Camp Hadley

- 449 County Rd, Marion, MA 02738

Nestled within the charming town of Marion, Massachusetts, Camp Hadley holds a distinct and honored place in the local community. It is not a commercial campground for general public bookings, but rather a vital, dedicated 21-acre outdoor facility that serves as the cherished home base for Marion’s Boy Scouts Troop 32 and Cub Scouts Troop 32. For generations of young men in the South Coast region, Camp Hadley has been synonymous with the essential scouting experience: a place to learn survival skills, build character, practice leadership, and forge the kind of deep, lifelong friendships that only shared outdoor adventures can create.

While the name "campground" might suggest a public recreational area, Camp Hadley is fundamentally a private, community-supported resource—a living, breathing center for youth development and outdoor education within the town of Marion. Its significance to the local population was dramatically highlighted recently when the camp faced a severe challenge. In March 2023, a brush fire spreading from a neighboring property caused significant damage, including the total loss of a storage shed and damage to the main cabin. However, the true spirit of the Marion community shone through, with an immediate outpouring of support, fundraising efforts, and dedicated rebuilding.

Today, Camp Hadley stands as a powerful testament to the resilience and commitment of the Marion community to its youth programs. The main cabin has been lovingly rebuilt and insulated, often described as being in the “best shape” it has been in decades. This facility continues its mission, providing a safe and essential space for local scouts to gather, train, and carry forward the proud traditions of the scouting movement.

Camp Hadley is strategically and beautifully located in the quintessential coastal town of Marion, MA. The physical address is 449 County Rd, Marion, MA 02738, USA.

The camp's position on County Road places it conveniently near the heart of Marion, yet the 21-acre property offers a sufficient buffer of woodland to ensure a genuine, rustic outdoor experience. This location is easily accessible for families residing in Marion, Mattapoisett, Rochester, and the surrounding towns that make up the Old Rochester Regional community. Its South Coast location means it is a manageable drive for local volunteer leaders and parents who are integral to the troop's operations.

The camp grounds are a vital piece of local history, offering a wooded, natural environment that is perfect for the kind of outdoor education and activities central to the scouting program. While it is tucked away enough to provide a true sense of being "in the woods," the location ensures that essential services, including emergency support (as demonstrated by the swift response of local fire departments), are quickly accessible. The ability to have this dedicated, sizable natural retreat close to home is a tremendous asset for the local scouting community.

As the private facility for the local Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, the "services" of Camp Hadley are centered on providing an ideal, supportive infrastructure for youth development and outdoor learning. The Camp Hadley Trust works to maintain the property for the benefit of these organizations and the community.

• Year-Round Scouting Home: The primary service is providing a permanent, dedicated base for Marion's Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts Troop 32 to conduct their meetings, trainings, and local activities.
• Main Cabin / Bunkhouse: Provides an essential indoor facility, recently rebuilt and insulated, for troop meetings, planning, and overnight stays, ensuring activities can continue in all weather.
• Outdoor Camping & Fire Safety Training: The 21-acre grounds are used for safe, controlled camping, fire-building practice, and outdoor survival skills training, which are fundamental to scouting.
• Storage and Equipment Housing: While a storage shed was lost in the fire, the rebuilt facility continues to provide space for the troop's essential gear, including camping equipment, building supplies, and materials for troop projects like Klondike Derby sleds and soapbox derby cars.
• Community Engagement and Safety Drills: The camp frequently partners with the Marion Fire Department for fire safety presentations and drills, ensuring the scouts and their leaders are educated on safe campfire practices and emergency response.
• Skill-Building Workshops: The grounds facilitate a wide array of merit badge and skill-building activities, providing a natural setting for learning about conservation, tracking, and outdoor craft.

The true highlights of Camp Hadley lie not just in its physical attributes, but in its profound communal and developmental value for the local residents.

• Dedicated 21-Acre Natural Sanctuary: Provides an expansive, private wooded area for the scouts, offering an authentic, immersive outdoor experience essential for youth camping and training.
• Resilience and Community Spirit: The successful and rapid reconstruction of the main cabin following the 2023 fire stands as a powerful local story of community rallying around its youth, supported by trustees, parents, and local fire personnel.
• Source of Lifelong Memories: As recalled by former scouts, Camp Hadley is the location for countless "wonderful memories" of growing up, developing character, and making friendships that last throughout life.
• Local Historic Landmark: While its exact founding date is tied to the troop's history, the continuous use of this land as an essential base for local youth makes it a cultural and historic landmark in Marion.
• Focus on Core Scouting Values: The camp provides the ideal backdrop for teaching fundamental values of self-reliance, leadership, community service, and preparedness, directly benefiting the character development of Marion's youth.
• Strategic Location for South Coast Families: Being located right off County Road makes it a highly convenient, yet appropriately secluded, meeting and camping site for families across the tri-town area and South Coast region of Massachusetts.

As Camp Hadley is a facility primarily used and maintained by the Marion Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts Troop 32 through the Camp Hadley Trust, general inquiries are best directed through the local scouting organizations or their affiliated contact persons regarding troop activities or facility use.

Address: 449 County Rd, Marion, MA 02738, USA

Camp Hadley in Marion is profoundly suitable for Massachusetts locals because it is an irreplaceable piece of local infrastructure dedicated to the future of the community’s children. It is not a place you visit for a weekend rental; it is a place you invest in, volunteer at, and send your children to for years of growth. For residents of Marion and the surrounding towns, this camp offers a critical resource: a dedicated, safe, and natural 21-acre laboratory for building leaders.

The powerful emotional connection locals have to Camp Hadley is evident in the swift and passionate response to the 2023 fire, where the community came together to ensure its survival and restoration. This demonstrates that Camp Hadley is a recognized, shared asset—a sanctuary where youth can disconnect from screens and truly learn to appreciate the Massachusetts outdoors, gain practical skills, and develop the bonds of brotherhood.

By supporting and utilizing Camp Hadley, local families are participating in a multi-generational tradition that instills resilience, responsibility, and an enduring connection to the natural beauty of the South Coast. It is a vital institution that transforms local boys into community-minded young men, ensuring that the legacy of strong character and outdoor appreciation continues for the next generation of Massachusetts residents.

Camp Hadley

449 County Rd, Marion, MA 02738, USA