National Outdoor Award
The five National Outdoor Awards badges recognize a Boy Scout or Varsity Scout who demonstrates knowledge and experience in camping, hiking, aquatics,riding, or adventure. Scouts earning the National Outdoor Awards badges have demonstrated that they are knowledgeable, safe, and comfortable in the outdoor activity covered by the badge.
National Outdoor Awards badges may be earned in the following areas:
Camping. A Boy Scout or Varsity Scout may earn the National Outdoor Badge for Camping upon successfully completing the following requirements:
Hiking. A Boy Scout or Varsity Scout may earn the National Outdoor Badge for Hiking upon successfully completing the following requirements:
Aquatics. A Boy Scout or Varsity Scout may earn the National Outdoor Badge for Aquatics upon successfully completing the following requirements:
Riding. A Boy Scout or Varsity Scout may earn the National Outdoor Badge for Riding upon successfully completing the following requirements:
Adventure. A Boy Scout or Varsity Scout may earn the National Outdoor Badge for Adventure upon successfully completing the following requirements:
National Outdoor Awards badges may be earned in the following areas:
Camping. A Boy Scout or Varsity Scout may earn the National Outdoor Badge for Camping upon successfully completing the following requirements:
- Earn the First Class rank.
- Earn the Camping merit badge.
- Earn two of the following three merit badges: Cooking, First Aid, Pioneering.
- Complete 25 days and nights of camping—including six consecutive days (five nights) of resident camping, approved and under the auspices and standards of the Boy Scouts of America—including nights camped as part of requirements 1 through 3 above.
Hiking. A Boy Scout or Varsity Scout may earn the National Outdoor Badge for Hiking upon successfully completing the following requirements:
- Earn the First Class rank.
- Earn the Hiking and Orienteering merit badges.
- Complete 100 miles of hiking or backpacking under the auspices of the Boy Scouts of America, including miles hiked as part of requirement 2.
Aquatics. A Boy Scout or Varsity Scout may earn the National Outdoor Badge for Aquatics upon successfully completing the following requirements:
- Earn the First Class rank.
- Earn the Swimming and Lifesaving merit badges.
- Earn the Mile Swim BSA Award.
- Earn at least one of the following merit badges: Canoeing, Kayaking, Rowing, Small-Boat Sailing, Whitewater. Complete at least 25 hours of on-the-water time, applying the skills that you learned in the merit badges.
- Complete at least 50 hours of any combination of swimming, canoeing, kayaking, rowing, small-boat sailing, or whitewater activity under the auspices of the Boy Scouts of America, including time spent in requirements 2 through 4.
Riding. A Boy Scout or Varsity Scout may earn the National Outdoor Badge for Riding upon successfully completing the following requirements:
- Earn the First Class rank.
- Complete at least one of the following:
- Cycling merit badge; or
- Horsemanship merit badge and any combination of 10 hours of riding on a stock animal
- Complete 200 miles of riding activities, either on a non-motorized bike or a stock animal, under the auspices of the Boy Scouts of America, including the miles in requirement 2.
Adventure. A Boy Scout or Varsity Scout may earn the National Outdoor Badge for Adventure upon successfully completing the following requirements:
- Earn the First Class rank.
- Complete the Wilderness Survival, Search and Rescue, or Emergency Preparedness merit badge.
- Complete 10 of any combination or repetition of the following adventure activities under the auspices of the Boy Scouts of America:
- A backpacking trip lasting three or more days and covering more than 20 miles without food resupply
- A canoeing, rowing, or sailing trip lasting three or more days and covering more than 50 miles without food resupply
- A whitewater trip lasting two or more days and covering more than 20 miles without food resupply
- A climbing activity on open rock, following Climb On Safely principles, that includes camping overnight
- Earn the National Historic Trails Award
- Earn the 50-Miler Award
- Attend any national high-adventure base or any nationally recognized local high-adventure or specialty-adventure program