Philmont Scout Ranch is Scouting America’s largest National High-Adventure Base. Born in 1938 as Philturn Rocky Mountain Scout Camp, Philmont has become a bustling center for high adventure and training. It covers 140,177 acres of rugged mountain wilderness in the Sangre de Cristo range of the Rocky Mountains in northeastern New Mexico. Ancient Native Americans chipped petroglyphs into canyon walls. Spanish conquistadors explored the Southwest long before the first colonists arrived on the Atlantic coast. The rugged breed of mountain man such as Kit Carson blazed trails across this land. The great land barons like Lucien Maxwell built ranches along the Santa Fe Trail. Miners, loggers and cowboys have all left their mark on Philmont’s unique history.

In addition to providing an unforgettable adventure in backpacking across miles of rugged, rocky trails, Philmont Scout Ranch offers programs that feature the best of the old west—horseback riding, burro packing, gold panning, chuckwagon dinners, and interpretive history—with exciting challenges for today such as rock climbing, mountain biking, and sport shooting. It’s an unbeatable recipe for fast-paced fun in the outdoors.

("About" Philmont Scout Ranch Accessed 9/20/26)