Date: June 24 - June 27, 2026
Location: Camp Campbell (Clarksville, VA)
Cost: $50 / youth.
No cost for adult advisors.
Payment must be made to your ward using the donation/payment slip.
Use the “Other” category and write in “Young Men’s Camp”.
Payment Due Sunday, May 17, 2026
Registration: March 20 - April 30, 2024
>>> Link to Registration Form <<<
Tent (can partner with a friend) or hammock
Sleeping bag and air pad
Rain gear (poncho or raincoat) and, optionally, an umbrella.
Eating equipment (plate, utensils)
Water bottle - something that is easy to carry around
Personal medical needs
Extra clothing
Flashlight
Pocket knife (foldable type only)
Personal first aid supplies
Sunscreen (very important!)
Swimsuit
Camp chair
Towel
Book of Mormon - a physical copy, not electronic.
Toiletries (deodorant, toothbrush & toothpaste, soap)
Bug/tick repellent (important…lots of ticks!)
Snacks
A small backpack to carry your water bottle and other items (towel, flashlight, sunscreen, tick repellent, snacks, etc.)
Rain: It will rain at camp, a rain poncho and maybe an umbrella are good things to have. I prefer a poncho over a raincoat - remember it's summer... and it's hot. A poncho will allow your body to breathe.
Tents and Hammocks: Put your tent or hammock together at home and make sure you have all the poles, tarps, stakes, straps, etc. It is also helpful to make sure that your tent or hammock is waterproof and will keep you dry during a rainstorm.
Book of Mormon: We are asking that all young men bring a hard copy of the Book of Mormon to camp. This can be the blue soft-bound Book of Mormon purchased at the church's distribution center for $2.50, or his personal Book of Mormon used for personal scripture study. In either case, we recommend that the book be sealed in a ziplock bag until it is needed. This will keep it in good condition while at camp.
Ticks: There are ticks at Camp Campbell. There are ways to prevent a tick bite before coming to camp. I have used Sawyer Permethrin spray to treat my clothing and tent (or hammock) before attending camp or backpacking on the Appalachian Trail, and I have never had a tick bite while using this product. Permethrin on clothing, along with treating bare skin with a spray that contains 15% Picaridin (Repel Tick Defense), will keep ticks away.
Large coolers - for storing food
5 Gallon water coolers - multiple to keep boys hydrated
Fly/tarp for group rain protection (multiple if you have them)
Food (two breakfasts, two lunches, one dinner)
Group first aid kit
Cooking gear
Folding tables
Rope - for drying swimming suits and towels
Primitive Camp: The camp has recently added vault toilets, replacing the primitive privies.
Firewood: Do not bring any firewood to camp. The Corps of Engineers has a strict policy on outside wood brought into its property. (The BSA leases Camp Campbell from the Army Corps of Engineers.) There are plenty of cut/stacked wood, as well as downed trees, on the property that can be used.
Water: There are 10 water hydrants throughout the camp for fresh water.
Daily Ice: We will deliver a 10lb bag of ice to each campsite on Thursday and Friday morning to help keep your food cold.
Camp Inspections: There will be daily camp inspections. Please make sure your camp is cleaned up and free of trash and clutter. Prizes will be awarded for the cleanest camp.
Hammocks: There are plenty of trees at Camp Campbell. Please do not hang hammocks in the pavilion near the flag poles and fire pit. This area is used for opening ceremonies, firesides, devotionals, and daily gatherings.
All young men who would like to swim at the waterfront or use the canoes need to demonstrate proficiency as a swimmer.
Because we are at a BSA camp, the rules for demonstrating proficiency are outlined in the BSA handbook (linked here).
According to the handbook, the requirements to administer the swim test are:
"Any conscientious adult who is familiar with basic swimming strokes and who understands and abides by the following guidelines can administer the test."
We would like this test to be completed prior to the camp. This could be done as a quorum activity. Any boys who have not completed the test will be classified as non-swimmers, and they will not be allowed in the water until they take the swim test at camp.
Please fill out the Google form once you have completed the test, so we can keep a record of which boys will be allowed to swim at the camp.
Beginner Classification
To be classified as a beginner, a young man must:
Jump into deep water
Swim 25 feet
Turn
Return
Total: Swim 50 feet with entry and turn
Swimmer Classification
To be classified as a swimmer, a young man must:
Jump into deep water
Swim 75 yards with a strong forward stroke.
Swim 25 yards with restful backstroke.
Rest by floating.
Total: Swim 100 yards with entry and turn
Each ward will be responsible for providing breakfast on Thursday and Friday, and probably something light on Saturday (fruit, granola bars, etc). The boys will be breaking camp and coming home early that morning.
They will also need lunches for Thursday and Friday. It is suggested that the boys pack a sack lunch for the drive up to camp on Wednesday.
There will be a ward dinner on Friday night.
The Stake will provide dinners on Wednesday and Thursday nights.
So, in summary, each ward is responsible for 5 meals (2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and a dinner) for each person in their camp. The boys will be encouraged to bring a sack lunch for the trip up to camp. Lastly, some light nourishment on Saturday morning while packing up.
I was our ward's Camp Director, and this is what I did for meals at camp (this is just a guide, tailor it to your group's needs):
Breakfasts:
Breakfast burritos (prepared beforehand and wrapped in foil and frozen) - cooked in a Dutch oven
Pancakes
Fruit, cold cereal
Lunches:
Sandwiches (ham, turkey, PB&J, cheese, mayo, mustard, etc).
Suggestion: The bread is taken out of the bag, placed in sandwich bags, and then returned to the bread bag. The same thing was done with the lunch meat: it was taken out of its container, divided into serving sizes, and placed back in it. This way, even after reminding the boys to wash their hands, grubby boy hands wouldn’t contaminate the whole lot if they didn't
Chips (assorted)
Cookies
Other snacks
Dinner:
Nachos (chips, taco meat (prepared in advance), lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, cheese, beans, etc)
Probably some dessert, I don’t remember...
Plenty of powered Gatorade and Lemonade to encourage drinking liquids throughout the day. These were put in a 5-gallon water coolers at the beginning of the day, and the boys were encouraged to fill up their water bottles.
** Mentioned before: Camp Campbell seems to have a lot of ticks.
It’s not a big deal if you realize that beforehand and treat your clothing, and take some extra spray.
It is probably a good idea to purchase some extra ward tick repellent to take with you for the boys to use.
Location:
498 Mill Creek Road
Clarksville, VA 23927
Just north of the North Carolina border, easily accessible from Henderson, NC.
IMPORTANT NOTE: GPS doesn't always take you in the correct direction. There is a washed-out road
that it will direct you to take because it is the shortest route. It is better to use the directions below and use the
old-fashioned link to the map. If you do use GPS, when you get to the turn-off to Antioch Church Rd, DON'T TAKE IT. Continue on Rock Spring Church Rd, which will eventually turn into Epps Fork Road. Here is a >>>LINK<<< to see the issue visually.
Directions to Camp Campbell
Please note that these directions are from Henderson, NC.
From Durham, take Highway 39 North at I-85 Henderson Exit 214.
From Raleigh, take Highway 1 to Henderson. Take the Highway 39 exit to Kerr Lake Recreation Areas.
Continue North on Hwy 39 for fourteen (14) miles.
Fork right onto Rock Spring Church Road/NC 1356 (the church is in the fork).
Continue for about three (3) miles. You will cross the NC/VA state line, where the road name changes to Epps Fork Road.
Take a sharp left onto Mill Creek Road/State Road 826.
Camp Campbell is on the right.