Developing Skills
Time and effort spent in sharpening your hiking and camping skills will allow you more time to enjoy the natural beauty and program features at Philmont.
It is highly recommended that everyone in a Philmont crew fulfill the requirements for the Backpacking merit badge; your physical conditioning should include activities that meet the requirements for this badge. Other merit badges that teach skills that will be valuable to your Philmont experience include Camping, Climbing, Cooking, First Aid, Hiking, Nature, Orienteering, and Wilderness Survival.
Additionally, your local council and Scout shop offer a wealth of resources about camping and the outdoors, including:
- Fieldbook—Boy Scouts of America (No. 33104)
- The Conservation Handbook (No. 33570)
- The Principles of Leave No Trace (No. 21-105)
- Boy Scout Hiking (No. 34179A)
- Outdoor Skills Instruction books for backpacking (No. 33035), camping (No. 33033), and cooking (No. 33567)
- Topping Out (No. 32007)