Lake Pleasant Aquatics & Nature Camp

Lake Pleasant Camp is a summer day camp for Boy Scouts ages 11-18.  The camp has five sessions with each session running Monday through Thursday.  Unlike other local resident camps, Lake Pleasant Camp offers opportunities for advancement and camaraderie while still allowing Scouts to return home every evening. The camp is a Scout’s dream offering more than 20 aquatic and nature merit badges including canoeing, rowing, kayaking, motorboating, water sports, sailing, fishing, cooking, reptile and amphibian study, insect study, archeology, geology, environmental science, first aid and much more.  This camp is perfect for all Scouts, from young Scouts who may not be ready for a week away at camp to experienced Scouts who are looking for unique and challenging merit badge opportunities.

Lake Pleasant Camp is nestled into a hillside of the pristine Sonoran desert, located at Maricopa County's Desert Outdoor Center on the east side of Lake Pleasant, twenty miles northwest of downtown Phoenix. The Desert Outdoor Center is a 26,000 square foot, three-building complex designed for education and exploration of the natural environment.  The main building contains a multi-purpose gathering hall, an animal exhibit hall, science lab, classroom, resource room, trading post, first aid room, and a full commercial grade kitchen.  The amphitheater, overlooking the lake, comfortably seats 150 for outside activities, including a fire circle (when permitted).  Nearby trails allow campers to experience a spectacular view of Lake Pleasant and an up-close look at Waddell Dam.

Other Programs Available at the Desert Outdoor Center

Trail to Eagle Camp July 3-10, 2010

The Desert Outdoor Center (August-May open to troops by reservation only)

   Lake Pleasant Aquatics & Nature Camp

2010 Camp Sessions

Session 1               June 7-10

Session 2             June 14-17

Session 3            June 21-24

 Session 4      June 28- July 1

Session 5              July 12-15

OTHER IMPORTANT DATES

Camp Staff Interviews @ Desert Outdoor Center

• April 18 (9:00 AM - 1:00 PM)

• April 25 (9:00 AM - 1:00 PM)

Swim checks will be held @ Heard Scout Pueblo (1901 E. Dobbins Rd. Phoenix, AZ / 20th Street, one mile South of Baseline Rd.)

• May 16 (8:00 AM -12:00 PM)

• May 30 (8:00 AM-12:00 PM)

Please Note: No swim checks will be conducted at camp.  The swim test classification record form must be filled out prior to camp even if the scout has completed the swim merit badge.  If you cannot attend one of the dates listed above another alternative would be to have a qualified aquatics instructor or a certified lifeguard complete your swim check.  You must pass the swim test this year in order to participate in the aquatics portion of the camp.

FORMS

PROMOTIONAL FLIER- Invite your friends to camp!

2009 CAMP BUS SCHEDULE

2009 CAMP MERIT BADGE SCHEDULE

2009 MERIT BADGE PREREQUISITES

PRECAMP INFORMATION SURVEY

SWIM TEST CLASSIFICATION RECORD 

YOUTH STAFF APPLICATION (14 to 17 years of age)

ADULT STAFF APPLICATION (18 years of age and older)

GUIDE TO SAFE SCOUTING
Aquatics Safety training & regulation as set by Boy Scouts of America National Council

Every Scout needs to bring a Personal Health & Medical Record, a signed copy of the Code of Conduct, and a signed copy of the Waiver of Liability to camp on the first day. Without these forms, the Scout will not be able to participate in camp.

PERSONAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL RECORD

YOUTH CODE OF CONDUCT

WAIVER OF LIABILITY

ADVANCEMENT AND MERIT BADGE OPPORTUNITIES

Lake Pleasant Camp Merit Badge Application
Please download this form and bring one form for each merit badge you are enrolled in for Summer Camp.

***All pre-requisites must be completed prior to first day of camp or merit badge will not be earned at camp***

CLICK HERE FOR 2009 Merit Badge Prerequisites



How to Register for Camp:

Online Registration

By Mail:   Grand Canyon Council
                  Aquatics and Nature Camp at Lake Pleasant
                  2969 North Greenfield Road
                  Phoenix, AZ 85016-7715

For any questions, please contact Adriana Clifton at 602-778-7673 or at aclifton@lflmail.org

Registration Fees:    $195.00 Camp Fee

                                    $25.00 Transportation Fee will be charged for any Scout wishing to ride the bus.

Valley-wide Bus Pickup & Drop Off:

East Valley pickup locations:

• Sportsman’s Warehouse (US60 & Greenfield)
• Target at Tempe Market Place (Loop 202 & McClintock Dr)
• Target at Desert Ridge Marketplace (Loop 101 & Tatum)

West Valley pickup locations:

• Big 5 Sporting Goods (I-10 & Dysart)
• Target at Arrowhead (80th Avenue & Bell Rd)
• Sportsman’s Warehouse (I17 & Yorkshire)

Lake Pleasant Camp Facilities


Facilities include an administration building that houses three classrooms, an exhibit room with live desert animals, a large multipurpose room that seats 150 and functions as a gathering spot and dining area, a full kitchen, and two dorms that house 75 people each and have private showers. The three classrooms seat about 50 people each, and consist of a science lab with microscopes, a resource room with a small library, and a “room with a view” that doubles as a great place for meetings. A 12-inch NASA telescope is housed in a special building with a retractable roof, and an outdoor amphitheater that seats 150 overlooks the lake and provides the perfect setting for a campfire. The Honeymoon Cove Trail affords a two-mile loop trek that begins at the Center and winds its way through pristine Sonoran Desert along a peninsula that juts out into Lake Pleasant.

Trading Post

Thibodeaux’s Treasures Gift shop is open during regular camp hours. Water, soda, snacks, and souvenirs are available for purchase.

First Aid Room

A basic first aid room will be available for all camp participants in the event of an illness or minor injury. In the event of a major emergency, advanced emergency personnel will be summoned and parent/guardian will be notified.

Directions to Lake Pleasant Camp

Desert Outdoor Center at Lake Pleasant

41402 N. 87th Avenue
Peoria, AZ 85383
Ph: 602-372-7470 Fax: 602-372-7475
doc@mail.maricopa.gov

From central Phoenix, take I-17 north to the Carefree Hwy (SR 74). Exit at Carefree Hwy/AZ-74, exit 223B and travel west (towards Wickenburg) approximately 7 miles to Pleasant Harbor Blvd. Turn right and follow the road north to the Desert Outdoor Center entrance gate. The gate code changes often so please call in advance for permission to enter 602-372-7470 ext 200. Follow the road around until it dead ends in the parking lot of the Desert Outdoor Center.

From the West Valley, take 99th Avenue north which eventually turns into Lake Pleasant Rd. Turn left at Carefree Hwy/SR 74 and continue west for about 2 miles. Turn right at N. Pleasant Harbor Blvd. and follow the road north to the Desert Outdoor Center entrance gate. The gate code changes often so please call in advance for permission to enter 602-372-7470 ext 200. Follow the road around until it dead ends in the parking lot of the Desert Outdoor Center.