H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation--More information

Information for H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation (Scout-owned)

Camp address	Contact Information
5525 NE Scout Camp Road Osceola, MO 64776-9000 Forecast for this area (at weather.com)	Heart of America Council Council contact information Contact email Website

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Comments for H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation

H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation is located in the hills of Southern Missouri on Truman Lake. The reservation consists of 4,200 acres of hardwood timber and has three camps, Lone Star, Sawmill and Piercing Arrow. Each camp has it's own dining hall, swimming pool, nature lodge, craft lodge, scoutcraft lodge and general council ring. The camp sessions at Bartle run a full ten days. The primary honor-camper organization is the Tribe of Mic-O-Say. The camps share a common waterfront. The merit badge offerings are quite extensive and the Ranger Outpost program insures that different program and experiences can be had even with repeated attendance.

(posted on Mar 16,2000)

This camp had 10,000 boy scouts, leaders, and webleos last summer (2000). With the delegation of the webelos to camp naish (kansas), the camp will have around 8500 people this summer (2001). There are 6- 10 day sessions. As far as micosay goes. I've heard of OA lodges with 200 active members. At just one ceremony we can have 1500 people packed into our council ring. The council has a mailing list of 15,000 members (out of 70,000 total) and over half of those are in the ceremonies each summer. We're adding 1300 new tribesmen each summer. The council has a 6% eagle scout turnout (2000 numbers), mostly because of the camp and micosay. I seem to remember that the camp and the council has been numbered among the best camps in the nation, somewhere in the top 10. One other thing. The camp draw is done, and camp is at capacity on the first day of the draw. www.hoac-bsa.org

(posted on Apr 26,2001)

What an awesome camping experience. So much fun! There are three subcamps: Piercing Arrow, Lonestar, and Sawmill. Each runs seperately with its own dining hall, pool, program, etc. Piercing Arrow is definitely the best!

(posted on Aug 20,2001)

There are a few drawbacks to Bartle. The council, in its infinite wisdom, decided to tell Jimmy Bartle Taylor, the daughter of H. Roe Bartle, that she could no longer have a summer cabin at the camp in the mid 1990's despite the fact that she spends time there each summer as an honored guest of the camp and all of its youth.

The three trading posts are poorly organized and ran, the council makes sure that Scott's store in Iconium gets plenty of business because the (largly empty) Trading Posts do not meet the needs of campers. Camp Naish had a far better Trading Post this summer (2001) than Bartle did and it is the ugly stepchild of HOAC.

The camp's dusty roads are jammed with high speed Johnson County drivers who overrun camp and turn it into a giant picnic each Sunday.

(posted on Sep 17,2001)

Bartle Reservation is not a typical scout camp it is two to three times the scout camp of any other. The staff cares about each and every scout and leader as well. The learning experiences at Bartle are beyond compare. I speak of this with over thirty years in scouting and working on staff at Bartle as well as many other camps I am also the shooting sports director for a council in Arkansas and I know that my son will soon walk the trails of Bartle. The ten day camping program is easier for the scouts to learn and earn more.

(posted on Jan 22,2002)

Just a note about Jimmy Bartle. She has been given a place to stay and has been a very active visitor to camp the last few years. The cabin she was staying in wasn't suitable for someone who had trouble getting around, is what I heard. I do agree about the trading posts and the Johnson County drivers though. They had reorganized the trading posts recently, so we will see this summer. It is still the best program going though! Naish would do better if they could get their Arrowman to be as dedicated as Mic-O-Say Tribesman are (and get their money).

(posted on May 21,2002)

If you have trouble retaining your scouts once the fumes (gas & Per)start hitting, then this is the camp to see. Plan on contacting the Heart of America Council to attend the camp draw for 2003. It should occur in October. Help your Troop to attain more Eagle Scouts.

(posted on Jun 25,2002)

Speaking as a dedicated Arrowman and a Tribesman and attending 14 years at Bartle, 4 as a youth in the 60's and the last ten years as an adult seeing the old and the new. I have to say that Bartle is one of the best camps I have attended as a youth and as an adult. I am a Professional Parent and this year I had 20 scouts 14 of them were Foster Children go to camp. The staff bent over backwards to help us have a successful session. The new trading post are great. Hats off to the Sawmill Staff. As for Scotts General Store. That is a must, Bartle would not be the same without the peach floats.

