This itinerary highlights much of the South, including high peaks and frequent opportunities for wildlife viewing. Take the short bus ride to the Webster Trailhead and hike to Arrowhead trail camp in the shadow of the iconic Tooth of Time. Your Ranger will train you on skills you will need for the rest of your adventure before taking you through Clarks Fork and up to Cimarroncito, where you can try out some climbing on natural rock formations. Cyphers Mine is up next, where you can tour the Contention Mine, practice blacksmithing, gold panning and enjoy the famous Stomp. Begin your tour of Philmont's peaks with a hike to Comanche Peak. Get your rest, enjoy the sunrise, and then tackle the highest peak in Philmont's South Country, Mount Phillips. On the way down, visit the fur trappers at Clear Creek for a tomahawk throwing competition before following the Rayado River to visit the Crooked Creek homestead. Your next day will take you through Apache Springs for 3D archery and a tipi tour before continuing to Lost Cabin trail camp. Hit the trail early to allow plenty of time to tour Rayado Lodge at Fish Camp and try to catch a trout in the Rayado and Agua Fria Rivers. After traversing the ridge trail high above the Rayado, a Search and Rescue mission awaits your crew at Carson Meadows. Tend to the chickens and goats at Abreu, and reward yourselves with a cold root beer at the cantina before heading to Bear Caves trail camp. Visit with the loggers of the Continental Tie & Lumber Co. and try out their crosscut saws and broad-axes. Look for the Tooth of Time as you make your way to Miners Park, where you can check out their amazing climbing gym, under the guidance of Philmont's trained staff. Tooth Ridge is your next destination for the breathtaking view from atop the Tooth of Time. Take a few minutes to look back over how far your crew has come in the past 10 days before heading down the ridgeline to Base Camp on your last day to end this amazing adventure. | ||||
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: Comanche Peak; Tooth Ridge; Unique Campsite: Arrowhead; |
Day | Camp | Program Features | Campsite Features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | CHQ Trailbound | Opening Campfire | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;   | |
2 | Arrowhead![]() | Food Pickup @ CHQ Trailbound | Trail Camp; (Commissary; Showers; Trading Post; at CHQ Trailbound) | |
Bus to Webster Trailhead![]() | Trail Camp;  | |||
Ranger Training ![]() | Trail Camp;  | |||
3 | Cimarroncito | Rock Climbing & Rappelling | Showers;   | |
Western Lore / Branding @ Clarks Fork | Showers;  (Showers; at Clarks Fork) | |||
4 | Cyphers Mine | Food Pickup @ Cimarroncito![]() | Showers (wood stoked);  (Showers; at Cimarroncito) | |
Campfire | Showers (wood stoked);   | |||
Mine Tour | Showers (wood stoked);   | |||
Hunting Lodge Tour @ Hunting Lodge | Showers (wood stoked);   | |||
5 | Comanche Peak | Water @ Cyphers Mine | Trail Camp (Usually dry); (Showers (wood stoked); at Cyphers Mine) | |
Gold Mining & Panning @ Cyphers Mine | Trail Camp (Usually dry);  | |||
Blacksmithing @ Cyphers Mine | Trail Camp (Usually dry);  | |||
6 | Crooked Creek | Rocky Mountain Fur Company @ Clear Creek |   | |
Tomahawks @ Clear Creek |   | |||
Climb Mount Phillips ![]() |   | |||
Climb Comanche Peak ![]() |   | |||
7 | Lost Cabin![]() | 3D Archery @ Apache Springs | Trail Camp; (Commissary; at Apache Springs) | |
Food Pickup @ Apache Springs | Trail Camp;  | |||
Jicarilla Apache Life @ Apache Springs | Trail Camp;  | |||
Homesteading @ Crooked Creek | Trail Camp;  | |||
8 | Carson Meadows | Rayado Lodge Tour @ Fish Camp |   | |
Fishing Opportunities @ Fish Camp |   | |||
9 | Bear Caves | Cabin Tour @ Abreu | Trail Camp; (Showers; at Abreu) | |
New Mexican Homestead @ Abreu | Trail Camp;  | |||
Cantina @ Abreu | Trail Camp;  | |||
Search & Rescue / Wilderness Medicine @ Carson Meadows | Trail Camp;  | |||
10 | Miner's Park | Crosscut Saws / Tie making @ Crater Lake![]() | Showers;  (Showers; at Crater Lake) | |
Food Pickup | Showers;   | |||
Conservation Project ![]() | Showers;   | |||
Traverse Wall ![]() | Showers;   | |||
11 | Tooth Ridge | Water @ Stockade![]() | Trail Camp (Always dry);  | |
12 | CHQ Homebound | Climb Tooth of Time | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;   | |
Hike in via Tooth Ridge Trail | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;   | |||
Awards Campfire | 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 | |||
3 | Clarks Fork | Cowboy Campfire | Showers; |
4 | Cimarroncito | Rock Climbing & Rappelling | Showers; |
Hike via Hidden Valley / Window Rock | |||
Climbing Gym | |||
Traverse Wall | |||
Hunting Lodge | Fishing Opportunities | ||
Hike via Hidden Valley / Window Rock | |||
Cabin Tour | |||
5 | Cyphers Mine | Stomp | Showers (wood stoked); |
Mine Tour | |||
6 | Clear Creek | Muzzle Loading Rifles | |
Climb Mount Phillips | |||
7 | Apache Springs | Sweat Lodge | Commissary; |
Corn Grinding | |||
Sporting Arrows | |||
Tipi Tour | |||
Flintknapping | |||
Crooked Creek | Cabin Tour | ||
Animal Care | |||
8 | Fish Camp | Fly Tying | |
9 | Abreu | Homesteading | Showers; |
10 | Crater Lake | Continental Tie & Lumber | Showers; |
Hike over Fowler Mesa | |||
spar pole climbing | |||
Miner's Park | Rock Climbing & Rappelling | Showers; | |
Crate Stacking | |||
11 | Stockade | COPE | |
12 | CHQ Homebound | Visit the Villa Philmonte | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post; |
National Scouting Museum | |||