Camp Don Harrington
Encyclopedia
The Golden Spread Council serves youth in the panhandles of Texas
and Oklahoma
. Its service area includes all or part of 23 counties in Texas and three counties in Oklahoma. The council was formed in 1987 from the consolidation of the Llano Estacado Council (based in Amarillo, TX) and the Adobe Walls Council (based in Pampa, TX). Through 2010, the council served approximately 5,300 youth members and 1,700 adult leaders.
These facilities offer a wide range of camping, hiking and outdoor opportunities, including: miles of hiking trails, ponds and lakes, open fields, rustic camp sites, sheltered camp sites, tent camping sites, and a dining halls with restroom facilities.
camp in Randall County near Canyon, Texas
. The original 640 acres (2.6 km²) were donated by oil man and investor Don Harrington in 1945.
system on the Prairie Dog Town Fork Red River
, 10 miles (16.1 km) south of Amarillo, Texas
and 8 miles (12.9 km) northeast of Canyon, Texas
with an elevation of 3590 feet (1,094.2 m) above sea level. It has a semi-arid
temperate steppe climate, with the average summer high temperature in the high 90s and average winter low temperature in the low 20s. The average yearly rainfall is 19.6 inches.
The majority of camp sites and facilities are located inside the canyon. It is more rugged and forested than the surrounding prairie
, creating a more desirable camping experience. A variety of plant and wildlife exist in the camp. The canyon floor is spotted with yucca
, mesquite
, cactus
, and other prairie grasses and shrubs. Closer to the river, one can find larger trees and even a bamboo stand. Wildlife in the camp include coyote
s, deer
, prairie dog
s, rattlesnakes (no bites reported in many years), and a wide array of insects.
. An earth-fill dam
has been erected on the river forming a small pond suitable for fishing, boating and canoeing. Permanent structures include a dining hall with kitchen, swimming pool, first aid station, administrative building, quartermasters shed, trading post, Campmaster's quarters (with 2 bedrooms, kitchen, full bath, and living room) and ranger's house. The camp has an archery range, rifle range, shotgun range, and an amphitheater. A COPE
area includes a ropes course
and a climbing wall
with a zip line. A newer addition is a four element "Cub World" with a pirate ship, fort, castle, and tee-pee.
The Camp is used for weekend camping by nearby units. It also holds annual Merit Badge
summer camps and winter camps and Cub Scout
day camp. Order of the Arrow
activities take place there along with Wood Badge
training.
Camp MK Brown covers a section of land near Wheeler, TX, and contains a 65 acre lake. Year-round camping programs are offered at the camp along with a Boy Scout Summer Camp program. In 2012 a new "Western Heritage" program will be offered that will include animal science, Native American culture, cowboy culture, and more.
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. Its service area includes all or part of 23 counties in Texas and three counties in Oklahoma. The council was formed in 1987 from the consolidation of the Llano Estacado Council (based in Amarillo, TX) and the Adobe Walls Council (based in Pampa, TX). Through 2010, the council served approximately 5,300 youth members and 1,700 adult leaders.
Organization
- Golden Eagle District
- Lone Wolf District
- Quanah Parker District
- Santa Fe District
- Adobe Walls District
- Venturing District
Camps
The Golden Spread Council owns and operates two camp properties, Camp Don Harrington in Canyon, Texas; and Camp MK Brown by Wheeler, Texas.These facilities offer a wide range of camping, hiking and outdoor opportunities, including: miles of hiking trails, ponds and lakes, open fields, rustic camp sites, sheltered camp sites, tent camping sites, and a dining halls with restroom facilities.
Camp Don Harrington
Camp Don Harrington, commonly referred to as Camp Don, is an 800 acres (3.2 km²) Boy ScoutBoy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
camp in Randall County near Canyon, Texas
Canyon, Texas
Canyon is a city in Randall County, Texas, United States. The population was 12,875 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Randall County. It is the home of West Texas A&M University and Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum. Palo Duro Canyon State Park is some twelve miles east of Canyon...
. The original 640 acres (2.6 km²) were donated by oil man and investor Don Harrington in 1945.
Geography
Camp Don Harrington is located in the western Palo Duro CanyonPalo Duro Canyon
Palo Duro Canyon is a canyon system of the Caprock Escarpment located in the Texas Panhandle near the city of Amarillo, Texas, United States. As the second largest canyon in the United States, it is roughly long and has an average width of , but reaches a width of at places. Its depth is around...
system on the Prairie Dog Town Fork Red River
Prairie Dog Town Fork Red River
Prairie Dog Town Fork Red River is a sandy-braided stream about long, formed at the confluence of Palo Duro Creek and Tierra Blanca Creek, about northeast of Canyon in Randall County, Texas, and flowing east-southeastward to the Red River about east of the 100th meridian, south-southwest of...
