Horseshoe Reservation contains two camps--Camp Horseshoe and Camp Ware. The property covers two states, three counties and five townships.<br><br>Both camps offer summer programs for Boy Scouts, and Camp Ware offers short and long-term summer programs for Cub Scouts.<br><br>

+There%27s+always+something+going+on+at+Horseshoe%2e+No+matter+what+your+interest+is%2c+Horseshoe+has+an+activity+that+is+just+right+for+your+troop+or+pack%2e+Horseshoe+Scout+reservation%2c+consisting+of+Camp+Horseshoe+and+Camp+John+H%2e+Ware+III%2c+is+open+year+round%2e+Although+it+is+well+known+as+one+the+finest+council+camps+in+the+nation%2c+Horseshoe+is+much+more+than+just+a+nice+place+to+spend+a+week+in+mid%2dsummer%2e+1000+acres%2e%0d%0a%0d%0a%0d%0a

We+went+to+Horseshoe+Scout+Reservation%2e+New+guys+went+to+Trail+Blazers%2c+others+took+Merit+Badges%2c+and+a+few+older+guys+took+C%2eO%2eP%2eE%2e+Everybody+was+busy+all+day+long%2c+and+they+seemed+to+enjoy+themselves%2e++At+the+end+of+the+week+we+did+your+%22Thorns+and+Roses%22+of+the+week%2e+Then+I+explained+to+them+that+tomorrow+I+had+the+option+to+sign+the+%22Stake+a+Claim%22+for+next+year+or+not%2e+I+told+them+it+was+entirely+up+to+them%2e+If+you+want+to+come+back+next+year%2c+same+week%2c+same+campsite%2c+I%27d+sign+the+papers%2e+If+you+want+to+try+something+different%2c+we+could+explore+that%2c+too%2e+I+promised+them+that+either+way%2c+they+would+go+to+summer+camp+next+year%2e+The+vote+was+unanimous+to+go+back+next+year%2e+That+says+a+lot+about+the+camp%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aThat%27s+enough+for+now%2e+Looking+forward+to+hearing+from+the+list%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aAllen+Maddox%2c+SM+T9%0d%0aHoney+Brook%2c+PA%0d%0aChester+County+Council%2c+Horseshoe+Trail+District%0d%0aused+to+be+a+Wild+and+Crazy+Fox%0d%0a

