Tom Brantner Memorial Camp, Glyndon, MN

Introduction / Overview

The Tom Brantner Memorial Camp in Glyndon, MN, is a dedicated facility that serves a specific and vital role in the regional outdoor community. Unlike a typical public campground open to all travelers, this property is a specialized resource operated by the Northern Lights Council of the Boy Scouts of America. It is intentionally designed to be an "Outdoor Classroom," offering a controlled, educational, and safe environment for Scouting units—including Troops, Packs, and Venture Crews—to conduct short-term and overnight camping experiences.

The camp embodies the principles of "Leave No Trace," ensuring that the natural setting in Clay County, Minnesota, is preserved for future generations of young people to learn and grow. While the primary focus is on serving the Scouting community, its existence as a non-commercial, purpose-driven camp highlights the importance of outdoor education in the region. The camp is utilized heavily during the core camping season but is generally available year-round, weather allowing, from early January through the end of October for overnight stays by approved units.

Location and Accessibility

The Tom Brantner Memorial Camp is located at 4141 180th St N, Glyndon, MN 56547, USA. This places the camp approximately 20 miles east of the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area, a key consideration for the families and organizations it serves. Its proximity to the major population center of the Red River Valley makes it highly accessible for weekly meetings, weekend camping trips, and short-notice training exercises for local units in both Minnesota and North Dakota.

The camp is situated in Clay County, an area known for its mixture of agricultural land and native prairie remnants. This setting provides a valuable, immersive outdoor experience without requiring the long travel times associated with more distant state forests or lakes country. For Minnesota residents in the western part of the state, it represents a nearby, dedicated outdoor training ground. The relative ease of access from major routes connecting Fargo, Moorhead, and surrounding communities ensures that logistics for youth groups remain simple and manageable.

Furthermore, the camp is located near other important regional outdoor landmarks, most notably the Buffalo River State Park. This nearby state park offers significant hiking trails, prairie landscapes, and additional educational opportunities, complementing the private setting of the Memorial Camp and expanding the available outdoor resources for local youth development.

Services Offered

As a facility focused on the essential needs of outdoor education and group camping, the services offered at Tom Brantner Memorial Camp are practical and tailored to support a structured, self-sufficient camping experience for Scout units:

LI>Designated Campsites: The property has established tent camping areas, often structured into three distinct campsites, designed to accommodate multiple troops or packs simultaneously.
LI>Sanitary Facilities: Latrines (outdoor toilet facilities) are provided at the campsites for proper sanitation, a mandatory requirement for approved youth camping.
LI>Drinking Water Access: Potable drinking water is available on-site at convenient locations, though units must follow standard health and safety protocols for water collection and consumption.
LI>Reservation System: Use of the camp requires a formal reservation through the Northern Lights Council, ensuring organized scheduling and resource management. Reservations are typically required a minimum of 30 days prior to the desired date.
LI>Leave No Trace Operation: The camp operates strictly as a "Leave No Trace" facility, requiring all units to carry out all garbage and waste, reinforcing environmental stewardship among participants.
LI>Basic Site Furniture: Each campsite is generally equipped with a picnic table to facilitate group meals and activities.

Features / Highlights

The Tom Brantner Memorial Camp is defined by its core mission and location, offering distinct features that make it an invaluable asset to the local community:

LI>Exclusive Scout Usage: The main feature is its dedication to Scouting, providing a controlled, private, and distraction-free environment specifically for youth development, team-building, and rank advancement activities.
LI>Educational Resource: It functions as an "Outdoor Classroom," where young people can practice essential camping skills, learn about local ecology, and understand environmental principles like "Leave No Trace."
LI>Year-Round Potential: While most tent camping occurs during warmer months, the camp is technically available throughout most of the year (January 2 - October 31, weather allowing), enabling units to conduct cold-weather camping and winter activity programs.
LI>Proximity to Fargo-Moorhead: Its close location makes it highly convenient for weekend trips, avoiding the high travel costs and time commitment often associated with reaching more remote state parks in the broader Minnesota Lakes area.
LI>Group Focus: The camp's layout and reservation structure are optimized for groups (Troops, Packs, Venture Crews), providing dedicated space and resources for large-scale youth activities.

Contact Information

Since the Tom Brantner Memorial Camp is a private facility of the Boy Scouts of America, reservations and inquiries are handled centrally by the managing council’s service centers, not a public campground office.

Address: 4141 180th St N, Glyndon, MN 56547, USA

Primary Reservation Contact: Minot Service Center (Northern Lights Council)

Phone: 701-839-2260

Note: All reservations for the use of the camp, including fee inquiries for Scout members versus non-Scout member use (if permitted), must be directed to the Northern Lights Council service centers.

Conclusion: Why this place is suitable for locals

For Minnesota residents, especially those in the western counties near the Red River Valley, the Tom Brantner Memorial Camp is an essential piece of local infrastructure, particularly for families involved in Scouting. While it is not a destination for the general public seeking a weekend RV spot, its suitability for local Minnesotans is tied directly to its community purpose and accessibility.

The camp provides a vital, close-to-home outdoor laboratory for the thousands of local youth participating in the Boy Scouts of America program. It ensures that area Scouting units have a dedicated, safe, and appropriate place to hold camping events and practice outdoor skills without having to travel deep into the Lakes Country or compete for space at public state parks. Its Glyndon location minimizes travel time and costs for local families, making essential character-building and outdoor education programs more accessible.

In essence, the Tom Brantner Memorial Camp is a highly valuable, purpose-built asset that reinforces local youth programs by offering a consistent, quality, and strategically located facility in Clay County—a true regional hub for developing the next generation of Minnesotan outdoor enthusiasts and leaders.