Philmont participants must be at least 14 years of age or have completed the 8th grade and be at least 13 years of age prior to participation. To avoid disappointment, please do not request or expect exceptions! Requirements for Philmont participation cannot be relaxed.

Youth must be registered members of the Boy Scouts of
America, and may participate in a Philmont expedition as:

 

• members of a chartered unit ~ Scout Troop, Varsity Team or Venturing Crew.

• members of a council contingent or district contingent with required leadership.

• individuals in the Rayado Men/Women, Ranch Hands, Order of the Arrow Trail Crew, or R.O.C.S. Men/Women (Roving Outdoor Conservation School) program.

Adults must be a registered member of the Boy Scouts of America. Each Philmont Expedition or group must have at least two BSA registered adult advisers for Scout groups, one adviser must be at least 21 years of age: the second adviser must be at least 18 years of age.

Each crew is required to have a majority of youth participants, and the maximum number of adults (over 21) is four (4) per crew. Participants 18 through 20 years of age may be counted as youth or adult crew members.  

Coed Venturing Crews are required to provide coed leadership while en route to and from Philmont and while hiking on the trails of Philmont. A Coed Venturing crew must have at least one male advisor and at least one female adviser, each of whom must be at least 21 years of age. Male and female youth participants will not share the same sleeping facility. Male and female advisers are
required to have separate sleeping facilities. Married couples serving as adult advisers may share the same quarters if appropriate facilities are available. Female advisers must be responsible for female participants and male advisers must be responsible for male participants.

When staying in tents, no youth will stay in the tent of an
adult other than his or her parent or guardian.

Expedition advisers must be physically capable of hiking and camping in Philmont's high mountains for the length of the expedition. Each expedition adviser is expected to reflect high moral standards established by custom, traditional values, and religious teaching.