, 10 miles (16.1 km) south of Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
and 8 miles (12.9 km) northeast of Canyon, Texas
Canyon, Texas
Canyon is a city in Randall County, Texas, United States. The population was 12,875 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Randall County. It is the home of West Texas A&M University and Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum. Palo Duro Canyon State Park is some twelve miles east of Canyon...
with an elevation of 3590 feet (1,094.2 m) above sea level. It has a semi-arid
Semi-arid
A semi-arid climate or steppe climate describes climatic regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not extremely...
temperate steppe climate, with the average summer high temperature in the high 90s and average winter low temperature in the low 20s. The average yearly rainfall is 19.6 inches.
The majority of camp sites and facilities are located inside the canyon. It is more rugged and forested than the surrounding prairie
Prairie
Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...
, creating a more desirable camping experience. A variety of plant and wildlife exist in the camp. The canyon floor is spotted with yucca
Yucca
Yucca is a genus of perennial shrubs and trees in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae. Its 40-50 species are notable for their rosettes of evergreen, tough, sword-shaped leaves and large terminal panicles of white or whitish flowers. They are native to the hot and dry parts of North...
, mesquite
Mesquite
Mesquite is a leguminous plant of the Prosopis genus found in northern Mexico through the Sonoran Desert and Chihuahuan Deserts, and up into the Southwestern United States as far north as southern Kansas, west to the Colorado Desert in California,and east to the eastern fifth of Texas, where...
, cactus
Cactus
A cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae. Their distinctive appearance is a result of adaptations to conserve water in dry and/or hot environments. In most species, the stem has evolved to become photosynthetic and succulent, while the leaves have evolved into spines...
, and other prairie grasses and shrubs. Closer to the river, one can find larger trees and even a bamboo stand. Wildlife in the camp include coyote
Coyote
The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...
s, deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
, prairie dog
Prairie dog
Prairie dogs are burrowing rodents native to the grasslands of North America. There are five different species of prairie dogs: black-tailed, white-tailed, Gunnison's, Utah and Mexican prairie dogs. They are a type of ground squirrel, found in the United States, Canada and Mexico...
s, rattlesnakes (no bites reported in many years), and a wide array of insects.
Facilities and programs
Camp Don Harrington has 12 permanent campsites available year-round, each with a cleared areas, a fire ring, running water (except during winter months) and a latrineLatrine
A latrine is a communal facility containing one or more commonly many toilets which may be simple pit toilets or in the case of the United States Armed Forces any toilet including modern flush toilets...
. An earth-fill dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
has been erected on the river forming a small pond suitable for fishing, boating and canoeing. Permanent structures include a dining hall with kitchen, swimming pool, first aid station, administrative building, quartermasters shed, trading post, Campmaster's quarters (with 2 bedrooms, kitchen, full bath, and living room) and ranger's house. The camp has an archery range, rifle range, shotgun range, and an amphitheater. A COPE
Project COPE
Project COPE is an acronym for Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience, a program in the Boy Scouts of America. It consists of different challenges for groups of scouts that involve teamwork and problem solving, or for individual scouts that test agility and individual skills...
area includes a ropes course
Ropes course
A ropes course is a challenging outdoor personal development and team building activity which usually consists of high and/or low elements. Low elements take place on the ground or only a few feet above the ground...
and a climbing wall
Climbing wall
A climbing wall is an artificially constructed wall with grips for hands and feet, usually used for indoor climbing, but sometimes located outdoors as well. Some are brick or wooden constructions, but on most modern walls, the material most often used is a thick multiplex board with holes drilled...
with a zip line. A newer addition is a four element "Cub World" with a pirate ship, fort, castle, and tee-pee.
The Camp is used for weekend camping by nearby units. It also holds annual Merit Badge
Merit badge
Merit badge may refer to:*Merit badge *Merit badge...
summer camps and winter camps and Cub Scout
Cub Scout
A Cub Scout is a member of the section of the worldwide Scouting movement for young persons, mainly boys normally aged about 7 to 11. In some countries they are known by their original name of Wolf Cubs and are often referred to simply as Cubs. The movement is often referred to simply as Cubbing...
day camp. Order of the Arrow
Order of the Arrow
The Order of the Arrow is the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America . It uses American Indian-styled traditions and ceremonies to bestow recognition on scouts selected by their peers as best exemplifying the ideals of Scouting. The society was created by E. Urner Goodman, with the...
activities take place there along with Wood Badge
Wood Badge
Wood Badge is a Scouting leadership program and the related award for adult leaders in the programs of Scout associations throughout the world. Wood Badge courses aim to make Scouters better leaders by teaching advanced leadership skills, and by creating a bond and commitment to the Scout movement...
training.
Camp MK Brown covers a section of land near Wheeler, TX, and contains a 65 acre lake. Year-round camping programs are offered at the camp along with a Boy Scout Summer Camp program. In 2012 a new "Western Heritage" program will be offered that will include animal science, Native American culture, cowboy culture, and more.