Boy Scout’s weekend excursion at West Wetlands Park

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - More than 300 boy scouts travelled from the Phoenix area to West Wetlands Park in Yuma.

Over the weekend, Yuma Boy Scout troops hosted a Colorado River float and camping excursion.

Not only was this the first time Yuma troops put on an event like this, but it’s also the first big event since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The scouts spent time learning about the great outdoors, even floating 12 miles down the Colorado River.

They practiced safe canoeing and proper handling while making their way down the river.

Angel Ortiz, vice chair of the Boy Scouts Gila River District says the Colorado River gives the scouts an opportunity to learn powerful life skills.

“So a big part of scouting is all the outdoor component of it right so all the scouts learn a lot of different skills and they put them to practice when they come out here in the outdoors," Ortiz explained. "From the very literal things like Leave No Trace and make sure that all the everything that they touch is in a better shape than when they first arrived to fire and everything else we're used to knowing about scouts.”

Scouting is a great way for your child to get creative outside and they can start as young as five years old as a cub scout.

With the pandemic, Ortiz says the boy scouts are taking extra precautions for their health and safety.