FAQ

Camp Tahquitz is at 41700 State Hwy 38, Angelus Oaks, CA 92305, in the Barton Flats area of the San Bernardino Mountains. The camp covers 640 acres (one square mile) of forest at 6,500 feet elevation, on the edge of the San Gorgonio Wilderness. Get driving directions.

Camp Tahquitz is about 90 minutes by car from Long Beach. Take Interstate 10 east to Redlands, then follow Highway 38 up into the mountains to camp.

The Long Beach Area Council of Scouting America operates Camp Tahquitz. The council’s Scout Service Center is at 401 E 37th Street, Long Beach, CA 90807, open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at (562) 427-0911.

Camp Tahquitz opened in 1925, after five acres were donated to the Long Beach council on May 21 of that year, and it celebrated 100 years of serving Scouts in 2025. Its staff has always been volunteers. The staff was originally called the Tribe of Tahquitz and was renamed the Tahquitz Community in 2020.

Today’s Camp Tahquitz is the Long Beach council’s second camp with that name. The original Camp Tahquitz was in Idyllwild, and much of that site is now Idyllwild County Park. The council bought the 640-acre Barton Flats property in the late 1950s and moved the camp there.

No. A bridge over Highway 38 connects Upper Camp and Lower Camp for pedestrians and horses, so no one needs to cross the highway at street level. Campers must always use the bridge.

Yes. Download the 2026 Camp Tahquitz map to find your way around camp.

Call the Scout Service Center at (562) 427-0911, email andrew.olvera@scouting.org, or use the contact form. For summer camp questions, email Tahquitzsummercamp@gmail.com.

Summer camp 2027 runs five one-week sessions:

• Session 1: June 20–26, 2027
• Session 2: June 27–July 3, 2027
• Session 3: July 4–10, 2027
• Session 4: July 11–17, 2027
• Session 5: July 18–24, 2027

Registration for Session 1 closes June 6, 2027. Register on Black Pug.

Summer camp costs $695 per Scout and $395 per adult, and the first two adults in each troop attend free. Troops pay a $500 deposit by December 1, 2026, then $250 per Scout by February 1, 2027, and again by April 1, 2027. The balance is due June 1, 2027, and late payments incur a late charge.

Summer camp is built for Scouts BSA troops attending with their own adult leaders, and fees and registration are per troop. Every troop needs at least two registered adult leaders, plus a registered female leader age 21 or older if the troop includes female Scouts, following Scouting America Youth Protection policy.

Register your troop online through Black Pug. Each troop registers once per session, and the $500 troop deposit is due December 1, 2026.

Camp Tahquitz offers more than 35 merit badges in staff-led classes across 10 program areas, including the Eagle-required Camping and First Aid badges and Eagle-required options such as Swimming, Lifesaving, and Environmental Science. Scouts can earn 16 more through the self-directed Mentor Badge Program. See every badge on the Merit Badges page.

Scouts can ride horses in the Wrangler program, climb and rappel the 45-foot Tower, and take on the high ropes course and zip line (ages 13 and up). Camp also has a heated pool; rowing, canoeing, kayaking, and paddleboarding on the lake; archery, rifle, and shotgun ranges; and backpacking in the San Gorgonio Wilderness. Scouts who are 14 by December 31 can join Thunderbird, a full-week program they design themselves.

Every Scout and adult needs a current Scouting America Annual Health and Medical Record, Parts A, B, and C, and must present it at check-in. Part C is a physical exam signed by a licensed medical provider.

Camp Tahquitz always needs Camp Commissioners during the summer. If you’re able and willing to help, email Tahquitzsummercamp@gmail.com.

Yes. Webelos & AOL Weekend is a summer weekend at Camp Tahquitz for Webelos and Arrow of Light Scouts and their adult partner, with swimming, archery, climbing, and a campfire program. In 2026 it ran July 31 to August 2. See the Webelos & AOL Weekend page for details.

Yes. Camp Coyote is Camp Tahquitz’s program for youth with special needs and their families, with Nerf range activities, horses, arts and crafts, and an evening campfire. In 2026 it was free for youth and $15 for adults. See the Camp Coyote page for details.

Yes. Camp Tahquitz is open to all organizations for rental use, from youth groups and community organizations to business retreats. Campsites, cabins, the Kiwanis Lodge, and the Alexander Amphitheater are available at separate Scouting and non-Scouting rates. The camp also offers meeting space and can serve as a filming location. See Rental Use.

The full property can host up to 500 people. The Kiwanis Lodge holds 106, the family cabins sleep 9 each (72 total), each of the 12 campsites holds 35 to 65, and the Alexander Amphitheater seats 350.

Rates depend on the facility and whether your group is a Scout unit:

• Kiwanis Lodge: $440 per weekend for Scout units, $500 for other groups; $250 deposit
• Family cabin (sleeps 9): $90 per night for Scout units, $120 for other groups; $100 deposit
• Campsite: $12 per person per night for Scout units, $16 for other groups; $100 deposit
• Alexander Amphitheater: $0.25 per person per hour for Scout units, $0.40 for other groups; $200 deposit
• Propane fire pit: $10 each

Each family cabin is a furnished bunk cabin with two bedrooms, a common area, a wood-burning stove, vaulted ceilings, and power outlets. Cabin groups share an outdoor fire ring and activity shelters, plus four gender-neutral restrooms and four shower rooms, one of them accessible. Cabins are available August through May.

The Kiwanis Lodge (K Lodge) is Camp Tahquitz’s large lodge, with wall-to-ceiling windows, a commercial-grade kitchen, restrooms, and a stone hearth. It’s well heated in winter and holds up to 106 people.

Camp Tahquitz has 12 traditional campsites tucked among the pines. Each has 2 to 6 picnic tables, a 200-square-foot three-walled roofed shelter, bear boxes, running water, two flushing toilets, a handwashing sink, and a bulletin board. Propane fire rings are available for checkout at $10 each.

Yes. Campsites and the Kiwanis Lodge are available all year, and family cabins are available August through May. Winter is a great time to enjoy the mountain property: the cabins have wood-burning stoves, and the Kiwanis Lodge is well heated. Before driving up in winter, check Caltrans QuickMap or call (800) 427-7623 for chain controls. Caltrans advises drivers to always carry chains when heading into the mountains in winter.

Book online through Black Pug. For custom options, email andrew.olvera@scouting.org or call the Scout Service Center at (562) 427-0911. Scout units follow Scouting America Youth Protection policies, including two-deep leadership, for the whole stay.