Pioneer Scout Reservation, Camp Frontier

Troop 2 had a lot of fun but you have to take a swiming test and there is a lake

Great camp, went there with my troop for more than 5 years for summer camp. There is a great selection of merit badges to pick from and the camp is simple in a very elegant way. The food isn't the greatest but its a summer camp trying to feed 500+ campers every week on a budget so im not overly critical about that. Working on staff there was a blast and an experience of its own. Speaking from experience, the staff really do work hard and have overwhelmingly positive interactions with the campers. I would say that this camp is the place to go if your from a troop based in Ohio, Michigan, or Indiana.

Make no mistake, this place is a budget operation. However, they do a lot with what they have and they do it with a lot of heart.

I have been at PSR as a camper with my kids and as a participant in the BSA summer camp program. We have had great times, every time.

Here is a review from a dad (and Eagle Scout) perspective.

When we camp here we always cook our own food. Here's why, The kitchen will store your frozen food and bring it out to you when you need it and they have ice provided to camps that make their own food.

I'm not saying that the food service here is bad, but I doubt they are serving lobster, steak, dutch oven cooked pizza, fresh breads, grilled fish, fresh pancakes (with real maple syrup) and aero press coffee at their meals. My advice, if you like good food then seriously consider either getting a caterer to handle your troop cooking or do your own.

Anyway, like I said, the camp is pretty basic, but in a good way. They have plenty of merit badges to get and all in all it is a great vacation. Kind of like being on a cruise with all the different activities.

Just as a note... This camp does not have a laundry facility that is available to campers. They do have laundry in the shower houses, but it really isn't for guests. The only reason why this was an issue is because I run 6 - 12 miles every day while in camp, and produce sweaty stuff every day that needs to be washed. Trust me, if you camp here in the summer, you will want to wash stuff as well. Perhaps someday they will have a good laundry option, but until then...

Speaking of showers... the shower houses they have are acceptable, but you will probably want to use the shower at the pool, which has an open roof and is really pretty sweet. After a nice hot run in the summer to go and shower under the open sky is a nice treat.

The waterfront is not bad, they have all the stuff you would expect, the water is clean and cool. It isn't the biggest lake around (since it is man made) but for teaching a scout how to paddle a canoe, or sail, it works just fine.

The ecology building is pretty basic, but they have a living legend working there. His name is Frank Merritt and he is an absolute icon in scouting. He alone could be the best thing this camp has going on. The guy is a little different, but he is an absolute Scouting Rock Star! The ecology building has a good library as well, so in your evening hours it is a nice place to check out books and magazines.

The sweet spot at this camp is really between 2 and 9 PM. That is when classes wind down and you can relax at camp and/or just enjoy the facilities (open pool, open beach, craft lab, shooting sports, ecology, etc. etc.) Truly, this is the best part of camp.

PSR has a very aggressive mosquito control program, every time we have stayed there bugs have not been an issue. BELIVE ME, it makes a HUGE difference!

All in all, if you understand what this camp is and what it isn't you can manage your expectations and have a great time, I know we did. Prepare to sweat, get dirty, get rained on and all that, but hey in the end you can have a great vacation for a few hundred bucks.