We+just+returned+from+Horseshoe%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aROSES%3a+%0d%0aLocation%3a+It+is+located+in+a+beautiful+area+on+a+river+that+curves+in+a+horseshoe%2dshaped+loop%2e+%0d%0a+In+northern+MD%2c+it+is+convenient+to+DC%2c+Baltimore+and+southeast+PA%2e%0d%0aStaff%3a+Esp%2e+Trailblazer%2c+Health+center+and+aquatics%2e%0d%0aProgram%3a+We+earned+a+lot+of+merit+badges+and+rank+advancements%2e+We+also+learned+a+lot+about+scout+skills%2e%0d%0aShelters%3a+We+stayed+in+pavillion%2dtype+shelters+that+had+open+sides+and+room+for+8+scouts%2e+%0d%0a+They+were+cool%2c+allowed+air+flow+and+let+the+scouts+get+together+when+it+rained%2c+%0d%0a+but+did+not+let+the+rain+in+or+blow+in%2e+They+are+excellent+and+we+wish+that+more+camps+used+them%2e%0d%0a+There+are+no+pictures+of+them+on+their+website%2c+but+trust+me%2c+they+are+great%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aTHORNS%3a%0d%0aFood%3a+We+were+given+a+fruit+or+vegetable+at+only+about+4+meals+during+the+entire+week+%2d+%0d%0a+mostly+at+the+end+of+the+week%2e+The+portions+were+small+and+much+of+the+food+had+a+poorly+%0d%0a+prepared+industrial+quality+about+it%2e+Some+of+the+staff+at+the+dining+hall+were+a+bit+gruff+and+there+were%0d%0a+many%2c+many+rules+about+how+to+clean+off+the+tables+%28sort+the+silverware+before%0d%0a+you+return+it+to+be+washed%2c+etc%2e%29that+delayed+the+boys+who+cleaned+up+after+each+meal+for+up%0d%0a+to+20+minutes+after+the+meal+was+over%2e+It+is+ironic+that+the+scouts+in+cooking+merit+badge+must+prepare+menus%0d%0a+that+contain+fruits+and+vegetables+at+the+meals%2c+but+that+the+camp+does+not+provide+them%0d%0a+to+those+same+campers%2e+Many+scouts+did+not+like+the+food+and+an+alternative%2c+such+as+PB%26J+was%0d%0a+not+offered+and+our+requests+were+denied%2e+A+very+large+thorn%2e%0d%0aTrails%3a+Countless+exposed+roots+and+many+poorly+maintained+foot+bridges+with+loose+boards+and+rotten+supports%2e%0d%0a+We+often+saw+tools+%28e%2eg%2e+axes%29+laying+in+the+trail%2e%0d%0aQuartermaster%3a+We+had+dificulty+getting+tools+to+do+the+service+projects+we+were+assigned%2e+We+%0d%0a+resorted+to+taking+a+rake+that+we+found+in+the+trail+and+using+it%2e%0d%0aMarching%3a+Yes%2c+marching%2e+Every+evening+before+dinner%2c+the+troops+march+in+a+parade+and+are%0d%0a+judged+on+their+ability+to+march+together%2e+Some+troops+actually+set+aside+time+in+their+troop%0d%0a+meetings+to+practice+this+instead+of+learning+scout+skills%2e%0d%0aLeader+Info%3a+The+info+for+leaders+has+little+detailed+info+about+the+various+events+and+how%0d%0a+the+troop%27s+participation+in+them+will+count+toward+the+awards+that+are+given+at+the+end+of%0d%0a+camp%2e+The+info+seems+more+like+it+is+meant+to+remind+leaders+who+already+know+the+stuff+and%0d%0a+have+been+to+the+camp+before+and+less+like+something+this+is+written+to+inform+the+leaders%0d%0a+who+have+never+attend+Horseshoe%2e%0d%0aLength%3a+The+camp+goes+from+Sunday+before+dinner+to+Sunday+after+lunch+%2d+7+full+days%2e+%0d%0a+That+is+a+long+time+for+11+year%2dold+scouts%2e+%28And+scoutmasters%2e%29%0d%0a%0d%0aOVERALL%3a+%0d%0aI+don%27t+expect+our+troop+to+vote+to+return+to+Horseshoe%2e+%0d%0aWhile+the+camp+has+a+lot+to+offer%2c+the+food+and+other+problems+are+just+too+much+to+compete+with%0d%0a+other+camps+in+the+Mid%2dAtlantic+region%2e+%0d%0aIf+you+are+interested+in+going+to+Horseshoe%2c+I+recommend+getting+as+much+information+%0d%0a+from+a+troop+that+goes+every+year+as+you+can%2e+You+will+get+into+the+flow+faster+and+better+than+we+did%2e+%0d%0aAnd+bring+some+fruit%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aan+anonymous+ASM%0d%0a%0d%0a%0d%0a

