Frequently Asked Questions

3161 Kennaway Rd

Haliburton, ON

K0M 1S0

Latitude/Longitude: 45.087743 / 78.320439 

GPS: 45 5’15N / 78 19’13W 

See Google Maps

Everyone staying at the HSR must be an active registered member of Scouts Canada, Guirl Guides of Canada or if from outside Canada, the equivalent Scouting organization. Or a member of a 3rd party like-minded organization.

Group Commissioners are to ensure their group has appropriate leadership and Scouter: Youth ratio as per Scouts Canada policy. All adults must be screened according to Scouts Canada Volunteer Screening Procedure requirements.

Perhaps you have not been to HSR before--we hope you are considering coming!

Your group arrives fully self-contained for a week at one of our 23 campsites on our largest lake, Kennabi. Scouts Canada programs emphasize “youth led” experiences, so your group youth leadership team should be involved from now! They should be leading the discussion of the program options, helping plan the pace of activities and establishing the duty roster for camp chores.

The Scouters serve as mentors and coaches to the youth leadership team. The Scouter is also responsible for ensuring the safety of everyone and addressing discipline issues.

The energetic HSR Staff will provide instruction at the various program areas, which are designed to give youth a safe adventurous experience. HSR is also a great environment to learn about and practice skills and tasks for Scouts Canada Personal Achievement Badges and Outdoor Adventure Skills. All programs are optional, some groups choose to just have an enjoyable camping experience of their own design.

For detailed information, please read the Scouter's Guide.

Fees are set annually. There is a minimum charge per campsite. This is the lowest fee you would pay for your stay at the Reserve. This means that the number of people you have on site multiplied by the ‘per person’ fee should total more than the minimum fee, or you will pay the minimum fee.

The fee includes:

• transportation of your group and gear to your campsite upon arrival;

• all program facilities and equipment;

• program instructors;

• canoes for the week, paddles, and PFDs; and

• transportation from your campsite at the end of your visit.

• (and with a little luck, constant sunshine!)

The fee does not include:

• purchases made at our country store or trading post;

• camp crests;

• charges for ammunition at the rifle range,

• outboard motor rental (optional);

• any gasoline for any outboard motor, whether rented or your own; and

• costs for any loss or damages incurred.

These charges would be added to your bill at the end of the week.

 Pricing

The fees per camper for the summer of 2025 are:

$349.00 + HST/person/week for Scouts Canada Members

$375.00 + HST/person/week for Girl Guides of Canada Members

$409.00 + HST/person/week for Boy Scouts of America Troops or other 3rd party like-minded organizations

The per-person fees and any other fees accumulated at HSR will be calculated onto a final invoice (less the $500.00 CAD deposit received at time of booking) and paid at the camp on the Friday before your groups departure. Please be sure to bring a cheque payable to Scouts Canada to submit at check out.

Please note: If you are booking as part of a 3rd party like-minded organization, you will be required  to submit a valid certificate of insurance from your provider once your booking has been received. We will also issue you a contract that will need to be completed and return to us prior to your arrival date. (Girl Guides of Canada groups are exempt from this requirement.)

Boy Scouts of America Troops must have a letter of introduction provided at check-in upon arrival.

You are ready to reserve your site when the following questions have been answered:

1. How many youth and Scouters will be attending? Some sites are better designed for smaller groups

2. Which site do we want to use? There are 23 sites on Lake Kennabi. An availability chart is located at our booking site here

3. When do we want to arrive? Groups normally arrive after 12:00 p.m. on any Saturday in July and August. Other arrival days are possible—ask us!

Once you have answered all of the above questions, visit our booking site here

There are 22 campsites around our largest lake, Kennabi Lake that are only accessible by boat. There is one (1) remote site on Hurst Lake on the Reserve that can be used for longer stays, as well as six (6) other defined remote sites on the camp property that can be reached by hiking.

For additional assistance in selecting a site, send an email to hsr2@scout.ca We will suggest a site that takes into consideration the average age and number of campers in your group. The www.friendsofhsr.ca website has a collection of maps of the various campsites.

If you arrive with a significant difference between your predicted number of campers and your actual number, we reserve the right to change your campsite.

Each of the sites on Lake Kennabi has:

• a dock;

• defined tent sites and dining area site;

• picnic tables;

• a 1 metre diameter well-tile cooler with lid (this acts as storage space);

• a portable toilet (for sanitary reasons, each group digs a new hole each week);

• a buoyed no-boat zone with reach assist, lifeguard buoy, ring buoy and spine board (these are not toys!);

• row boat with oars;

• an internal camp phone, and

• sufficient deadfall for campfires.

The Hurst Lake site has a raised platform pavilion, a row boat, canoes, and picnic tables.

In order to confirm your sire, you must pay a $500 (CAD funds) deposit. You pay the balance of your fee on Friday afternoon of your week at camp. You must pay the your balance with cash or cheque only. We are now accepting credit and debit! A 3% surcharge will be applied if paying by credit or debit.

