Golden Spread Council

Golden Spread Council
Owner	Boy Scouts of America
Headquarters	401 Tascosa Rd, Amarillo, TX
Country	United States
Founded	1987
Website http://www.goldenspread.org
Scouting portal

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.

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-acre (3.2 km²) Boy Scout 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.^[1]

Geography

Camp Don Harrington is located in the western Palo Duro Canyon system on the Prairie Dog Town Fork Red River, 10 miles (16 km) south of Amarillo, Texas and 8 miles (13 km) northeast of Canyon, Texas with an elevation of 3,590 feet (1,090 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.^[2]

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 coyotes, deer, prairie dogs, 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 latrine. 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.

Nicha Achowalogen Lodge

http://www.na-oa.net/

References

1. ^ "History Makers: Don Harrington". Amarillo Globe-News. http://www.amarillo.com/stories/051900/his_harringtond.html. Retrieved 2008-07-25. 
2. ^ Weatherbase. "Historical Weather for Amarillo, Texas, United States of America". http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=036327&refer=. Retrieved 2008-07-25.