Camping — Troop 5, Maplewood NJ
Troop 5 · Adventure Since 1920

Camping is Where
Scouts Are Made

From backpacking the Adirondacks to sleeping aboard historic warships — Troop 5 camps more, goes further, and does more than nearly any troop in New Jersey.

100+ years of scouting
11 campouts per year
27 summers at Massawepie
2 weeks at summer camp — most troops do one

The camping program

More than tents and campfires

Troop 5 is an outdoor troop. We camp nearly every month of the year across a wide variety of environments — mountains, coastlines, rivers, and historic sites. Every trip is scout-led, patrol-planned, and built around real challenge and real fun.

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The Patrol Method
At every campout, scouts plan their own meals, set up camp, organize duty rosters, and lead their patrol — with minimal adult direction. It's how Troop 5 has developed leaders for over 100 years.
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Outdoor Skills
Every campout is a chance to build real skills — fire-building, cooking over open flame, navigation, first aid, knot-tying, and Leave No Trace principles. Scouts earn these through practice, not just reading about them.
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Year-Round Camping
Almost every month, in every season. Each trip has a different character — themed adventures, cooking competitions, survival challenges, and scenic hikes keep things fresh all year long.
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Winter Camping
Troop 5 doesn't pack away when temperatures drop. Most winter campouts are cabin-based, including a skiing trip every February — keeping things fun while scouts experience the outdoors in all seasons.
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Backpacking
Multi-day backcountry treks build endurance, navigation skills, and genuine self-reliance. Scouts carry everything they need and learn what it means to be truly independent in the wilderness.
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Paddling
Kayaking and canoeing trips develop water skills, teamwork, and confidence on the water — from calm lakes to moving rivers and remote wilderness waterways.
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History & Culture
Four-day expeditions to America's most storied cities connect scouts to history in a way no classroom can. They see, walk, and experience the places they've only read about.
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Unique Environments
From Atlantic beaches to naval ship berths, Troop 5 scouts camp in environments most scouts never experience — broadening perspective and making for stories worth telling.
27 summers at Massawepie

Two Weeks at Camp Massawepie

Every summer, Troop 5 heads to Camp Massawepie in the Adirondacks — and unlike most troops who attend for a single week, we stay for two. That extra week matters enormously.

Scouts earn more merit badges without feeling rushed, take on high-adventure treks deeper into the wilderness, and form the kinds of friendships that come from truly living together outdoors for an extended stretch.

For many scouts, Massawepie is the highlight of their entire scouting career. For Troop 5, it's a 27-year tradition we're proud to continue.

Learn more about Camp Massawepie →
2 weeks at camp — most troops do one
27 summers at Camp Massawepie
ADK Adirondacks — one of the great wilderness regions in the Northeast
∞ memories made around the campfire

Where we've been

No two trips are the same

Troop 5 scouts camp in a wider variety of environments than almost any troop in New Jersey. Here's a taste of what that looks like.

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Catskills
Backpacking
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Appalachian Trail
Section hikes & overnights
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USS Intrepid & Battleship Cove
Nautical overnights
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Atlantic Coast
Beach camping
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Boston, DC, Philadelphia, Gettysburg
4-day historic city expeditions
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Lakes & Rivers
Kayaking & canoeing
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Ski Trip
Annual February cabin campout
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Klondike Derby
Winter skills competition
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Camp Massawepie
2 weeks in the Adirondacks every summer
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Philmont & High Adventure
BSA premier high-adventure bases

Why camping matters

What scouts get out of it

Time outdoors does something for young people that classrooms, screens, and structured activities simply can't replicate. Here's what parents and scouts tell us they notice most.

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Genuine confidence
Scouts who navigate trails, cook their own meals, and lead their patrol come home genuinely more capable — and they know it.
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Real friendships
The bonds formed around a campfire, on a tough hike, or during a rainy night under canvas are different from anything made in a school hallway.
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Leadership skills
The patrol method puts scouts in charge — planning, deciding, leading, and owning the results. It's leadership training that actually works.
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Connection to nature
In an age of screens and schedules, time outdoors builds perspective, reduces stress, and creates a lifelong appreciation for the natural world.

Ready to hit the trail?

Troop 5 welcomes scouts of all experience levels. Whether your child has never camped before or is an outdoor enthusiast, there's a place for them here.

Troop 5 Maplewood NJ

Adventure since 1920

Meetings

📅 Thursdays at 7pm

📍 Seth Boyden Elementary School
Maplewood, NJ

© 2026 Troop 5, Maplewood NJ · Scouting America