In one sense, Virginia has perhaps become the single largest "tourist attraction" for Scouting as once every four years & for the past five national Jamborees tens of thousands of Scouts have descended on Fort A.P. Hill Virginia. Before and after the Jambo event Scouts fan out across the state making a huge impact on the local economy and visiting sites ranging from Mt. Vernon & Colonial Williamsburg to Washington D.C. and amusement parks. Besides official participants thousands more Scouts visit the Jamboree as part of day trips. Many of these visiting Scout groups will stay at nearby campgrounds or even BSA summer camps.

Even in non Jamboree years Virginia can pack a full house of Scout campers from around the nation. BLUE RIDGE SCOUT RESERVATION is absolutely at the top of this list. No Council camp is larger, at 17,500 acres Scouts can literally hike hundreds of miles of trails and never leave the camp property high in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwestern Virginia. Geography and land size alone do not make this camp special, the Council has devoted enormous resources to make one of the most comprehensive, challenging and innovative High Adventure Programs in the Nation, rivaling, some say even surpassing those offered at Philmont. The HIGH KNOLL TRAIL Program features staff in period costume and various camps where Scouts can experience life in early America. The traditional High Adventure activities are served in style with the New River George. The massive reservation also has two traditional camps, Ottari & Powhatan as well as the Claytor Lake Aquatics Base. In the tradition of a handful of other great camps that really don't need the promotion (the Blue Ridge Reservation's summer programs routinely fill up, drawing Troops from all over the USA & several foreign countries each summer) they have produced a slick video (which they will send to unit leaders free), great leader's guides, and a fantastic web site.

At the top end of the state, one of the largest Councils in the nation, the National Capital Area Council, operates GOSHEN SCOUT RESERVATION nestled in the historic Shenandoah Valley. The three camps see upwards of 5,000 campers a summer. While the camp is three hours from the Council boundary, many Troops from other places visit and make trips into Washington.

Another impressive camp, BRADY T. SAUNDERS is, unfortunately, internet silent. Richmond's flagship camp & staff take great pains to design one of the finest leader's guides in the nation. The camp is stepped in traditions, and also attracts many out of Council units.

CAMP ROCK ENON & CAMP SHENANDOAH make up the other two Appalachian based camps in the state. Rock Enon in particular is a good example of a small Council again developing a remarkable summer camp program that attracts Scouts from other states.