Scouts BSA Summer & Winter Camp

Program overview

A week of merit badges, patrol life and campfires on the banks of the Arroyo Colorado.

For generations of Rio Grande Valley Scouts, a week at Camp Perry has been the high point of the year. Summer Camp at Camp Charles F. Perry is a week-long resident camp for Scouts BSA troops, held on the banks of the Arroyo Colorado in Rio Hondo, Texas, on land Charles F. Perry donated to Scouting in 1927. Troops arrive together, move into a patrol campsite and spend the week earning merit badges, practicing skills and living the patrol method in real outdoor conditions.

According to the Rio Grande Council's Camp Perry page, campsites are set up with canvas tents and cots, and meals are served in the camp dining hall. Days revolve around merit badge sessions at program areas across the property: the swimming pool and aquatics docks, the archery, rifle and shotgun ranges, the STEM building, handicraft areas and nature trails. Free time might mean open swim, a round in the gaga ball pit or a stop at the trading post. Evenings bring troop time, campfires at the amphitheater and the stories Scouts retell for years.

Camp Perry also hosts Winter Camp, giving troops a chance to camp, advance and use the program areas during the Valley's mildest weather of the year. The format, dates and merit badge offerings for both sessions are set by the council each season and can change from year to year, so troops should confirm current details with the Rio Grande Council before making plans.

This page is an independent overview written by our editorial team, not an official program guide. It includes a sample daily schedule, a packing list and answers to common questions to help families and leaders picture the week. For directions and weather, see Plan Your Visit, and explore the program areas on the camp map and facilities page.

Highlights

What’s included

Merit badge sessions

Scouts choose classes across aquatics, shooting sports, STEM, nature, handicraft and Scoutcraft areas. Some badges have prerequisites to finish at home or leave partials to complete with the troop afterward.

Patrol campsites

Each troop lives in its own campsite with canvas tents and cots, practicing the patrol method by sharing duties, keeping a clean site and looking out for one another all week.

Dining hall meals

Meals are served in the camp dining hall, freeing up more of the day for program. Campaign plans called for a new air-conditioned dining hall with porches overlooking the Arroyo Colorado.

Campfires and traditions

Evening campfires with skits and songs at the amphitheater are part of the rhythm of the week, connecting today's Scouts with a camp that has welcomed troops since 1927.

Water and range time

Open swim, canoes and kayaks, archery, rifle and shotgun ranges and a BMX bike track keep free time busy, with every area run under Scouting America safety rules.

Winter Camp

A cold-season session lets troops keep camping and advancing when South Texas weather is at its most comfortable. Check the council calendar for current dates, format and offerings.

Details

Plan with confidence

A representative sample — actual schedules are published by camp leadership each season.

7:00 AMReveille, campsite cleanup and breakfast in the dining hall
8:00 AMFlag ceremony and announcements
8:30 AMMorning merit badge sessions at program areas
12:00 PMLunch, then a rest period in camp during the hottest part of the day
2:00 PMAfternoon merit badge sessions
4:00 PMOpen program: free swim, ranges, gaga ball and the trading post
5:45 PMRetreat ceremony and dinner
7:30 PMTroop activities or campfire program at the amphitheater
10:00 PMTaps and lights out

How to take part

Four steps to camp

Talk to your troop leaders

Summer and Winter Camp are attended as a troop. Ask your Scoutmaster whether the troop is planning a Camp Perry session and how it handles sign-ups, deposits and adult coverage.

Check the council calendar

Session dates, fees, merit badge offerings and registration are handled by the Rio Grande Council. Your troop registers through the council's official channels, not through this website.

Complete forms and prerequisites

Gather the Annual Health and Medical Record with a current physical, any permission forms the troop requires, and finish merit badge prerequisites before the week begins.

Prepare and pack

Review the packing list, label gear, break in shoes and start drinking more water in the days before camp. Attend any troop pre-camp meeting so everyone knows the plan.

FAQ

Summer & Winter Camp questions

Summer Camp is a week-long resident camp: troops check in at the start of the week, stay in their campsite, and depart at the end. Exact check-in and check-out days and times are set by the Rio Grande Council each season, so confirm the current schedule with your troop leaders or the council before making travel plans.

Fees are set by the Rio Grande Council and change from year to year, so this site does not list current prices. For historical context, 2017 campaign materials put the cost of a full week of camp at $220 per Scout. Ask your troop and the council about current fees and whether campership assistance is available.

According to the council's Camp Perry page, troops stay in patrol campsites with canvas tents and cots, and meals are served in the camp dining hall. Showers and latrines are located around camp. Scouts typically bring their own sleeping bag or light bedding, since summer nights in the Rio Grande Valley are usually warm.

Many merit badges can be completed during camp, but some require prerequisites done at home or have requirements that cannot be finished in a week. In those cases Scouts leave with a partial and complete the rest with their troop. Review each badge's requirements beforehand and talk to your troop's advancement coordinator.

Winter Camp is a cold-season camping session at Camp Perry for Scouts BSA troops. It offers a chance to camp, advance and enjoy the program areas while Rio Grande Valley weather is at its mildest. Dates, length and offerings are set by the council each year, so check the council calendar for current details.

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