(posted on Aug 20,2002)

The H Roe Bartle Scout Reservation is among the finest scout camps in the US. Each summer we have more than 10,000 campers stay during 6 10-day long sessions. For the past several years I have served on staff as both a merit badge instructor and counselor. The staff works very hard to ensure that every scout has fun, and, most of the time, the leaders too. The reason I most frequently associate with Bartle's success is the development of an honor camping program called the Tribe of Mic-O-Say. There is simply no other program like it; H Roe Bartle, grandson of a US Senator (VA) and former Kansas City mayor, developed a program to keep older scouts involved with their troops until they become adults. As a boy raised in Scouting, I can assure absolutely everyone that Mic-O-Say has kept me active in Scouting for at least ten years. I cannot emphasize enough how great of a camp Bartle is and I recommend it to absolutely everyone.

(posted on Sep 3,2002)

H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation is THE BEST Summer Camp Expierence I have ever gone through! The Tribe of Mic-O-Say is much better than the Order of the Arrow National Program! Camp Lone Star is the best Sub Camp!

(posted on Jun 22,2003)

Comments from a Grandparent that went to vistor day.

As a total experience I think the H Roe Bartle Scout Reservation is a good thing for a Boy Scout. As with everything there are good things and also some not so good. I don't want to dwell on the bad but there are a few things that I feel need improvement.

1) The trading post to me needs improvement. Very poorly arranged which makes it hard to move people through in a orderly manner.

2) There seems to be a greater concern on the upkeep of the Tribe of Mic-O-Say area at the cost of the other areas of this camp. The roads in the Mic-O-Say area had new gravel while the other areas were mainly dust and rock.

3)The camp as a whole could use a good overhaul in how to install signs. As a first timer we got lost trying to find our grandson's camp. I would recommend a sign be installed at the entrance of each area with each troop's number listed. Knowing that this changes from week to week I would suggest that each troop be responsible for installing their troop number on this sign and the removal at the end of their stay.

4) While they claim to have great concerns for each scout my grandson had to sleep on a cot that was torn when he got there. And when it was brought to the attention of the leadership they said there were no spares. I don't think for the money that was paid for this outing the very least would be that a scout wouldn't have to sleep on a torn cot.

In closing again I repeat by in large I was impressed with H Roe Bartle Scout Reservation. It is far better than anything we had when I was in scouting.

(posted on Jul 11,2003)

The Bartle camping experience is unlike any other! Much of the camp's success can be attributed to the hundreds of dedicated scouts and scouters who staff the three camps on the reservation (Camp Sawmill, Camp Lone Star, and Camp Piercing Arrow). Another very special part of camp is the Tribe of Mic-O-Say. Created in the late 1920s by former Kansas City Mayor H. Roe Bartle, it has been a guiding force for the camp and council. In its 75th year, the tribe has grown in both numbers and strength. The tribe was honored to have Chief Scout Executive Roy Williams visit the camp last summer (2003). It was at a Mic-O-Say ceremonial that he was named a chieftan in the tribe. Other chiefs of our tribe include Jere Ratcliffe and David Ross. Ratcliffe served the Heart of America Council as Scout Executive before being appointed as Chief Scout Executive. David Ross also served our council as Scout Executive until being named Asst. Chief Scout Executive to Roy Williams. The strong leadership of our council and tribe has impacted the program in the Heart of America Council unbelievably.

(posted on Jan 5,2004)

The Tribe of Mic-O-Say is a great program intended to help youth develop scouting values, while being led by adults. The Order of the Arrow is intended to help youth develop scouting values, while being led by youth. As an active member of both I would ask that posters to this site please stop comparing Mic-O-Say to OA. They have the same goal and should work together while maintaining seperate identities.

(posted on Jun 14,2004)

I just got back 2 days ago from the 75th anniversary of Mic-o-Say at Bartle and I once again have fallen in love with this place. This will be my 7th year of camping there and have managed to stay at least one session in each of the three camps. The memories I have from the past 6 years with my friends are amazing. The experiences gained from Bartle don't just stop at Bartle, they have shaped all that scouting has been for me, which is something that is far from small. The past few years have given the camp many new improvements as well. The trading posts commonly mentioned here have been redone and expanded and are never a problem to get into during camp. I would say that anyone can benefit from attending this camp. No matter what age you are there is some way for you to learn and grow. Ah, first session started today and I attend second session. Once again I'm looking foward to the best year of camp ever.

(posted on Jun 16,2004)

The H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation is the BEST Period Summer Camp in BSA!!! The roads going onto camp have been PAVED As well as a BRAND NEW ENTRANCE GATE THAT HAS BEEN PUT IN!!! New Gravel has been laid down in a 3 sub camps. Of all the camps LONE STAR IS THE BEST!!!

