ANNUAL EVENTS

What / Where / Phone / About
NEIC Klondike Derby / Burlington, WI / 847/433-1813 / Late January-Early February
Scouting for Food / Our local area / Early March
U.S. Grant Pilgrimage / Galena, IL / 800/747-9377 / April-Boy Scouts event, 5000 attend
A. Lincoln Pilgrimage / Springfield, IL / 217/546-5570 / April-Boy Scouts event, 5000 attend
EAA Oshkosh Fly In / Oshkosh, WI / 414/426-4800 / Late July-One of the largest air shows
Illinois State Fair / Springfield, IL / 217/782-6661 / August
Sight Night!
Order your free collection kit with your step-by-step guide, complete with fliers and doorhangers you can personalize for your event. / Our local area / This Halloween, have a frightfully fun time on Sight Night, a volunteer program sponsored by LensCrafters and Lions Clubs International. Join thousands of school groups, scouts and community organizations who will collect used eyeglasses on trick-or-treat night.
Devil's Lake State Park / Baraboo, WI / 608/356-8301 / Spectacular views from 500 foot cliffs, miles of hiking trails, swimming areas including 2 large sandy beaches, hundreds of campsites, mountain bike trails, cross country ski trails, great climbs
Coastal Cleanup / Illinois State Beach in Zion, Waukegan Municipal Beach, Winthrop Harbor Beach / 847/623-5190 / September-Join hundreds of volunteers along Lake Michigan's shoreline to remove trash.
September
Scout Jam / Grayslake, IL / 847/433-1813 / October

BICYCLING

What / Where / Phone / About
400 Bike Trail / Elroy, WI / 608/254-2333 / 20 mi, Contact: Gerald Trumm
Cheese Country Tr. / Monroe, WI / 608/325-7648 / 47 mi. from Monroe to Mineral Pt.
Des Plaines River Trail and Greenway / Russell Road, east of Rt. 41 to Rt. 60, east of Rt. 21 / 847/382-3247 / The Lake County Forest Preserves maintains 32 miles of Bike trails along the Des Plaines River.
Elroy-Sparta Trail / Sparta, WI / 608/337-4775 / 32 mi. trail w/ 23 trestles & 3 tunnels
Grand Illinois Trail / Loops 475 miles between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River, the Grand Illinois Trail joins together existing and proposed state and local trails to create the state’s longest continuous trail.
Great River Road Trail / McGregor, IA / 319/873-2341 / 15 mi. camp at Pikes Pk.
Heritage Trail / Dubuque, IA / 319/556-6745 / 26 mi from Dubuque to Dyersville
LaCrosse River Trail / LaCrosse, WI / 608/337-4775 / 23 mi, connects w/Elroy-Sparta
Military Ridge Trail / Dodgeville, WI / 608/935-2315 / 39 mi from Dodgeville to Verona
Omaha Trail / Elroy, WI / 608/847-9389 / 12 mi, 875 ft. tunnel
I & M Canal St. Trail / Morris, IL / 815/942-9501 / 60 mi. from LaSalle to Channahon St. Park
Sugar River Trail / New Glarus, WI / 608/527-2334 / 23 mi. New Glarus to Broadhead

CANOEING

What / Where / Phone / About
Des Plaines River / Russell Road, east of Rt. 41 to Rt. 60, east of Rt. 21 / 847/382-3247 / The Lake County Forest Preserves maintains four canoe launches located along the Des Plaines River.
Fox River / Yorkville, IL / 630/553-0515 / Popular from Yorkville to Wedron
Hennipin Canal / Sheffield, IL / 815/454-2328 / 1-2 day trip from Rock Falls, portages
Kickapoo River / Ontario, WI / 608/337-4344 / Best in Spring, flows into Wisconsin
Maquoketa River / Dundee, IA / 319/924-2527 / Can canoe from Backbone to Mississippi
Pecatonica River / Blanchardville, WI / 608/523-4427 / Southern Wisconsin to Rock River
Rock River / Oregon, IL / 815/234-2628 / Byron Boat Basin, 2 day trip to Dixon
Volga River / Fayette, IA / 319/425-4161 / Fayette to Mississippi River
Wisconsin River / Prairie de Sac / 608/643-4168 / Canoe, camp on sandbars

