Here are the answers to some of the most Frequently Asked Questions about Philmont.
Payment of Training Center fees by Visa or MasterCard are accepted however Camping Headquarters is NOT able to accept credit card payments for fees. Philmont's Trading Post (Tooth of Time Traders) and the gift shop at the Philmont Museum accept both MasterCard and Visa credit cards.
We're sorry, but pets of any kind are not allowed at Philmont.
During the summer, daytime temperatures commonly reach 80 to 90° F but with very low humidity. Night time temperatures are usually very comfortable and sometimes even a bit chilly (occasionally reaching into the 40's and even lower in the higher elevations). Mid-afternoon thunder showers are fairly common but seldom last more than an hour.
There is some cell phone coverage in the Philmont Training Center and Camping Headquarters area, but it is not a strong signal. The ranch uses Plateau Wireless which has fair coverage in most areas. Many participants find they can get a fairly good signal on their phones by driving about a mile and a half south of Camping Headquarters on Hwy. 21 to a high spot just above Cattle Headquarters. Pay phones are located throughout the Training Center and Camping Headquarters areas. Please be prepared to use a calling card, a 800 number, or place a collect call as the phones to not take money.
There is a wireless network that can be accessed from most locations at the Philmont Training Center and at Camping Headquarters. Because of the high demand, however, each user is limited to 2 hours of access each day for your personal computer.
At this time there is no formal transportation between Philmont and Cimarron. Generally there are other participants at the Training Center who have vehicles and would not mind giving you a ride. In 2006, many crews arranged for bus transportation (for a fee) through our Logistics staff, and we will plan to offer that as an alternative again in 2007.
Philmont Training Center participants are able to hike the Nature Trail, the Urraca Trail, the T-Rex Trail, and the Lover's Leap Trail. The Tooth of Time Trail and other backcountry trails are restricted to backcountry program participants only.
There are two coin-operated laundry facilities at Philmont. One is conveniently located at the Philmont Training Center and the other is at Camping Headquarters.
There are no merit badge classes offered at Philmont. However, many of the programs scouts are involved in at the Training Center and in the backcountry may meet requirements of numerous merit badges. It will be up to your merit badge counselor at home to decide to accept requirements done at Philmont. Ask the Training Center staff or your crew's advisor to provide written documentation, if your counselor requires it.
We do not have rooms to rent, but each participant and their families are assigned tents and most faculty members are assigned roofed housing. If you are looking to stay near Philmont check out the hotels in Cimarron or the Casa de Gavilan.
Yes. The Training Center has wheel chair accessible tents. If you have special requests or questions please contact the training center.
The tents at the Training Center are for two or three people. We do have cots and cribs if you have younger children. At Camping Headquarters, the tents you will be housed in for your first and last night are two-person wall tents.
We do not have the hook-ups for trailers but you can bring and store them here in the parking lots.
You will be able to see your child(ren) during lunch (11:20am - 1:20pm) and they stay will you for the rest of the day and evening after program in the afternoons (program ends at 4:20pm). Family day is a chance for you and your family to enjoy the whole day together. Children on Mt. Trek are out for the entire week.
For shipping to Philmont, this is your shipping/mailing address:
Your Name
Your Confrence and the week
Philmont Training Center
17 Deer Run Road
Cimarron, NM 87714
Boxes should be shipped via U.S. Mail, Federal Express, or UPS. Other s ervices do not deliver to Philmont. Do not rely on next day service, allow at least one week.
Shipping from Philmont: stop by the Training Center's services office and we will help you take care of getting everything back home.
At the Training Center we are able to keep small valuables in the office. Ask office staff for assistance. At Camping Headquarters, each crew is allowed a large manila envelop for storage in our safe while hiking in the backcountry.
At the Training Center, there is a refrigerator in the tent cities if you need to store medications or things like infant formula but it is not a general-use refrigerator. Likewise, Camping Headquarters features refrigeration in our health lodge for medications only.
At the Training Center, check-in begins on Sunday at 1:00 pm and ends at 5:00 pm. For LDS weeks check-in is Saturday between 2:00pm and 4:00pm. Please note the start and ends times and plan to arrive during that time frame.
At Camping Headquarters, there is someone available at the Welcome Center around the clock. Formal check-in at CHQ offices is from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily.
For Training Center participants: Coming from Cimarron,, turn left on Orchard Drive and follow the road to the Training Center. There will be staff members to greet you near the covered wagon (the Welcome Wagon).
For Camping/Trek participants: Coming from Cimarron, continue past the Training Center, Villa Philmonte, Philmont Museum, and turn right at the Camping Headquarters sign. As you past through the main gateway, turn left to the Welcome Center.
There are a number of things that you can do
1. Visit Cimarron and enjoy the galleries, museums, and shops
2. Visit the Tooth of Time Traders located at Camping Headquarters
3. Visit the Philmont Museum and the Seton Library
4. Visit Philmont's Kit Carson Museum at Rayado, located 7 miles south of PTC & CHQ on Highway 21
If you are a Training Center participant and arrive after 5:00pm, your housing assignment and instructions for the evening will be posted outside the Philmont Training Center Registration. The tent city managers will be available after opening campfire so you can retrieve your packet.
If you are a Camping/Trek participant, go to the Welcome Center first no matter what time you arrive.
Generally, no. Check with registration at least two weeks before your planned arrival date to see if there are accommodations available or look into arrangements off-site by contacting the Cimarron Chamber of Commerce 575-376-2417 or 1-888-376-2417, website: www.cimarronnm.com.