Camp Bonner (Camp Bonner North): Primitive Wilderness Adventure
If your unit or crew is looking to disconnect from the digital world and truly test their outdoor skills, Camp Bonner offers the ultimate backcountry experience. Located within the Herbert C. Bonner Scout Reservation along the rugged, scenic northern bank of the Pamlico River, this property is the council's premier destination for pure, primitive wilderness camping.
Spanning hundreds of acres of untouched coastal wilderness, Camp Bonner focuses on a back-to-basics approach that heavily emphasizes self-reliance, crew teamwork, and environmental stewardship. It provides a stark, rugged contrast to the modernized facilities of the main reservation, making it the perfect proving ground for patrol leadership, high-adventure shake-down camps, and survival-style weekend campouts.
Key Features of the Primitive Camp:
- Immersive Wilderness Setting: Wooded, secluded, and quiet acreage situated right along the coastal river plain, offering a vast, untouched landscape for exploring, hiking, orienteering, and wilderness survival instruction.
- Large Group & Camporee Capacity: Despite its primitive nature, the property features expansive open spaces capable of handling very large group gatherings. It has a rich legacy of hosting major council events, including the annual East Carolina Camporee.
- True "Off-Grid" Camping: Designed specifically for units who want to "rough it." There are no permanent structural conveniences, allowing your Scouts to focus purely on traditional camp craft, pioneering, and field engineering.
- What to Expect (Strictly Primitive): Unlike traditional camps with modern infrastructure, Camp Bonner is a pack-in, pack-out property. There are no flush toilets, showers, electricity, or water spigots at the campsites.
Renter Requirements & Discretion:
- Water & Provisions: Units are entirely responsible for bringing every drop of water they will need for drinking, cooking, and sanitation, or must be prepared to filter and purify natural water sources.
- Leave No Trace (LNT): Strict adherence to Leave No Trace principles is mandatory. Every piece of trash, gear, and waste must be packed out when your unit departs.
- Gear Check: Your unit's packing list must include durable tents, weather-appropriate sleeping setups, first-aid kits, dependable lighting, and independent outdoor cooking/stove equipment.
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Day
08:00 AM
10:00 PM
Night
05:00 PM
10:00 AM
Camp Use Policy
Camp Bonner: Check-In Procedures
Arrival Time & Wilderness Fees: 5:00 PM Default.
- Standard check-in begins at 5:00 PM. Arriving early requires prior approval from the Camp Ranger and will incur the following fees:
- Arrival between 12:00 PM and 5:00 PM: Half-day charge.
- Arrival before 12:00 PM: Full-day charge.
Call the Ranger Before Entering:Contact: Fred Small at 252-290-5785.
- Because Camp Bonner is a secluded, primitive property, you must call Camp Ranger Fred Small at 252-290-5785 before your unit enters the property. Ranger Fred will meet your leadership to formally check you in, collect your mandatory unit roster, verify your outback safety compliance, and direct you to your designated wilderness staging area.
Primitive Prep & Water Supply Check:
- There is no running water or electricity on the Camp Bonner property. During check-in, leadership must verify that the unit has packed in an adequate, independent supply of potable water for drinking, cooking, and sanitation.
Camp Bonner: Check-Out Procedures
Departure Time & Fees:10:00 AM Default.
- Standard check-out is at 10:00 AM. Late check-outs must be approved by the Camp Ranger and will incur the following fees:
- Departure between 12:00 PM and 5:00 PM: Half-day charge.
- Departure after 5:00 PM: Full-day charge.
Strict Leave No Trace (LNT) Clean-Up:
Before calling the Ranger for departure, your unit must thoroughly sweep the entire wilderness area used to ensure it is left better than you found it:
- Pack It In, Pack It Out: Absolutely no trash may be left behind. All garbage, food scraps, and waste must be securely bagged and packed out of the property by your unit.
- Ground Sweep: Conduct a detailed line-sweep of the campsite to check for micro-trash, forgotten gear, or strings.
- Fires: All primitive campfires must be completely extinguished with water and stirred until the ashes are cold to the touch. No hot coals or smoking wood may be left behind under any circumstances.
Call the Ranger to Clear the Property:Contact: Fred Small at 252-290-5785.
- Once your unit has completely cleared the site and packed all vehicles, call Camp Ranger Fred Small at 252-290-5785 to notify him that you are clearing the property. A physical inspection of the primitive area will be conducted to ensure full compliance with council conservation and cleanup standards.
⚠️ Penalty Note: A $100 non-compliance fine will be automatically charged to the unit if the site is not left entirely clean or if the unit fails to properly notify the Ranger upon departure, in addition to any environmental remediation fees.
Refunds that are made 30 days or later from the reservation will be a full refund minus any bank fees. Refunds made 7 days to 30 days prior to the reservation will be given a half refund. Refunds less than a week prior to the event will be up to the discretion of the council. No refunds will be issued once the reservation starts.
