High Adventure

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 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 or 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.

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. Come to the Order of the Arrow Ocean Adventure to experience the best the wonderful Florida Keys has to offer!

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 trail 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 trail, 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. Lodges and Chapters are encouraged to participate as a crew! 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.

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, good judgment, and 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.

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 or repair.

The second part of the program is a trek planned by the crew! From the Height of Land to the pictographs on Fishdance Lake, crews have done and seen all in the Boundary Waters.