I+feel+it+is+my+responsibility+to+rebut+the+previous+negative+comments+made+about+the+camp%2e+I+am+a+7+year+alumni+of+the+summer+program+at+Camp+Horseshoe+and+have+never+experienced+any+of+the+problems+that+the+previous+ASM+pointed+out%2e+Nor+did+I+see+any+of+them+this+year%2c+as+I+went+down+with+my+troop+just+1+week+after+the+anonymous+ASM%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aWithout+knowing+the+ASM%2c+his+comments+would+leave+me+to+believe+that+he+has+very+little+experience+at+BSA+camps%2e+The+food+quality%2c+for+the+number+of+people+served+is+high%2e+And+they+offer+a+fruit+after+both+breakfast+and+lunch+and+a+vegetable+at+every+dinner%2e+They+offer+alternative+foods+for+those+with+medical+problems%2c+feeding+a+group+of+that+size+doesn%27t+allow+much+time+for+catering+to+picky+eaters%2e+I+would+like+to+back+up+the+camp%2c+and+assert+they+do+a+good+job+with+what+they+are+given%2c+and+apologize+if+they+are+not+La+Bec%2dFin%2e+Also+as+far+as+the+clean+up+procedures+go%2c+it+would+take+hours+for+the+staff+to+clean+up+your+tables%2c+and+they+give+you+ample+time+to+clean+up+your+own+tables+and+continue+with+normal+activities%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aAs+far+as+his+complaint+about+tools%2c+there+is+a+special+building+in+the+camp+to+which+you+report+and+may+sign+out+tools+for+your+troop%2e+You+are+required+to+look+no+further+than+the+leader+guide+you+are+handed+2+weeks+before+reporting+to+camp+for+this+information%2e+And+during+my+years+at+the+camp+I+have+never+once+seen+a+tool+laying+loose+on+the+trails%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aAs+far+as+trail+quality+goes%2c+you+have+to+watch+your+step%2e+We+have+not+had+any+issues+in+my+years+with+injuries+due+to+trails%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aMARCHING+%2d+Marching+is+a+awesome+Camp+Horseshoe+tradition%21+And+yes+many+troop+do+use+some+time+to+practice+marching+during+the+year%2e+It+is+a+show+of+respect+to+the+United+States+and+to+the+heritage+of+the+camp%2e+And+is+a+very+rewarding+part+of+camp+for+many+people%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aThey+hand+out+a+leader+packet+2+weeks+prior+to+camp%2c+there+has+never+been+any+issue+with+it%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aAnd+length%2c+it+is+only+a+week%2e+And+during+the+week+there+are+many+rank+advancements%2c+merit+badges%2c+and+other+accomplishments%2e+IT+is+considered+the+mainstay+of+many+troops+scouting+programs%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aI+feel+that+the+previous+post+has+been+extremely+unfair+to+Camp+Horseshoe%2e+He+may+have+had+his+issues+with+the+camp%2c+which+is+no+Hilton+Head+Resort%2e+But+it+is+widely+considered+one+of+the+Premiere+Scout+Camps+in+the+nation%2e%0d%0a%0d%0a

This+Camp+was+first+one+as+a+Boy+Scout+%2811%29%2c+I+am+now+70+years+old+and+would+like+to+visit+there+on+more+time%2e++I+remember+nothing+but+a+good+time%2e+I+came+from+a+troop+in+Parkerford+PA%2e+My+father+was+a+soldier+at+Valley+Forge+Army+Hosp%2e%0d%0a

I+am+a+Cubmaster%2c+I%27m+almost+60+years+old+and+I%27ve+been+in+scouting+almost+continuously+for+the+past+52+years%2e+I+grew+up+in+upstate+New+York%2c+but+was+in+the+Air+Force+22+years+and+lived+from+Alaska+to+Germany%2e++I%27ve+taken+troops+as+scoutmaster+and+packs+to+probably+close+to+25+summer+camps+between+boy+scouts+and+cub+scouts%2e++I+took+both+my+adult+son+and+his+son+to+Camp+Ware+last+summer%2e++It+was+the+perfect+location+to+have+3+generations+of+scouts+attend+their+first+camp+together%2e++I+cannot+imagine+a+more+awesome+camp%2e+Gabe%2c+my+grandson+was+just+finishing+his+Lion+Cub+year+in+scouting%2c+so+this+camp+is+now+his+benchmark%2e++It%27ll+be+tough+to+beat+it+anywhere+in+the+world%2e++I%27ve+been+to+camps+from+England+to+Switzerland%2c+Germany%2c+and+all+over+the+United+States%2e++Nice+job%2c+Camp+Ware%2e++We%27ll+be+there+again+next+summer%21%0d%0a