Each summer, the Order of the Arrow offers a myriad of different High Adventure opportunities to meet your summer needs. Maybe it’s wetting your appetite by going for a plunge in the Atlantic Ocean with the Ocean Adventure at the Florida Sea Base. Or maybe hiking is your passion; if so, what better place to go than the Philmont Scout Ranch, where you can hike the same trails as your Scoutmaster or Scouting ancestors as a part of your Trail Crew experience? Have you ever thought about what the Native Americans and early explorers did to be avid traders? Maybe the OA Voyage is your calling. Whatever your summer aspirations may be, these National High Adventure bases have put together a multitude of options for you.
Along with your one-week trek completely designed by you, each Arrowman will be afforded the opportunity to leave their mark in history by helping to sure up portage trails, backpacking trails, or coral reefs. Aside from providing a good deed to each of these high adventure bases, every participant will have the opportunity to work closely with other Arrowmen from across the country, who have a similar interest in the future of both the program and the adventure base.
You may be thinking that this is a daunting task, but it is an experience unlike any other afforded to you in Scouting, in that it takes you out of your world and places you with people who want to do something different. It’s not every day that you can tell your friends that you climbed into Cypher’s Mine, watched the Northern Lights from a canoe, or went scuba diving in the Florida Keys.
These programs help to ensure that the future of Scouting has a place to live, work, and interact. This summer, try something new or do something you thoroughly enjoy! Your destiny awaits you…
2025 Programs
The Order of the Arrow Wilderness Voyage program is an experience like no other! For two weeks, you will join together with Arrowmen from around the country and experience all that the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota has to offer.
The first week of the program is spent giving back to the Boundary Waters through portage trail restoration work. Participants have the opportunity to leave their mark on the Boundary Waters that will enable thousands of visitors each year to better enjoy their experience. Trail work involves restoring and protecting trails that have existed for centuries and are in dire need of repair.
The second part of the program is a trek planned by the crew! From travelling to historic sites such as the Height of Land or ancient pictographs or seeing natural wonders such as untamed waterfalls or geological formations, each Voyage is as unique as your crew.
- Session 1: June 4 - June 18, 2025 (Male Crew)
- Session 2: June 11 - June 25, 2025 (Male Crew)
- Session 3: June 18 - July 2, 2025 (Coed Crew)
- Session 4: June 25 - July 9, 2025 (Male Crew)
- Session 5: July 2 - July 16, 2025 (Male Crew)
- Session 6: July 9 - July 23, 2025 (Coed Crew)
- Session 7: July 16 - July 30, 2025 (Male Crew)
- Session 8: July 23 - August 6, 2025 (Male Crew)
- Session 9: July 30 - August 13, 2025 (Coed Crew)
The Order of the Arrow Canadian Odyssey program is an experience like no other! For two weeks, you will join together with Arrowmen from around the country and experience the wild beauty of the Quetico Provincial Park of Ontario, Canada.
Like its U.S. counterpart, the first week of the OA Canadian Odyssey program is spent giving back to the Quetico through portage trail restoration work. Participants have the opportunity to leave their mark on the Quetico which will enable thousands of visitors each year to better enjoy their experience. Trail work involves restoring and protecting trails that have existed for centuries and are in dire need of repair.
The second part of the program is a trek through the Quetico Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada designed to challenge and inspire. Due to the international travel involved with this program, it is required that all participants must have a valid passport as well as a clean criminal record or they will NOT be permitted to cross the international border and will be sent home.
- Session 1: June 4 - June 18, 2025 (Male Crew)
- Session 2: June 11 - June 25, 2025 (Male Crew)
- Session 3: June 18 - July 2, 2025 (Coed Crew)
- Session 4: June 25 - July 9, 2025 (Male Crew)
- Session 5: July 2 - July 16, 2025 (Male Crew)
- Session 6: July 9 - July 23, 2025 (Coed Crew)
- Session 7: July 16 - July 30, 2025 (Male Crew)
- Session 8: July 23 - August 6, 2025 (Male Crew)
- Session 9: July 30 - August 13, 2025 (Coed Crew)
The Order of the Arrow Summit Experience program is an experience like no other! For eight days, you will join together with Arrowmen from around the country and experience all that the Summit in West Virginia has to offer!
Four days of the program will be focused on building or maintaining trails around the Summit Bechtel Reserve and the New River Gorge National River area. The remainder of the experience will revolve around whitewater rafting, along with mountain biking, climbing, and participation in other Summit activities. Participants will not only build trials but also bonds of brotherhood as they start their high adventure journey.
The program is designed to entice younger Arrowmen to participate in OA High Adventure. Arrowmen ages 14 but not yet 18 will have the opportunity to explore all that the Summit has to offer in terms of adventure, brotherhood, and cheerful service.
