Pack 162 scouts camping along the Pedernales River

Outdoors

Where Pack 162 really comes alive.

From Hill Country sunsets to first-time tent setups, campouts are the heart of what the pack does, and every family member is welcome to come along.

Family camping, the Pack 162 way

Cub Scout camping is family camping. All family members are welcome to attend, and we typically camp somewhere within about an hour and a half of Austin. Trips usually begin Friday night or Saturday morning and wrap up by midmorning Sunday.

Activities vary by campout but generally include hiking, games, skill-building activities, and always a pack campfire complete with skits and songs.

A large circle of scouts and family members sitting in camp chairs under trees at dusk during a fall campout — The whole pack, as the sun goes down.

The annual rhythm

Pack 162 runs three big overnight trips a year. Two of them are under canvas; one of them decidedly isn't:

A fall campout, with tents, campfire, and the works. This is also where new scouts are welcomed into the pack with a Bobcat ceremony, and where the chili cookoff and dessert contest happen. Saturday night is a group campfire with skits from every den.
A spring campout, which is when we do rank advancements.
A winter overnighter, usually in January: an indoor trip rather than a campout, and a chance to spend the night somewhere most people never see after dark. We've slept at museums, at NASA, and aboard the USS Lexington.

Cub Scouts and families sleeping in front of illuminated aquarium tanks during an overnight event — The winter overnighter. Sleeping bags, and something worth waking up to.

A young scout approaching a line of uniformed adult leaders outdoors during a recognition ceremony — Spring campout is when ranks are awarded.

A family gathered around glowing camp lanterns at dusk, tents visible in the background — Evenings at camp.

When they happen

The fall campout is usually in October and the spring campout in April, both at state parks and campgrounds within a couple of hours of Austin. The winter overnighter lands in January. Dates and locations for the current year are announced at pack meetings and posted on the pack calendar.

If you're joining this autumn, the fall campout is the best introduction to the pack there is. Ask your den leader about the next one.

Scouts in matching yellow shirts crossing a rocky creek bed on a wooded hike — Working out a creek crossing on a campout day hike.

What to expect on your first campout

Cubs camp with a parent or guardian, not on their own. Pack 162 supplies the group gear; families bring their own tents, sleeping bags, and personal items.

Questions about gear? Just ask. Nobody expects a new family to turn up with the right kit first time, and this is the sort of thing the pack is genuinely happy to help with. Ask your den leader, ask at a pack meeting, or get in touchand we'll talk you through what you actually need and what you can borrow.

Day hikes and shorter outings

Two Cub Scouts fishing off a wooden dock on a calm lake — Fishing off the dock at the fall campout.

Between overnight campouts, the pack runs day hikes, fishing outings, and the occasional service project at parks around Austin. These are great low-commitment ways for new families to see how the pack operates before committing to a full overnight trip.