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Hiking and Camping Resources

Leave No Trace 

As more people use parks and recreation facilities, LEAVE NO TRACE® guidelines become even more important for outdoor visitors. 

Leave No Trace is a plan that helps people to be more concerned about their environment and to help them protect it for future generations. Leave No Trace applies in a backyard or local park (frontcountry) as much as it does in the wilderness (backcountry). 

We should practice Leave No Trace in our attitude and actions–wherever we go. Understanding nature strengthens our respect toward the environment. One person with thoughtless behavior or one shortcut on a trail can spoil the outdoor experience for others. 

Help protect the environment by remembering that while you are there, you are a visitor. When you visit the outdoors, take special care of the area. Leave everything just as you find it. 

Hiking and camping without a trace are signs of a considerate outdoorsman who cares for the environment. Travel lightly on the land. 

Six Leave No Trace Guidelines for Cub Scouts  

PLAN AHEAD 
Watch for hazards and follow all the rules of the park or outdoor facility. Remember proper clothing, sunscreen, hats, first aid kits, and plenty of drinking water. Use the buddy system. Make sure you carry your family’s name, phone number, and address. 

STICK TO TRAILS 
Stay on marked trails whenever possible. Short-cutting trails causes the soil to wear away or to be packed, which eventually kills trees and other vegetation. Trampled wildflowers and vegetation take years to recover. Stick to trails! 

MANAGE YOUR PET 
Managing your pet will keep people, dogs, livestock, and wildlife from feeling threatened. Make sure your pet is on a leash or controlled at all times. Do not let your pet approach or chase wildlife. When animals are chased or disturbed, they change eating patterns and use more energy that may result in poor health or death. 

Take care of your pet’s waste. Take a small shovel or scoop and a pick-up bag to pick up your pet’s waste— wherever it’s left. Place the waste bags in a trash can for disposal. 

LEAVE WHAT YOU FIND 
When visiting any outdoor area, try to leave it the same as you find it. The less impact we each make, the longer we will enjoy what we have. Even picking flowers denies others the opportunity to see them and reduces seeds, which means fewer plants next year. 

Use established restrooms. Graffiti and vandalism have no place anywhere, and they spoil the experience for others. Leave your mark by doing an approved conservation project. 

RESPECT OTHER VISITORS 
Expect to meet other visitors. Be courteous and make room for others. Control your speed when biking or running. Pass with care and let others know before you pass. Avoid disturbing others by making noise or playing loud music. 

Respect “No Trespassing” signs. If property boundaries are unclear, do not enter the area. 

TRASH YOUR TRASH 
Make sure all trash is put in a bag or trash receptacle. Trash is unsightly and ruins everyone’s outdoor experience. Your trash can kill wildlife. Even materials, such as orange peels, apple cores and food scraps, take years to break down and may attract unwanted pests that could become a problem. 

Outdoor Essentials 

First Aid Kit 
Take a small personal first aid kit. Here are some things you should put in it: Band-Aids of different sizes, soap, antibiotic ointment, tweezers, alcohol wipes, gauze bandage, scissors, safety pins. 

Filled Water Bottle 
Fill you water bottle before you start on your adventure. An empty bottle won’t help when you get thirsty. Take enough water. You might not be able to refill it. A two quart bottle (or two one quart bottles) works for most outings. 

Flashlight 
Be prepared for the unexpected. Bring a small flashlight even if you don’t plan to be out at night. If plans change and you have to find your way back in the dusk or night you will be glad you have it. And don’t forget the extra batteries. 

Trail Food 
You’ll probably get hungry while out on your adventure. Bring some trail food. The best food is not bulky but high in energy. Nuts, dried fruits, and granola are all good choices. 

Sun Protection 
Protect yourself from the sun. You can still get sunburned even if it is not hot and sunny. Put on sunscreen and wear a hat. Bring your sunscreen with you so you can reapply it when needed. 

Whistle 
If you get lost or in trouble, stay where you are and blow three blasts on your whistle. This is a universal help signal and when someone hears it, they will come to you to help. 

Map and Compass 
Know where you are and where you are going. If the trail becomes unclear, a map and compass will help you determine the right path. But if you are really lost, stay put. 

Rain Gear 
You never know when the weather might turn bad. You will be more comfortable if you stay dry. And in a pinch, a rain poncho can be used to make an emergency shelter. 

Pocketknife 
A pocketknife can help you make kindling for a fire or other small tasks. Remember, a knife is a tool, not a toy. Don’t forget to bring your Whittlin’ Chip card also. NOTE: Must have parent’s permission and Cubmaster’s permission for Scout activities, outings and meetings. 

Matches or Fire Starters 
In an emergency situation, you might need to build a small fire to keep you warm or as a signal. Don’t get these out unless you really need them. NOTE: Must have parent’s permission and Cubmaster’s permission for Scout activities, outings and meetings. 

Outdoor Code 

As an American, I will do my best to – 

  • Be clean in my outdoor manners.  
    I will treat the outdoors as a heritage. 
    I will take care of it for myself and others 
    I will keep my trash and garbage out of lakes, streams, fields, woods, and roadways. 
  • Be careful with fire. 
    I will prevent wildfire. 
    I will build my fires only where they are appropriate. 
    When I have finished using a fire, I will make sure it is cold out. 
    I will leave a clean fire ring, or remove all evidence of my fire. 
  • Be considerate in the outdoors. 
    I will treat public and private property with respect. 
    I will use low-impact methods of hiking and camping. 
  • Be conservation minded 
    I will learn how to practice good conservation of soil, waters, forests, minerals, grasslands, wildlife, and energy. 
    I will urge others to do the same. 

Square Knot  

The square knot is the most basic joining knot, used to join the ends of two ropes. It is also the first knot learned in the Boy Scouts. 

To tie a square knot: 

1.) Place an end of each rope in each of your hands. 

2.) Tie an overhand knot, passing the rope in your right hand over and then under the rope in your left hand. At this time, the rope ends have switched hands such that the rope that began in your right hand is in your left and vice versa. 

3.) Next, tie another overhand knot, this time passing the rope in your left hand over the rope in your right hand. 

4.) Pull the knot snug and you have tied a square knot! 

Simply remember “right over left, left over right.” 

To untie this knot, grab the loose ends of the rope and push toward the knot. This will loosen the knot so that it may now be untied. 

Scout Links

  • Animated Knot Tying – Awesome site featuring animated knot-tying sequences for all kinds of knots and rope care directions.  Don’t miss it, the animations are beautifully done! 
  • Camping Resources
  • Knots on the Web 
  • Lightning Safety 
  • Map and Compass 
  • Scout Stuff – The official Boy Scouts of America on-line source for information about camping equipment, uniforms, handbooks, scout craft and project supplies, and other essential Scouting merchandise. 
  • US Scouts – Largest collection of Scouting resource materials available online is assembled by volunteer Scouters. The U.S. Scouting Service Project, Inc. is a non-profit corporation that supports the Scouting movement. 
  • Walking the Trail of the Eagle Scout    dedicated to helping Scouts become Eagle Scouts! 
  • Clear Dark Sky Charts – This site provides astronomical observation weather predictions (i.e., How bad will cloud cover be? (Cloud cover) Will it be dark b/c of a new moon or really bright because of a full moon?  (Darkness) Will the atmosphere be good for telescopic observations?