Expedition: Black Hills
Our Expedition: Black Hills program is like none other when it comes to BSA summer camp experiences. With so many sights and sounds to see in the Black Hills, this program opens up a unique experience for your unit to participate in. Unit electing to participate in our expedition programs will explore the Black Hills for either three or five days. Explore the tabs below to learn more!
For our 2015 season, the decision was made to pilot a new program based out of the Medicine Mountain Scout Ranch & Adventure Base, “Expedition: Black Hills.” Troop 110 from Lexington, Kentucky agreed to be our pilot group. After an adventure filled week in the Black Hills, Troop 110 proclaimed that this would be a huge hit and that other troops should come to the Black Hills to experience it. So what is “Expedition, Black Hills?”
It’s a one-of-a-kind program that you can not do anywhere else. Our local team of experts has planned out both 3-day and 5-day expeditions for your unit to select from. You can view these options by clicking on the “Expedition Itineraries” tab. 3-Day Expedition: Black Hills programs can also be combined with merit badges and high adventure programs. Our pilot group from Kentucky visited the following sights:
- Mammoth Site
- Wind Cave
- Evan’s Plunge
- Crazy Horse Memorial & Light Show
- Mount Rushmore
- Evening Lighting of Mount Rushmore
- Minuteman Missile Silo Historical Sight
- South Dakota Air & Space Museum
- Devil’s Tower
- Sylvan Lake
- Custer State Park
- Hill City, SD
- Keystone, SD
- 1880’s Train
It’s not everyday that a Scouts BSA Troop or Venture Crew gets to visit an area of the United States so rich in national parks, historical landmarks, thrilling attractions, and amazing people. We challenge your unit to make this summer an extraordinary one filled with adventure. Come to the Black Hills of South Dakota and realize what you have been missing out.
The Expedition: Black Hills program offers two varieties of itineraries; 3-Day and 5-Day. A 3-day itinerary will either go from Monday through Wednesday or Wednesday through Friday. 5-day itineraries go from Monday through Friday.
Below are itineraries that have been crafted by our team of local experts. Any itinerary can be customized for a unit. This means that if a unit wants to swap out an attraction with another, they can. The goal is to have an itinerary that is exactly what you want.
5-DAY ITINERARIES
Expedition Black Hills Option A1
Expedition Black Hills Option A2
Expedition Black Hills Option A3
Expedition Black Hills Option A4
Expedition Black Hills Option A5
3-DAY ITINERARIES
Expedition Black Hills Option B1
Expedition Black Hills Option B2
As expected, the Expedition: Black Hills cost more than a traditional summer camp experience due to the per-person costs associated with it. Below are the approximate costs for each type of expedition program. All our itineraries on the “Expedition Itineraries” page also list an estimated per person price. Since units do have the opportunity to customize any itinerary, the final cost per person is determined once an itinerary is confirmed and before making an official reservation.
3-Day Expedition: Black Hills | $400.00 per person*
5-Day Expedition: Black Hills | $450.00 per person*
(*estimated pricing, youth and adult pricing)
What’s included in the price?
All pricing includes 17 meals, 6 nights at the Medicine Mountain Scout Ranch (tent camping), a personal tour guide, admission to all attractions & locations on your itinerary, insurance, trip planning support, and patch. For 3-Day expeditions, the per person price includes camp programming for the other 2 days that the unit is not on their expedition. If Scouts or adults want to enroll in a 2-day high adventure program instead, the additional cost is $75.00 per person.
Transportation is not included in the cost but can be added to your unit’s expedition. Over 95% of units that participate in the Expedition: Black Hills program utilize their own vehicles to keep costs lower. The Black Hills is a tourism hotspot which makes large passenger vans and buses hard to come by and expensive. Units utilizing their own vehicles should plan to keep open one seat for a tour guide.
Who pays the per person Expedition: Black Hills program fee?
Everybody. Due to the high per person costs associated with running this program, we’re not able to subsidize the program fee for adults, family members, or siblings.
Who can participate in this program?
Everybody. This includes family members, siblings, and friends. The only requirement that must be met is that all adults 18 and older must have taken youth protection before arriving at camp.
What forms of payment are accepted?
Electronic check and major debit and credit cards.
- Call our team at 605-342-2824 or send an email to reservations@blackhillsbsa.org to let us know that your unit is interested in this program.
- Let our team know what itinerary number your unit is considering. Your unit can change the itinerary if they are looking to swap out different attractions or change up the days. Please note that the estimated price per person could change.
- After finalizing the itinerary and price per person, an online reservation will be created and prices will be adjusted to match your approved itinerary. A deposit is due within 10 days of your reservation being created. The deposit is $25 per youth and $10 per adult. The Expedition: Black Hills program is applicable to all policies listed in the Administration Section of our Leader’s Guide. The unit and/or individuals will be able to log into the reservation online to make payment and to input participant information. Once paid in full, you are ready for your Expedition in the wonderful Black Hills of South Dakota.