(posted on Jul 13,2004)

Tall weeds and an unkept property that looks neglected, a non youth led organization that still gets into grey areas on hazing, Supply Division infested camp trading posts, no Order of the Arrow, and almost non existant signage to camp. H. Roe Bartle does have its problems. I was frankly shocked at the conditions of camp when they hosted the last National Camp School in May of 2007. Camp Nash is a much better choice.

(posted on Aug 5,2007)

The H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation, originally built by it's namesake, H. Roe Bartle who was the Scout Executive and The Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, has been home to many thousands of Scouts and Scouters, as well as it’s honor camping program, the Tribe of Mic-O-Say, since 1929. The Camp will hold over 1500 Scouts in three camps each session. There are six 9 day sessions each summer, and there is a "draw" each Fall for campsites, as all sessions fill up quickly each year. With staff, the reservation will serve around 10,000 youth and adults each summer.

Our Troop (Troop 261 - Parkville, MO) just got back and all 40+ boys, and over 20 adults who went all had an incredible time. Lonestar is the camp of preference for the Scouts, who choose and run the program at camp. They stayed in the "Kickapoo" campsite this year. Everyday is packed full of activities including an extensive Merit Badge program, Olympic size swimming pools, lakefront program (Canoeing, sail boating, waterskiing, etc.) and, of course, the Tribe of Mic-O-Say (which again, H. Roe Bartle started) with all of the preparations, testing, honors, and ceremonies, it's a very impressive program that emphasizes Scouting and family values, and patriotism to the Scouts. A testament to the quality of this program is the highest percentage of Eagle Scouts in the nation the program supports (6% here where it's only 2% nationally).

Having visited, stayed, and staffed many Scout Camps around the country, I can highly recommend this camp as "One of the Best". The program and volunteers really make the program, and the facilities are top notch.

Now, if they could only do something about the weather...

(posted on Aug 14,2007)

BARTLE IS THE BOMB..........OR OSECOLA AS MANY OF KNOW IT......THE ORIGINAL NAME FOR THE CAMP.........THE BEST MEMORIES OF TMY CHILDHOOD ARE AT BARTLE......AGAIN IT IS THE BOMB.......WARRIOR LONE DASHING MUSTANG.......

(posted on Oct 20,2008)

I went to Camp Bartle for the first time in 2013 as a part-time adult staying for the first 3 nights & going home on Family Day. This was my impression of my time there.

It is a huge camp with 3 sub-camps. Most Merit Badges are offered at all 3 sub-camps, but some are only offered at one of them. Scouts must use the bus system or walk between the Sub-Camps to get to the Waterfront or the MBs that are only offered in one place. While Bartle has all the Waterfront MBs, Scouts must have both the Swimming and Lifesaving MBs to get in the "lottery" for the limited spaces in those MBs. Thus, older Scouts comprise the majority of those taking those MBs.

Since the camp is 10 days long, there is an adequate mix of Merit Badge time and free time available for the Troops to hone their leadership. There are 2 MB periods in the morning and 2 in the afternoon. There are 6 days of these and MBs either last 3 or 6 days depending on the difficulty of the MB and its requirements. The other 4 days are arrival, departure, family, & make-up day which is the day before camp ends. Scouts have an extra day to go back to those MBs where they need to finish off requirements. Depending on the MBs chosen , it is quite easy to earn between 4-6 MBs at the camp. From what I saw of observing classes, the staff held the Scouts to the standard.

New Scouts can use one of their MB periods to take "Trail to First Class" to hone their T-2-1 skills. TTFC lasts 7 days and each day concentrates on a different aspect: First Aid, Knots, Map & Campass, etc. Scouts can attend all the sessions or just the sessions they need to meet their next rank, but all of the T-2-1 requirements for that subject are done at the same time. The staff, however, DOES NOT sign off in the Scout's Handbook. The Scout must return to their Troop and demonstrate they can do the skill and have a Troop Leader (or Designated Scouts) sign off on the requirements to receive credit.

Mic-O-Say is important at Bartle and there are several evening ceremonies that the Scouts attend. The mystique of Mic-O-Say is probably what draws the older Scouts to continue to return to Bartle. Sometimes, however, it appeared to me that the Scouts were supporting the Mic-O-Say program instead of the Mic-O-Say program was supporting the Scouting program.

