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The Summit Experience
Program Details
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The Summit Experience is the premier on-site high adventure program of the Summit Bechtel Reserve. Open to Scouts and Venturers age 13 and older, it offers a week filled with adventure, challenge, and growth in the wild and wonderful mountains of southern West Virginia.
Each day brings something new: climb, rappel, and soar on Alexander’s Eagle Flight or through the canopy course; ride world-class trails on mountain bikes, skateboards, and BMX bikes; sharpen your skills with archery, rifle, and shotgun ranges—or even complete a hunter education course; and take on the rapids of the legendary New River with a thrilling whitewater rafting trip.
No other program combines this variety of activities in one unforgettable week. The Summit Experience isn’t just high adventure—it’s adventure at the next level.
BMX
Skateboarding
Mountain biking
Zip Lines
Canopy tours
Hunter’s education
Climbing
Range and Target Activities
Whitewater Rafting
I love this camp. I went here, in the summer of 2018, with a scout troop. It was a really great experience, that we will all remember for the rest of our lives. We did something called the Summit Experience. This involved ropes courses, archery, shot gun and rifle shooting, kayaking, and BMX biking. The food here, that they served, was really great. That staff is super nice and friendly. If you have the opportunity, I would definitely recommend going to this camp.
Conner R.
Troop 226 from Apex NC just got back from the Summit Experience. We had a great time with the all of the programs with the highlight of the trip being the whitewater rafting. The big zip and the shooting sports were also hit with our kids. Prepare to walk a lot. The shooting sports, BMX park, and the big zip are all up the mountain for a about 1-hour hike. Its a great place for those 13-15 year olds to be introduced into the High Adventure program!
Richard S.
To build character, citizenship, and personal fitness, young people need real-world experiences that challenge them beyond their comfort zones. High adventure programs create these opportunities and help Scouts discover who they are, define their values, and shape a vision for their future.
The Summit Experience is designed to be an incredible introductory or capstone high-adventure experience! Scouts and Scouters, while engaging in an array of thrilling activities, will interact with our top-notch staff and create memories that will last a lifetime. The Summit Experience includes the following activities:
Units are assigned to program patrols, groups of troops and crews, based on several factors, including date of registration and unit size. These assignments will not be shared in advance, but click here to view sample scheduling sequences.
2026 Pricing
$1,225/Person
By Crew
Summer
13 years +
Opens 18 months prior to trek
The Summit Experience is designed to be an incredible introduction to all the Summit Bechtel Reserve has to offer. There are no specific prerequisites or skills requirements for any Scout or Scouter (beyond health and safety considerations), and each program area has staff
available to instruct and coach individuals at all skill levels.
Aerial sports activities (climbing, zip lining, rappelling, and more) require no previous experience. We have an awesome staff here at SBR to help you learn and grow! To ensure our guests have safe and memorable experiences, the following weight restrictions are enforced:
For any aerial sports activity at SBR, personal protective equipment is provided. All guests must wear closed-toe shoes for all aerial sports activities.
The Summit High Adventure Experiences registration opens the January of the year prior. For example, summer 2026 registration opened January 2025.
We know that planning your high adventure trip can feel like an adventure of its own, but don’t worry—we’ve put together helpful resources with tips and information to make planning easier and less stressful.
This guide is designed to help unit and council contingents plan a successful trip to SBR. It is important that each adult leader accompanying the unit to the Summit Experience become familiar with every aspect of the trip and to share this information with participants and their parents/guardians. During the Summit Experience, each group will be assigned a Summit staff member, known as a Mountain Rover, to guide them to and through the adventures and activities.
SBR is committed to the health and safety of all participants. Many of our activities require a certain level of fitness and can be physically, mentally, and emotionally challenging. Programs may include mountain biking, BMX, skateboarding, rock climbing, zip lines, challenge courses, shooting sports, archery, whitewater rafting, and kayaking.
Participants should arrive prepared for these adventures. On average, you can expect to walk 5–7 miles a day on uneven terrain with significant elevation changes. Summer conditions often bring heat indexes near 100 degrees. Staying active before your visit will help you make the most of your Summit experience. Be ready—adventure awaits!
