The Boy Scouts of America — now Scouting America — changed dramatically in Utah when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ended its 105-year association with the organization.
The Deseret News recently looked into the state of Scouting in Utah to see what has transpired since the dissolution at the end of 2019. While the number of participants, both youth and adult, plummeted, the program has regained its footing, though on a much smaller scale.
That same year, Scouting had another monumental shift, allowing girls age 11-17 to join and changing its name from Boy Scouts to Scouts BSA. In addition to Scouts BSA, Scouting America includes Cub Scouts, Venturing/Sea Scouts and Exploring. Girls could join Cub Scouts starting in 2018.
Allen Endicott, Scout executive for the Ogden-based Crossroads of the West Council, is asked several times a week whether the program is still alive in Utah. His answer is, “Scouting is doing just fine in Utah.”
Here are five things we learned about Scouting in the Beehive State:
The numbers then
When the Church of Jesus Christ ended its formal partnership with Scouting, there were 186,287 youth registered across three councils covering Utah, southern Idaho and western Wyoming. Those councils merged in 2020 to form the Crossroads of the West Council — with enrollment totaling 6,898 boys and girls.
The numbers now
In 2024, the council reported 6,107 youth in its programs, including 2,393 Cub Scouts and 3,200 Scouts BSA. It marked a 3.35% increase over the previous year and the highest total since 2020. Of that total, about 20% are girls, and their numbers have risen each of the past four years, while the number of boys has declined. Also, Eagle Scout awards are rising among girls and dropping among boys.
Most noticeable difference
The biggest difference between the program now and five years ago is that boys — and now girls — choose to be there, as do their leaders rather than being automatically enrolled through their church. Individual troops in Utah are larger and in some cases, stronger now. They have become more religiously, ethnically, culturally, geographically and gender diverse.
Staying involved
Some Latter-day Saint adults were disappointed, even upset, when the church and Scouting parted ways. But many of them have helped form new troops with new sponsors and stayed involved as scoutmasters and leaders. Organizations such as service clubs, various faith denominations, businesses, foundations, nonprofits and parents now sponsor troops. The church has said it continues to support the goals and values reflected in the Scout Oath and Scout Law and expressed a desire for Scouting’s continuing and growing success in the years ahead.
Camping remains a hallmark
Many Latter-day Saint youth groups now go to former Scout camps that were converted to youth camps after the number of Scouts diminished. The activities are largely the same as at Scout camps. About 70% of the Scouts who go to traditional camps like Camp Loll in Wyoming each summer are from Utah. In all, about 31,000 young people from various organizations, including Scouts, participated in a camp this summer in the Crossroads of the West Council, which covers Utah, southern Idaho and western Wyoming.