- Session 1: June 8 - June 14, 2025 (Coed Crew)
- Session 2: June 15 - June 21, 2025 (Coed Crew)
- Session 3: June 22 - June 28, 2025 (Male Crew)
- Session 4: June 29 - July 5, 2025 (Coed Crew)
- Session 5: July 6 - July 12, 2025 (Coed Crew)
- Session 6: July 13 - July 19, 2025 (Male Crew)
- Session 7: July 20 - July 26, 2025 (Coed Crew)
- Session 8: July 27 - August 2, 2025 (Coed Crew)
The Order of the Arrow is offering you an opportunity to join other Arrowmen in cheerful service and the formation of lasting brotherhood on the trails of Philmont Scout Ranch. Under the direction of the Philmont Conservation Department, experienced Philmont staff members with strong Order of the Arrow backgrounds will lead participants on a two-week trail crew and trek.
The program is a fourteen-day experience. The first week focuses on trail construction and maintenance under the guidance of Philmont trail crew foremen. The second week is a seven-day backpacking trek that is designed by the participants. The program is not simply building trail and hiking as it is ultimately a journey that challenges Scouts mentally, physically, and spiritually.
Trail building is tough. The worksite experience is full of long and strenuous days requiring a great deal of physical effort. Participants are expected to work with great diligence as the trail that is being built is designed to last over 75 years and protect the beautiful landscape of Philmont Scout Ranch. Other than trail-building techniques, Scouts will strengthen their leadership skills, learn advanced wilderness and low-impact camping skills, observe and participate in group wilderness safety, and experience motivation activities while also receiving special OA instruction. The program’s mission is to maintain, reinforce, and enhance the purpose of the Order of the Arrow by using Scouting camping traditions. Participants are expected to use their experience to benefit their troop, chapter, lodge, and council programs.
- Session 1: June 8 - June 22, 2025 (Coed Crew)
- Session 2: June 15 - June 29, 2025 (Coed Crew)
- Session 3: June 22 - July 6, 2025 (Coed Crew)
- Session 4: June 29 - July 13, 2025 (Coed Crew)
- Session 5: July 6 - July 20, 2025 (Coed Crew)
- Session 6: July 13 - July 27, 2025 (Coed Crew)
- Session 7: July 20 - August 3, 2025 (Coed Crew)
- Session 8: July 27 - August 10, 2025 (Coed Crew)
- Session 9: August 3 - August 17, 2025 (Coed Crew): Special USFS Valle Session
Order of the Arrow Ocean Adventure is a nine-day program at Florida Sea Base in the Florida Keys. During your adventure you will spend most of your time exploring the lower Florida Keys and the waters that surround it. This will involve getting the opportunity to camp on a primitive island, where you will learn about it’s unique ecosystem and have the chance to explore everything it has to offer. Participants will also be able to engage in conducting various conservation projects to protect and preserve the island for future generations to experience and enjoy. Participants will even get the unique experience of being able to snorkel, paddle, and fish in the beautiful crystal-clear waters of the Florida Keys.
After leaving the island, participants will be able to spend time exploring some of the historical landmarks that exist within Key West along with seeing some of it’s most well known attractions.
- Session 1: June 1 - June 7, 2025 (Coed Crew)
- Session 2: June 9 - June 15, 2025 (Coed Crew)
Section G16 OA High Adventure Scholarship
The Section G16 OA High Adventure Scholarship was created to provide monetary support to Arrowmen within the section to participate in an Order of the Arrow High Adventure (OAHA) program.
OA High Adventure is an experience unlike any other found in Scouting and the Order of the Arrow. Section G16 strongly encourages Arrowmen to take advantage of the opportunity by providing financial assistance for Arrowmen in Lo La’Qam Geela, Tsisqan, and Wauna La-Mon’tay Lodges who participate in OAHA programs.
The Section G16 OA High Adventure Scholarship is reserved for those individuals who exhibit service as well as a future commitment to the Order of the Arrow in the section and their home lodge. It is expected of the recipients that they continue their service in the OA as well as bring the enthusiasm gained from these programs back to their home councils, lodges, chapters, and units. Each recipient will be required at the end of their experience to provide the section with an account of their experiences that can be posted on the section website for recognition and promotion of the programs and the scholarship.
The minimum amount awarded to recipients will be $100. This amount may be increased depending on the cost of the program attended and the need of the applicant. The amount awarded will not exceed the cost of the program. Scholarship funding will only be applied to the program fee. Participants will be responsible for their own transportation. The Key 3 (section chief, section adviser, and section staff adviser) will determine the committee that will select the recipients each year.
Requirements
To be considered for the scholarship, you must:
- Have attended the Section G16 Conclave in the year prior to the selected OAHA program.
- Be a member in good standing with a Lodge in Section G16.
- Have approval from your Lodge Adviser.
- Have approval from your Council Scout Executive or their designee.
- Meet all requirements for the selected OAHA program.
Submit Your Application
Use the below form to submit your completed Section G16 OA High Adventure Scholarship application and any supporting documents.