All youth and adult Scouting guests must complete the Scouting America Annual Health and Medical Record (AHMR) in full. This includes a medical evaluation by a licensed healthcare provider within 12 months of your visit to SBR. Incomplete forms may require a visit to a local provider upon arrival and could result in limited or no participation in scheduled activities.
In addition, all high-adventure participants must meet the Scouting America height and weight guidelines, which are outlined in the AHMR. Guests who do not meet these requirements—or have other medical or safety concerns—should email summithealthlodge@scouting.org at least two weeks before their arrival (earlier if possible).
In addition to the planning guides, we also offer a series of webinars—an excellent opportunity to learn more, hear updates, and ask questions directly.
Instructions for joining the scheduled webinars are e-mailed to the primary unit leader on the unit reservation; we encourage this individual to share the webinar-joining information with all other unit stakeholders.
2026 Webinar Dates
Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. eastern time
Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. eastern time
While on-site at the Summit Bechtel Reserve, you’ll be able to stay connected with complimentary Wi-Fi available to all guests. Additionally, SBR has cell towers for several major carriers, which allows the majority of our guests to have great cell coverage.
The primary phone number for the Summit Bechtel Reserve is 304-465-2800. This phone number is typically answered between Monday and Friday, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
The Summit Bechtel Reserve operates a twenty-four-hour hotline number, at 304-465-2900. All calls to or for participants are routed from this number, and parents/guardians or unit leaders attempting contact should be prepared to provide the name and expedition number of the individual whom they are trying to reach.
We understand that there’s a lot of information to cover about your high adventure experience. While we strive to provide as much detail as possible, you may still have some questions. If you need help or have a specific question, don’t hesitate to get in touch with SBR at summit.program@scouting.org or 304-465-2800. We are here to help!
The Summit Experience includes aerial sports (climbing, rappelling, Leap of Faith, canopy zipline tour, and Alexander’s Eagle Flight), mountain biking, skateboarding, BMX, hunter education, target and range activities, aquatics activities, and whitewater rafting on the New River. Each group will be assigned a schedule that includes all these activities during their visit to SBR. Please note that A.T.V. programs are not included in the Summit Experience.
Participants must be thirteen years old and registered members of Scouting America to participate in the Summit Experience.
Absolutely! Both programs, the Summit Experience and Justice National Scout Camp, begin on Sunday for every session, making it easy for units to send groups to each program. Registration for both programs must be placed separately and proper adult leadership—at least two adults per reservation—must be in place for both groups. Please note that unit camping in the same site while participating in both programs may be challenging. Please contact Camp Director Johnny Tracy, at johnny.tracy@scouting.org or 901-489-6027, to discuss specific considerations.
All units will enter the Summit Bechtel Reserve through the North Gate entrance (2550 Jack Furst Drive, Glen Jean, WV 25846). With the assistance of signage and staff, unit vehicles will navigate to and check in at the Pigott Headquarters building. Unit leaders will present the requisite paperwork to the registration team and present copies of the Annual Health and Medical Records for everyone in the unit to the health and safety team for review. Restrooms, the trading post (The Bunker), and Snack Shack are all located near the check-in area. After the check-in process is completed, units will head to Bravo Base Camp to set up camp for the week.
Yes, parking for Summit Experience participants is offered in parking lots that are convenient to the Summit Experience camping area and Fork in the Road Diner (the dining hall in which Summit Experience participants eat).
Nine-foot-by-nine-foot dome tents are provided for all Summit Experience participants; cots are also provided. Dining canopies and picnic tables are provided in each camping area.
Uniforms may be worn in transit to and from SBR, though uniforms are not required during any part of the Summit Experience program.
Please contact SBR at summit.program@scouting.org, or call 304-465-2800.
Yes! This program is not administered by the Summit Bechtel Reserve, but participation in the Summit Experience does count for these awards. Visit www.nationalhighadventureawards.org/ to learn more.
Situated in the wilds of West Virginia, The Summit Bechtel Reserve is a training, Scouting, and adventure center for the millions of youth and adults involved in Scouting America and anyone who loves the outdoors. The Summit Bechtel Reserve is also home to the National Scout Jamboree and the Paul R. Christen National High Adventure Base.
The mission of Scouting America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.