2025 Cancellation Policy

All HSR Summer bookings: To secure the desired week and site at Haliburton Scout Reserve, a $500.00 CAD deposit must be paid in full at time of your online booking of which, 10% of the deposit is non-refundable. (Convenience fees at time of booking are also non-refundable)

Request to cancel an HSR summer booking before March 9, 2024: Refund all but 10% of the $500.00 CAD deposit received at time of booking. ($450.00 will be refunded back to the group. Convenience fees paid at time of booking are non-refundable)

Request to cancel an HSR summer booking between March 10, 2024 and before April 6, 2024: Refund $250.00 (Convenience fees paid at time of booking are non-refundable)

Request to cancel an HSR summer booking April 7, 2024 onward: Zero refunds will be issued. You may change the week selected to a different week within the summer of 2023, or, you may transfer the booking to another group in which, they will be responsible to reimburse your group for the deposit, and the Scouts Canada Property Team will update the booking reservation to reflect the new group’s contact information.

All cancellations or booking transfers MUST be done in writing and emailed to propertybookings@scouts.ca.

**Phone messages will not be accepted as notice of your cancellation. ** 

Scouts Canada reserves the right to cancel any booking at any time. 

We are a semi-wilderness camp. Bring all equipment necessary for an independent camping experience. Include items such as: tents, dining fly,  stoves (and all fuel and fittings!), water containers, closed food storage containers, all cooking and eating utensils, lanterns, shovel, CLEAR plastic garbage bags, and an emergency whistle for each person.

All personal gear. HSR is in the Canadian Shield – all types of weather should be expected (i.e. – hot, cold, dry, and wet). Remember to include any materials and equipment for special programs and games that you wish to have on your site. We many be a summer camp, but it can get cold - especially at night. 

All personal gear and the group equipment must be loaded onto a pontoon boat by hand. There are no mechanical lifting machines. Members will unload this equipment at their site dock and then take it to their camping area. The same process will occur when leaving the site.

Please look through the Scouter's Guide for a more detailed list. 

Country Store

For your convenience, HSR operates “The Country Store” and “The Trading Post”. There is no need to worry about transporting your week’s supply of food. Prices are comparable to a village variety store. If we do not have it, we can usually obtain common items with 24 hours' notice. There’s no need to worry about cash—all purchases can be added to your group’s final bill. Charges close at 11:00am sharp on Friday in the Store.

Groceries…

• Meat and poultry

• Ground beef

• Sandwich meats

• Bacon, sausages

• Soups, crackers

• Fresh fruit and vegetables

• Milk, cream, butter, eggs, and cheese

• Canned/frozen fruits, and vegetables

• Jam and other condiments

• Pasta, sauces,

• Potatoes and rice

• Bread, buns, wraps and cereals

• Seasonings and Dressings

• Soft drinks and ice cream

• Ice cubes and blocks

• Cookies, marshmallows, Chocolate bars, potato chips and other snacks

Camping Supplies…

• Propane, white gas/naphtha

• Fishing tackle/dew worms

• Toiletries/personal hygiene

• Paper towels/napkins

• Aluminum foil, clear garbage bags

Orders can be sent to hsr2@scouts.ca before your camp week and the store will have the order ready for pick up on the days you need it. The earlier you send it in the better. Typically, we can obtain special items for the next day, the more notice the better we will be able to help.

Trading Post

The Trading Post has a large selection of HSR souvenirs such as hats, hoodies, and T-shirts, as well as ice cream, snacks, and soft-drinks. Trading Post charges close on Thursday afternoon.

Once your entire group has arrived (this includes all vehicles and members camping with your group), you will be checked-in in order of arrival. We do not start checking groups in until after 12pm. Our staff in the parking lot will direct you to Kennabi Lodge to check in after your whole group has arrived. 

At Kennabi Lodge, you will need the following:

• Camp Roster (with all Scouter and youth information)

• Medical forms (a Scouter must carry these forms with them at all times in case one of your group members needs to go to the on-site Clinic or the hospital in the town of Haliburton)

• Alien Species form for each canoe, kayak, paddle board, boat, motor, and/or trailer you bringing to use in our waters. 

• Your program schedule you booked with us. You will go through this schedule with our Program Coordinators during check-in.

By Saturday morning there are things to be done for your inspection.

• Rowboats - flipped upside down and neatly together, with oars inside but not in the oar locks

• All picnic tables - scrubbed down and any damaged ones should be reported to your inspector.

• The ground cooler - cleaned, dampened, lid off and a long stick put in so critters don’t get stuck inside.

• All rescue equipment must be in place, near the swimming area (reach assist, ring buoy, lifeguard torpedo, spine board)

• All Kybos must be cleaned and holes must be filled and marked with a cross and new holes dug for the next group. The hole must be away from water and at least 3 feet deep

• All fires must be fully extinguished, and all fire pits cleared of all garbage.

• All grease and gray water pits must be filled and marked off with a cross

• No garbage left around any site and all garbage ready to take back to the parking lot.

• Any ropes, lines and structures are taken down unless prior permission to leave them for the next group.

• Camp broken down and gear ready for pickup.

• Damaged live trees - there will be a charge determined by the camp