DAY TRIPS

What / Where / Phone / Price / About
Discovery World / Milwaukee, WI / 414/765-9966 / Members Free
Students (4 - 17) $4.00
Adults $5.50
Seniors $5.00
Group Rates Available, / Over 150 hands-on exhibits, exciting live theatre shows, professionally led workshops and labs, and a ton of unique events and activities too numerous to list
Adler Planetarium / Chicago, IL / 312/922-STAR / Call
IL Railroad Museum / Union, IL / 815/923-4391 / Call / Earn Railroading Merit Badge
Lake County Discovery Museum / Mundelein, IL / Contact Ranger Ino Saldivar at (847) 968-3301 x4507 or e-mail / Call / Scout and Safety programs are designed to aid both Girl and Boy Scouts in completing badge requirements.
Museum of Science and Industry / Chicago, IL / 773/684-1414 / Call
EAA Aviation Museum / Oshkosh, WI / 414/426-4800
Wisconsin Maritime Museum
USS COBIA Submarine / Manitowoc, WI / 920/684-0218 / The Wisconsin Maritime Museum's USS COBIA Overnight Program will provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience for you and your group.
Jelly Belly Factory / Prairie View, WI / 800/522-3267 / Free / Factory Tours, free samples
Volo Bog State Park / Ingleside, IL / 815/344-1294 / Free / Only "quaking" bog in Illinois, picnicking, hiking, and cross country skiing
Indiana Dunes / Beverly Shores, IN. / 219-926-7561 x225
The Chicago and South Shore Train has stops within the park. / Free / Steep Sand Dunes and Magnificent Lake Views. Any season.

HISTORIC TRAILS HIKING

What / Where / Phone / Distance / About
I & M Canal / Lockport, IL / 708/366-9420 / 2.00 miles / The Lockport Canal hike & bike path offers a very rich view of this country's history in the 19th century
Old Plank Road Trail / Park Forest, IL / 19.4 miles / Wildlife, such as; deer, coyote, eagles, herons, egrets, hawks and others can be seen from the trail.
Palos/ Sag Valley Trail System- Swallow Cliff / Lemont, IL / 5.00 miles / Palos/ Sag Valley Trail System offers an exciting mix of paved and unpaved trails and amazing scenery that seems out of place in the Chicago metropolitan area
Waterfall Glen / Argonne National Lab
Argonne, IL / 630/252-2000 / 10.0 miles / Use main trail as a first-date mountain biking trail or side trails as a stay-in-shape trails for hiking
Rock Trail / Racine, WI Hwy 11/ Racine St exit off I-90. / 10.0 miles / Mostly paved bike trail which passes through city parks and greenbelts.

MERIT BADGE OPPORTUNITIES

What / Where / Phone / Price / About
IL Railroad Museum / Union, IL / 815/923-4391 / Call / Earn Railroading Merit Badge
Discovery World / Milwaukee, WI / 414/765-9966 / $25.00
overnighter / Earn Chemistry Merit Badge
Adler Planetarium / Chicago, IL / 312/922-STAR / $35.00 / Earn Astronomy and Space Exploration Merit Badges
Gateway Computers / Gurnee, IL / 847/596-0006 / Free / Earn Computer Merit Badge
1st Thursdays of the Month
Upper Limits / 1304 W. Washington
Bloomington, IL / 309/829-8255 / $35.00 / Earn Climbing Merit Badge
19th Judicial Circuit Court, Lake County / Waukegan, IL / 847/377-3600 / Free / Earn Law Merit Badge, offered to 1st Class Scouts twice a year.
Lakewood Forest Preserve / Wauconda / 847/367-6640 / Can provides training for Anthropology and Geology Merit Badge

RAPPELLING

What / Where / Phone / Price / About
Devils Lake / Baraboo, WI / 608-356-8301 / Ancient 500-foot bluffs ring a spring-fed lake at one of Wisconsin's oldest state parks.
Mississippi Palisades St. Park / Savanna, IL / 815-273-2731 / This 2,600-acre state park preserves palisades, or high cliffs, along the Mississippi River.
Rock climbers ascend Twin Sisters Rock and Sentinel Rock
Upper Limits / 1304 W. Washington
Bloomington, IL / 309/829-8255 / $35.00 / Upper Limits has something for everyone. We have many different rooms and areas for a total of more than 20,000 square feet of climbing surface making us one of the largest climbing gyms in North America. Our numerous climbs range from beginner climbs to routes that will challenge the most advanced climbers.
Upper Limits / 326 S. 21st St.
St. Louis, MO / 314/241-7625

SKIING

What / Where / Phone / Price / About
Cascade Mountain / Portage, WI / 608/742-5588 / $15-30 / 460 ft vertical drop, 1 mile longest run
Chestnut Mountain / Galena, IL / 815/777-1320 / $15-30 / 475 ft
Devil's Head / Baraboo, WI / 608/493-2251 / $15-30 / 500 ft, 1 mi.
Sundown Mountain / Dubuque, IA / 319/556-6676 / $15-30 / 475 ft.