Overall, I would give Bartle an 8 on a 1-10 Scale. I am a tough grader though and last year being my first Boy Scout Camp in about 40+ years, I will do not have other experiences for comparison.

(posted on Apr 22,2014)

I have been to a number of camps over the years, and had always heard so much about how great Bartle was from scouts and scouters. I really expected for the place to be the greatest camp on earth, a magical place almost like a BSA version of Disney Land or something. I can honestly say it is mostly hype after having camped there last year with my son's troop. Don't get me wrong, it is a Huge camp, with all sorts of stuff to do, but there are some obvious deficiencies.

One universal complaint I heard from scouts is the Food sucks. I will be more honest, it was honestly just very bland. It reminded me of hospital food, but without the variety that you might find in the hospital. It won't kill you, but if we were basing Bartle on food alone, it would score very poorly. It doesn't surprise me that the little store outside of camp does so well, personally, I found BBQ sauce was a necessary topping for pretty much everything, and if I had cared to try, it might have even helped the pudding stuff they put on the table, which the scouts warned me was a sure fire way to end up with diarrhea. The taste was enough to not make me test it, it was flavorless. Ok, I don't really care about the food, but when yours spending as much money as I did for this camp, even McDonalds would have been better. ON the plus side, I didn't eat enough to really need to use the out houses, which brings me to my next point.

Another issue, most camps don't have flush toilets in abundance, but Bartle had the unique feature of having only 1 toilet (I flush toilet, and one toilet only) in the subcamp we stayed in for ALL adult males. Yes they have outhouses in every camp, but there were no toilets in the dining hall, in fact, you couldn't wash your hands in the dining hall. I didn't check, but figure they probably had two in the women's section. All these were located in the one and only place to take a shower in the entire camp (which is quite large) and that was the swimming pool. Pretty much like the camps I went to back in the 70s. One of the biggest complaints from my scout was they simply have too much free time every day. Most camps have a one week session that I have found in my research, and in that one week it is pretty standard for each scout to easily achieve 6 merit badges, but at Bartle a scout will have over 3 hours of free time (which is seldom used constructively), and will probably only get 4-6 merit badges if they are lucky. Every resource from the council seems to go into building their Mic o say program, they have a wonderfully huge Lone Bear Council ring, with all sorts of lights and sound system, and a great trading post for tribesman only, but the rest of the camp feels like it needs a good cleaning and repainting. The tents were also in really poor shape, the stands for the most part look like they dated back the 50s, with the exception of a few new ones which were VERY Nice, they sagged, and had some sort of brace the tent was tied too, that mostly had bent over the years causing the tents to sag even more.

OK, now that I have busted their chops, on the plus side, they have wonderful new pavilions in every camp, built from what I understand was FEMA matching grants or such, after a terrible incident up near Council Bluffs where a tornado killed a number of scouts at a camp. They also have a fantastic swimming pool in every one of the three subcamps. The trails in camp were well maintained as were the roads. Parking is limited, but adequate.

I would say the strongest draw of Bartle is the Mic-o-say program, which seems to approach a near cult like status among the scouts in the council. On the advise of another scouter, I went up to Camp Geiger up near St Joseph Mo, after we went to camp there, and found that their version of Mic-o-say seems to be much more colorful and vibrant as the costumes worn at Bartle were all pretty much just a pair of shorts, shoes, a loin cloth and a headband with a feather or two and a colored poppom that is colored according to the rank of the person wearing it. At Camp Geiger, there were all dressed out in colorful native american costumes with facepaint, feather bustles, beadwork and lots of leather. I don't know if any of that makes a difference, but it sure is impressive when you see it.

All told, I would say Bartle is probably a good camp, that needs to spend more money on the facilities, food and program. It isn't the worst camp I have ever been too, but it definitely isn't the best I have spent time in. I can't say I am a fan of the whole 10 day thing, as I don't want to spend 10 days there ever again. However, for those people who love it, and they really do love the place, I wish you all the best and many happy camping days ahead, but do ask them to spruce up the place a bit, there is far more potential in this camp than you may realize, but the current management is pretty much sitting on their Mic-o-say laurels and figuring that will keep them going forever. They owe the scouts more than that.

