The National Camping Award is granted to Boy Scout troops and Varsity Scout teams for attaining, on either an annual or a cumulative basis, or both, the required number of days and nights of camping. The ribbon that is awarded recognizes significant achievement in annual campouts and/or cumulative camp outs over a period of years. The ribbon is designed to be displayed with the troop flag.

Unit Awards

To earn the annual National Camping Award, a unit must have reached one of these levels of camping achievement:

• Ten days and nights of camping -Unit Award, No. 17831
• Twenty days & nights of camping -Bronze Award, No. 17832
• Thirty days and nights of camping -Silver Award, No. 17833
• Fifty days and nights of camping -Gold Award, No. 17834

To earn the National Camping Award for cumulative camping, a unit must have fulfilled the requirements as follows, during its entire history:

• One hundred days and nights of camping - Unit Award, No. 17827

• Two hundred and fifty days and nights of camping - Unit Award, No. 17828

• Five hundred days and nights of camping - Unit Award, No. 17829

• One thousand days and nights of camping - Unit Award, No. 17830

Individual Awards

Individual Scouts and Scouters also may qualify for a National Camping Award patch, provided that the required cumulative number of days and nights of camping has been met. This total can include any combination of camping with the Scout's family, patrol, or unit.

• One hundred days and nights of camping - Patch, No. 00296
• Two hundred and fifty days and nights of camping - Patch, No. 00297
• Five hundred days and nights of camping - Patch, No. 00298
• One thousand days and nights of camping - Patch, No. 00299

To earn this award, an individual Scout needs to keep track of his campouts and have them approved by his Scoutmaster or Assistant Scoutmaster. This patch may be worn on the right pocket of the uniform shirt, or placed on the pocket of a backpack or another appropriate place.  Both the unit and individual cumulative awards are retroactive to January 1, 1991.

You can download the application forms and tracking logs for both the unit award and the individual award.