SCOUT CAMPING IN ILLINOIS

What / Where / Phone / About
Camp Big Timber, TFC / Elgin / 630/584-9250 / 60 acres, Cabins, trails, creek
Camp Dan Beard, NEIC / Wheeling / 847/433-1813 / 80 acres, Cabins, trails, creek
Camp Lakota, NWSC / Woodstock / 847/824-6880 / 20 campsites, 7 buildings or facilities
Camp Lowden, Blackhawk Area Council / Oregon / 815/732-6674 / 200 acres along Rock River, cabins
Camp Max McGraw, NWSC / Dundee / 847/824-6880 / Trails, Fox River canoe trips, cross country skiing
Camp Oakarro, NEIC / Wadsworth / 847/433-1813 / 40 acres, two ponds, hiking trails
Illinois State Beach St. Park / Zion / 847/662-4828 / 4,160 acres, hiking, camping, biking, swimming, fishing in Lake Michigan
I & M Trail / Morris / 815/942-9501 / 15 mi. trail, camping
Johnson-Sauk Trail / Kewanee / 309/853-5589 / 15 mi. 58 acre lake
Lake Le Aqua Na St. Park / Lena / 815/369-4282 / 5 mi. of trails, sailing
Lakewood Forest Preserve / Wauconda / 847/367-6640 / Accommodates up to 40 people
Matthiessen St. Park / Utica / 815/667-4868 / 7 mi. of trails, canyons, waterfalls, fishing
Mississippi Palisades St. Park / Savannah / 815/273-2731 / 11 miles, bluffs, wetlands
Rock Cut State Park / Caledonia / 815/885-3311 / 11 miles of trails, lake
Starved Rock St. Park / Utica / 815/667-4726 / 15 mi., canyons, rock climbing, lodge
Three Fire Council Ranch / Rochelle, IL / 630/584-9250 / Facilities include several latrines and two cabins (capacity 30 people each) for winter camping
Van Patten Woods/ Sterling Lake / Wadsworth / 847/367-6640 / Accommodates up to 100 people
Apple River Canyon / Apple River / 815/745-3302 / 200 acres, fishing
Castle Rock St. Park / Oregon / 815/732-7329 / 1995 acres, hike, canoe on Rock River
White Pines St. Park / Mt. Morris / 815/946-3717 / 385 acres, fish, hike, sledding hills

SCOUT CAMPING IN WISCONSIN

What / Where / Phone / About
Bong State Rec. Area / Kansasville WI / 262/878-5600 / 2 regular campgrounds with a total of 217 campsites, 54 of them with electric hookups. Six group campsites can accommodate 150 campers.
Blue Mound St. Park / Blue Mound / 608/437-5711 / Hike, swimming
Camp Crown R. Sol, NEIC / Wilmot / 847/433-1813 / 146 acres, several ponds
Camp Freeland Leslie, TFC / Oxford / 630/584-9250 / 466 acres, 54 acre lake, cabins, ski
Camp OhDaKoTa, SEWIS / Burlington / 262/539-2774 / 130 acres, cabins
Devil's Lake State Park / Baraboo / 608/356-8301 / 2300 acres, rock climbing, canoe, 15 mi.
Eagle Cave / Richland Center / 608/537-2988 / Cave camping, trails, horseback rides
Kettle Moraine St. Forest / Waukesha / 414/594-2135 / Greenbush Group Camp offers 9 sites. Located near the Greenbush Trail 130 miles of trails. A shelter house, hand pumps and pit toilets .
Governor Dodge St. Park / Dodgeville / 608/935-2315 / 5000 acres, swim, fish, 3 lakes, hike
MaKaJaWan Scout Reservation,NEIC
Website / Pearson / 847/433-1813 / 1600 acres, several lakes, several High Adventure camps
New Glarus Woods St. Pk / New Glarus / 608/527-2335 / Hike, next to Sugar Creek Bike Trail
Napowan Scout Reservation, NWSC / Wild Rose / 847/824-6880 / 1600 acres, 2 lakes, COPE Course, cabins
Mirror Lake State Park / Baraboo / 608/254-2333 / Hike, swim, canoe, 3 mi from Wis Dells
R.S. Lyle Scout Reservation, SEWIS / Elcho / 715/275-3436 / 640 acres, pavilions, lakes, Wolf River access.
Tower Hill State Park / Spring Green / 608/588-2116 / Hike, canoe campsites on Wisconsin River
Wyalusing State Park / Wyaslusing / 608/996-2261 / Hike, canoe, mouth of Wisconsin River
Yellowstone Lake St. Park / Blanchardsville / 608/523-4427 / Hike, canoe, water ski