Gardner Dam Adventure Base is a Bay-Lakes Council BSA camp on 400 acres along the Wolf River in White Lake, established in 1932. It runs a 6-night/6-day Scouts BSA and Venturing adventure camp plus a Webelos resident camp, with whitewater kayaking and rafting, COPE and climbing, ATVing, mountain biking, fly fishing and target sports. It is a nonprofit Scouting camp.
The practical details
We list only what the camp itself publishes, and programs change — dates, prices, ages and availability can all move after we check. Confirm the details on the camp’s own website and contact Gardner Dam Adventure Base directly before you register or pay. Last checked August 2026.
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★★★★★HarlanLove Gardner dam. One of my all time favorite places to camp. Been going there for about 30 years.
★★★★★Matthew JohnsonGreat camp. Very unique with the Wolf river splitting it in half. Neat bridge to get across. No cell service on the one side, which is ok because it is a Scout camp.
★★★★★Jeff TempletonFirst visit to Gardner Dam adventure camp on a rainy weekend with our scout families. Had a great time even with the rain. Went on a wet 4 mile hike and had a great time at the indoor climbing wall. Nice warm fire while making crafts in the pavilion next to the Wolf River. Can't wait to visit again with some dryer weather.
★★★★★TOM NOBLEI attended Gardner Dam every summer and on some winter weekends for at least four years back in the late 1950s. That’s over 60 years ago and still I remember it as one of the greatest experiences of my life. I grew up there, finished my merit badges for the Eagle, Eagle palms and finally Order of the Arrow. Being left out to camp by myself in the woods next to the Wolf river and among the tall Pines was one of the greatest memories I have. I hope to return sometime in the near future to see the place again!
★★★★NibsExcellent camp providing a wonderful merit badge experience for the boys. The counselors were for the most part very eager to educate the scouts. One or two were a little less eager and knowledgeable about their given topic. Best to drop in on a session if you can. The camp is well maintained and easily traversable (for the mobile). The store is decently stocked and the whole show is run well for the most part. Our troop did suffer from undersized food portions the whole week which was attributed to a new supplier. Not sure about that. Definitely another thing to keep an eye on. Two facilities stood out as head and shoulders above the rest. Firstly, the swimming area. A dedicated and eager-to-help staff the whole week. Was a joy to swim here. Secondly, the rifle range. From the top down, it was a well-drilled operation but still tons of fun. If all areas were run like these two, it would have been a 5-star review. All in all a great camp experience.