Camp Ben Hawkins--More information

Information for Camp Ben Hawkins (Scout-owned)

Camp address	Contact Information
2251 Boy Scout Road Macon, GA 31008 Forecast for this area (at weather.com)	Central Georgia Council Council contact information Website

Map using camp address (sometimes accurate)	Map using coordinates: (always accurate) Lat: 32.6843108 , Lon: -83.7662963
Mapquest™ Road map Suremaps™ Topo map	Scoutlas Road & Water maps Microsoft™ Terraserver Topo & photo maps Suremaps™ Topo map Topozone™ Topo map

Comments for Camp Ben Hawkins

Nice camp, but looks a little run down. New director has made a number of improvements to camp programs and trying to get the camp back to the way it was in the past. Trying to have a blackpowder program and should be available next year. Program directors are knowledgeable. Uncle Buck is a little over the top, but camp has a good buckskin program for new scouts and our first year scouts had a good time. Our troop will use this again next year. Camp has some nice shower facilities. Camp had NO COPE program this year, the rappelling tower is in very poor shape, water front is clean, but lake is really nasty, with the water having no clarity to it. Feel this could be a dangerous situation. Overheard others noting grass and shrubs need to be cut back starting from the parking lot down to the dining hall. Roads are terrible and wash out after a good rain. Food was good and Robin keeps everyone smiling while in line. You got to eat her homemade cookies. Trading Post is well run, but could use updating of BSA items to be sold. Merit Badge books were lacking for some of the classes being taught the first week, but corrected by mid-week. Staff is good, but young. Camp needs to pay staff better to get some older scouts. Third and last week of camp, staff is not paid and asked to volunteer for the week. Overall, camp is a nice place to attend.

(posted on Jun 22,2004)

Our Scout Troop is located in Central Georgia Council and has not attended Camp Ben Hawkins in three years. This summer our troop attend the first camping week at Camp Ben Hawkins with our first year campers. The Camp Program Director has really worked hard to improve the camp. The major improvements are: 1)a well trained and motiviated young youth merit badge staff, 2)an outstanding shooting sports adult staff with youth staff assistants, and 3) an outstanding first year scout program (Buckskin).

The camp is small with +/- 100 campers attending each summer camp session. The merit badge staff was well trained and motiviated with classes small resulting in individual attention to the Scouts.

As in the past, Robin Mann and the dining hall staff does an outstanding job in providing great food with an excellent salad bar at the noon and evening meals.

More attention should be given to grooming the camp grounds from the parking lot to the waterfront and dinning hall areas prior to opening the summer camp season. Consideration should also be given to having a controlled burn of brush undergrowth in the campsite and shooting sport range areas.

Summary: Camp Benjamin Hawkins is a great small sized camp for your first year Scouts to have fun and master their scouting skills. The "Buckskin" program for first year campers and the shooting sports ranges/programs are outstanding. Troop 87 will return to Camp Ben Hawkins in 2005.

Bill Mills
T-87
Milledgeville, Georgia

(posted on Jul 13,2004)

Our troop attended camp Hawkins in 2004 & the small attendance by other troops was disappointing. Not sure if this is due to the council’s lack of support monetarily, advertising or because the camp is unable to support the same type of programs other camps provide in better locations. Some improvements of covered shelters & one covered camp site have been built & a black powder range will be built for 2005. We didn't find the same motivated staff & there was considerable noise from the youth staff after hours; though there were exceptions such as the trading post staff, which was very customer oriented, but the trading post did need more items to support the merit badge programs as found in a previous comment. The lake area is clean, with a white sand beach & clean changing rooms if you beat the younger scouts down there. The lake is a muddy brown in color, though a great place to be during a hot middle Georgia day. The food was great, and they had a salad bar which is a plus these days. The head cook, Robin Mann is a great cook & always happy in 100+ heat of the kitchen & camp & everyone enjoyed all her meals. These are not precooked/frozen meals pushed into a convection or microwave oven as found at other camps we've attended in the past. Her meals are real camp chow cooking. You can actually watch your scrambled eggs & bacon be cooked on a grill. A very good buckskin program is evident & the program leader runs a very tight ship & maybe just a little too tight though, but still a very good program. Overall we had a good time at Camp Hawkins but will be going further north this summer to a cooler climate.

(posted on Mar 5,2005)

Sadly, the Central Georgia Council has not operated Ben Hawlkins as a summer camp in 2006, or 2007. I hope the new Scout Executive will consider reopening the camp. It has a proud tradition and heritage.

For those who have been on staff over the decades, check out this Alumni Website:

http://www.cbhstaff.org/

(posted on Apr 10,2007)

CAMP BENJAMIN HAWKINS UPDATE
Camp Benjamin Hawkins has reached a pivotal point in its ability to offer summer camp operations. Due to housing growth adjacent to CBH, landfill issues, advances in technology (Internet to discover other camps), new regulations, evolving demographics, fresh interests and needs of Scouting’s youth and adults and a desire for a more pleasant climate, interest in summer camp at CBH has shown a steady decline.