(posted on Jul 7,2017)

My son completed his 6th straight summer camping with his troop at Camp Bartle, but it was his first time at Sawmill instead of Piercing Arrow. This was good as he was closer to the waterfront, which was the only merit badges he had not already earned. He was there with two other 6-year campers due to Mic-O-Say where he received his elevation to Fire Builder. It appears the Waterfront had some excellent instructors as he drove a boat and went water skiing for the first time. While he earned his Motorboating MB in the single 1/2 designated, he had to return for a 2nd day for Water Sports. While he got up easily on the first day, he failed to meet one of the requirements. It was great they were holding the campers to the standards for their MBs. My son will probably not return to Bartle next year for his final camp for 2 reasons. First, he would have too much time on his hands and do not see paying entire camp fee for his Mic-O-Say elevation. Second, he wants to staff at Camp Naish, our council's other camp. Primarily, because he has been selected as an SPL for a World Jamboree contingent and Bartle staffers must work all sessions. Naish is more lenient in letting staffers off for events such as Naish. If he does well, he still should earn his elevation. Bartle offers a lot for both young and older Scouts. New toilets are going into most campsites. Unlike other posters, I think some "free" time is great and Scouts can earn 4-8 MBs depending on whether they select 3 or 6-day ones. With over 7,500 Boy Scouts attending each summer, they must be doing something right.

(posted on Jun 14,2019)

I read all the previous comments and it astounds me how the uninformed love to berate that which they do not understand. For the naysayers of Mic-O-Say, I tell you none of the Tribal grounds on the H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation receive ANY funding from the local council. They are maintained by Tribesmen for Tribesmen with ALL funding coming from Tribesmen. The Heart of America Council has the largest Order of the Arrow (2016/17 numbers) Lodge in the country resident at the other council camp - The Theodore Naish Scout Reservation. This is the result of a merger of two former councils. The genius of H. Roe Bartle and the Mic-O-Say program still brings Scout Executives from all over the country to this great Reservation every summer to better understand why Mic-O-Say still thrives while the council has the largest OA Lodge in the nation. Very few Scout camps are the size of HRB and therefore do not require as much maintenance so like our national highway system and bridges, there is always something renewed while other parts are put on hold until funding is appropriated.

Those that complain about camp food have never tried to cook hot meals for nearly 2500 people at a time, three times a day. You don't go to summer camp for the cuisine. It is what it is - sustenance.

For those who visit during a summer session or during National Camp School and find lots to complain about, think of the disservice you are doing to those who read your comments when this is the only camp they have a chance to attend. Your comments are not Scout-like and do not adhere to the Scout Oath and Law. It is easy to look for the negative, try being positive. Your life will be much brighter.

(posted on Jun 14,2019)

After returning to Scouting after about a 40-year hiatus with my 1st grade son, he is now a rising senior. I attended Bartle for a full session for the first time. As the previous poster said, Mic-O-Say and Camp Bartle have completely separate funding streams so upgrades to Mic-O-Say area are not funded by the council.

The food in 2019 wasn't the best, but it was better than previous years when I was a part-timer. I think they had a new vendor cooking.

As an honorary warrior selectee, I was exposed to the Mic-O-Say program and understand more about what makes it attractive to the Scouts. Mic-O-Say is probably the reason that Bartle (and the council) have one of the highest return rates in the country for older Scouts. Many Scouts were there for their 4th, 5th, 6th, and even 7th year of camping with their troop. Something that probably does not happen at many other camps.

For the most part, the Scouts like some free time and the schedule is conducive to this with free time after lunch and before dinner. During lunch and dinner, many units participate in Outposts such as Dinner with Snakes (good one for young Scouts), Shooting Clays (Shotgun Shooting), Top Shot, or Canoeing. This gives the Scouts a chance to do these things before taking them for a merit badge the next year.

Several evenings are taken up with Mic-O-Say campfires or other scheduled activities. There are some free nights & on one of these our troop's tradition is to take a hike to Iconium to get their famous Peach Nehi Float. For new Scouts that missed our March 5-mile hike, this is a chance to get this hike in on their way to 1st Class.

Bartle offers well over 50 merit badges including every water related merit badge except Whitewater. There is enough to keep most Scouts busy for 5 or 6 years or they can turn their focus to non-merit badge activities such as Advanced Sailing (if they have the Small-Boat Sailing MB), COPE, or STEM activities.

We were there in late June/early July & the weather could not have been better for that time of the year. We never got to Heat Alert 3 and only the Heat Alert 2 twice. There's enough shade to make it bearable. I didn't bring a battery-powered fan for my tent as most other adults did, but I still slept fine every night. One night, I even had to slip INSIDE of my sleeping bag but most nights I just laid on it with a poncho liner over me sometime in the wee morning hours.

(posted on Aug 7,2019)

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