The Boy Scouts of America, a group that has been around since 1910, gives boys a chance to participate in activities that can help them to develop moral values and skills that can help them later in life. Boy scouts often get opportunities to venture into natural environments to learn skills such as swimming, starting a fire, identifying plants and animals or hiking. In different parts of Nebraska, Boy Scout troops can find state parks, recreation areas, campgrounds, lakes and other places to engage in activities such as swimming, fishing, hiking or mountain biking.
Eagle Canyon Hideaway, a campground found in Brule, sits on Lake McConaughy, a lake where people can engage in water sports such as fishing, swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, boating, sailing, wind surfing, water skiing, canoeing or kayaking. At the campground, Boy Scout troops can camp outdoors in tents, as the facility offers recreational vehicle and tent sites. Boy Scouts can work on getting merit badges, such as camping, canoeing, fishing, motor boating, scuba diving or sailing merit badges, while staying at the campground. The camping facility also features a nature area where children and adults can hunt for or watch waterfowl, such as pheasants or ducks. Learning about different birds at the campground can help scouts to improve upon their bird watching skills, which will come in handy when they go for their "bird study" merit badge. The campground also has nature trails where Boy Scouts can go for a hike or bike ride and work on getting their hiking or cycling merit badges.
Eagle Canyon Hideaway
1086 Lakeview West Road
Brule, NE 69127
308-287-2673
eagle-canyon.com
Branched Oak Recreation Area features RV and tent camping sites, where Boy Scouts can also practice for their camping merit badge. The recreation area is home to Branched Oak Lake, a body of water where younger visitors can work on their boating or fishing skills. The nature area features amenities such as fish cleaning stations and a marina. The recreation area also has nature trails, where Boy Scouts can go hiking, biking or horseback riding. Boy Scouts can work on getting their tracking, path-finding, horsemanship, "wilderness survival" or nature merit badges in this natural environment. The facility allows dogs, which means that boys can practice taking responsibility for dogs. This is a skill they need for their "dog care" merit badge.
Branched Oak State Recreation Area
12000 West Branched Oak Road
Raymond, NE 68428
402-783-3400
recreation.gov
Found in Ellsworth, the Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge serves as a waterfowl conservation area. At the refuge, which features wetlands, sand dunes and lakes, Boy Scouts can also work on getting their "bird study" merit badge as they look at the refuge's birds. The refuge features nine lakes, where Boy Scouts can practice for or try to earn their fishing merit badge while fishing for bluegill or yellow perch. At the refuge, scouts can hunt for waterfowl, which can serve as preparation for the hunting or "rifle shooting" merit badge. The refuge is home to a variety of plants, including rare plants such as the blowout penstemon. While they look at plants, Boy Scout troop members can learn to identify different plants and their parts, something they need to do for their "plant science" merit badge.
Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge
10630 Road 181
Ellsworth, NE 69340
308-762-4893
fws.gov
