creek; |
Day | Camp | Program Features | Campsite Features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | CHQ Trailbound | Opening Campfire | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;   | |
2 | Olympia | Food Pickup @ CHQ Trailbound | Trail Camp; (Commissary; Showers; Trading Post; at CHQ Trailbound) | |
Ranger Training ![]() | Trail Camp;  | |||
Kit Carson Museum @ Rayado | Trail Camp;  | |||
Bus to Rayado Trailhead![]() | Trail Camp;  | |||
3 | Carson Meadows | New Mexican Homestead @ Abreu |  (Showers; at Abreu) | |
Cantina @ Abreu |   | |||
Search & Rescue / Wilderness Medicine |   | |||
4 | Agua Fria![]() | Fishing Opportunities @ Fish Camp | Trail Camp;  | |
Rayado Lodge Tour @ Fish Camp | Trail Camp;  | |||
Fly Tying @ Fish Camp | Trail Camp;  | |||
5 | Garcia Cow![]() | Food Pickup @ Apache Springs |  (Commissary; at Apache Springs) | |
Jicarilla Apache Life @ Apache Springs |   | |||
3D Archery @ Apache Springs |   | |||
Conservation Project @ Apache Springs![]() |   | |||
Wildlife Conservation ![]() |   | |||
6 | Wild Horse | Trail Camp;  | ||
7 | Buck Creek | Homesteading @ Crooked Creek | Trail Camp;  | |
Cabin Tour @ Crooked Creek![]() | Trail Camp;  | |||
8 | Divide![]() | Climb Big Red @ Red Hills![]() | Trail Camp (Usually dry); (Trail Camp; at Red Hills) | |
Food Pickup @ Phillips Junction | Trail Camp (Usually dry); (Commissary; Trading Post; Showers; at Phillips Junction) | |||
9 | Black Mountain | Blacksmithing |   | |
Climb Mount Phillips ![]() |   | |||
Post Civil War Settlers |   | |||
10 | Miner's Park | Muzzle Loading Rifles @ Black Mountain | Showers;   | |
Food Pickup | Showers;   | |||
Rock Climbing & Rappelling | Showers;   | |||
11 | Stockade Ridge![]() | Conservation Project @ Lover's Leap![]() | Trail Camp; (Trail Camp; at Lover's Leap) | |
Climbing Tower @ Rocky Mountain Scout Camp![]() | Trail Camp;  | |||
Water @ Stockade![]() | Trail Camp;  | |||
12 | CHQ Homebound | Awards Campfire | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;   | |
Climb Tooth of Time | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;   | |||
Hike to Lovers Leap Trailhead![]() | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;   | |||
Day | Camp | Potential Additional Program Features | Campsite Features |
---|---|---|---|
2 | CHQ Trailbound | Visit the Villa Philmonte | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post; |
National Scouting Museum | |||
Rayado | Tomahawks | ||
3 | Abreu | Homesteading | Showers; |
5 | Apache Springs | Sweat Lodge | Commissary; |
Corn Grinding | |||
Sporting Arrows | |||
Tipi Tour | |||
Flintknapping | |||
Garcia Cow | Ernest T Seton History | ||
7 | Crooked Creek | Animal Care | |
8 | Phillips Junction | Fishing Opportunities | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers; |
10 | Black Mountain | Blacksmithing | |
Post Civil War Settlers | |||
Hike via North Fork Urraca | |||
Miner's Park | Traverse Wall | Showers; | |
Crate Stacking | |||
11 | Rocky Mountain Scout Camp | COPE | |
Stockade | COPE | ||
12 | CHQ Homebound | Visit the Villa Philmonte | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post; |
National Scouting Museum | |||