By Coastal Angler Staff Writer
If your idea of a good time involves fun adventures in the great outdoors, even during the winter, we’ve got some great news for you!
New England Base Camp, the region’s premier family outdoor adventure, is now open to the public – and it’s just minutes from Boston. Located in the beautiful Blue Hills Reservation in Milton, Massachusetts, New England Base Camp provides families, individuals, youth groups and corporate teams with exciting and challenging activities that build teamwork, character and strong bodies and minds using a unique blend of outdoor education and high adventure programs.
Even though it’s owned and operated by the Boy Scouts, it’s not just for boys. Girls can also take part in the multitude of activities offered.
New England Base Camp, formerly known as Camp Sayre, is owned and operated by the Boy Scouts Spirit of Adventure Council. But it’s not just for Scouts anymore – everyone is invited. Under the leadership of Council Chief Executive Chuck Eaton, the 108-acre site has been transformed into a unique outdoor adventure complex, open year-round. Following years of improvements, Mr. Eaton calls New England Base Camp a sort of “Six Flags for campers and outdoor enthusiasts.”
Fun and adventure abounds for everyone at New England Base Camp. Winter activities include ice climbing, snowshoe hiking, snow shelter and igloo building, rescue training, shooting sports, sledding, and more. Leadership training and professional instruction in all activities is provided, as well as sleeping accommodations for every type of camper. You can spend nights in a heated cabin, an outdoor tent, or even inside one of those winter snow shelters, created with your own hands.
An Olympic-sized indoor swimming pool is another part of the adventure at New England Base Camp. A complete meal service program is provided, as are outdoor cooking demonstrations for those who want to make food preparation part of the fun and adventure. A wide variety of structured programs are available, as well as a STEM Center, as the Boy Scouts have focused on inspiring youth to explore careers of the future in science, technology, engineering and math.
The fun continues when the weather turns warmer. An amazing high-ropes challenge course brings teams, families or youth/work groups on an aerial tour of Base Camp while pushing your limits and developing valuable skills working as a team. There is something for every kind of adventurer with more than 30 elements, including many low elements for those looking to remain close to ground. There is also canoeing, fishing, rock climbing, archery, hiking, survival training and much more.
A young participant engages in rock climbing at New England Base Camp, located at the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton, Massachusetts.
Simply put, there is no place like this anywhere near Greater Boston. “New England Base Camp is all about making it easy for families to come and have fun outdoors,” said Darrin Johnson, Camp Director. “There is no comparable place in New England where you can engage in outdoor adventures and receive professional training in various skills. It’s a challenging, outdoor personal experience you cannot get anywhere else”.
New England Base Camp hosts special seasonal events such as PumpkinFest during fall, STEM Camp during spring, and special school vacation camps that keep children active and engaged when away from school. New England Base Camp is a popular destination for kids’ birthday parties, youth group trips, corporate “team building”, and for all families and individuals looking to have fun and adventure outdoors.
“Our goal is to create an experience that engages all people – male, female, young and old, in physical fitness and the outdoors,” said Eaton. “We’ve been rebuilding the camp since 2010, and making the outdoors accessible to more people ever since. New England Base Camp helps people from all walks of life increase self-esteem, confidence and strengthen character. It’s now possible for everyone to play outside – and that fun and adventure is now available within minutes from Boston.”
For more information or to reserve your reservation at the New England Base Camp, visit CampSayre.org.