Based upon pre-registration, the camping committee recommended that the two weeks of summer camp in 2006 not operate. In turn, the executive committee concurred with the recommendation and voted to cease 2006 summer camp operations. At a regularly scheduled board meeting on January 19, 2006, the executive board ratified the decision of the executive committee. Therefore, the two weeks of summer camp will not operate at CBH in 2006.

Every camp is competing for youths’ time and interests, not only with other BSA camps, but also with other youth serving organizations and commercial companies. Over the past decade troops have become more mobile and some troops through product sales have earned enough funds to visit Alaska, Northern Tier High Adventure Base (Canadian Border), Florida Sea Base (Florida Keys), Philmont (New Mexico) and other council high adventure camps. In spite of declining attendance at CBH, long-term camping in the council remains very strong, evidenced by record numbers of Eagle Scouts in 2005.

The council camping committee is helping troops locate available summer camps and is providing Scoutmasters with contact information and leaders’ guides through roundtables and commissioner staffs. Further, the camping committee will explore the future usage of CBH for 2007 and beyond.

Rest assured, there’s no effort afoot to sell or close Camp Benjamin Hawkins. CBH will continue to be used year-round for camporee(s), day camp(s), weekend troop camping, fall family festival(s), Cub Scout family camping, and non-BSA usage. In fact, approximately 2,500 year-round campers/guests visit CBH annually. Again, the executive board’s decision affects only the two weeks of summer camp in 2006.

If your troop needs further assistance with locating available camps, please contact the council service center at 478-743-9386.

(posted on Apr 10,2007)

I went to Camp Ben Hawkings if the early fifties.

(posted on Mar 7,2009)

Camp Ben Hawkins is still open year round for scout camping and other scout events. Mr. Mel has retired and the new Camp Rangers are Mike and Pamela McCarter. If you would like to make reservations, please contact the council office @ 478-743-9386. If you have any other questions, feel free to contact the rangers at 478-956-5629

(posted on Jun 1,2010)

I have visited Camp Ben Hawkins several times in the past years. Ben Hawkins is a small camp with a large history. After Mr. Mel retired, the duties of Ranger was actually turned over to a volunteer staff of Camp Masters who do their best to keep up the facilities. The Echeconnee Lodge ( O.A.), Woodbadge participants and staffers, and numerous other volunteers give of their time to help keep Ben Hawkins a viable choice for scout camping in the Middle Georgia area. To camp at or visit Ben Hawkins,Contact the Central Ga. Council and file a camping permit two weeks in advance. A Camp Master will meet you at camp and try to help with any needs you may have. My troop always has a great time at Ben Hawkins. This is a camp that brings the scouts back to the true meaning of being outdoors and puts them in an environment that lacks some of the modern conveniences that we have all become dependent upon.

(posted on Jun 20,2010)

I HAVE BEEN GOING TO CAMP BENJAMIN HAWKINS FOR MANY YEARS (BEEN IN SCOUTING FOR ABOUT 40.)I AM SADDENED THAT SUMMER CAMP IS NO LONGER HELD THERE. I WAS ON STAFF HELPING STOCK AND RUN THE TRADING POST FOR ABOUT TEN YEARS.WE DO HAVE A WELL ATTENDED WINTER CAMP FOR THE BOY SCOUTS, 2 CUB DAY CAMPS, A WEBELOS RESIDENT CAMP, FALL FAMILY FESTIVAL, OA, WOODBADGE, CAMPOREES, OUTDOOR LEADER TRAINING, AND OTHER WEEKEND ACTIVITIES. THE CAMP IS WELL USED. IT IS JUST NOT USED FOR SUMMER CAMP. MAYBE THAT WILL CHANGE SOON.

(posted on Nov 21,2011)

This year I was on staff and had a great experience. The campers had a blast and so did the staff. We put in a new cope tower and made some major renovations to the shower and bath houses. Our theme for the 2018 camp-o-ree was Knights Of The RoundTable. Our current camp directors are Laura Mixon and Wes Funsch. The lake is looking better than ever and I just want to thank all that participated in this camp

-Ethan Garretson Camp Ben Hawkins Staff 2018

(posted on Jun 14,2019)

Hi, My name is Laura Mixon, currently I am a volunteer camp director for many year round programs at Camp Ben Hawkins, we are hosting a summer Webelos and Cub Resident Camp, a webeloree, a Boyscout Camporee, 2 Cuborees, and a Boyscout Winter Camp each year. Event information can be found under the activities tab at centralgeorgiacouncil.org.

(posted on Jun 14,2019)

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