Hitch Guide

Every rank, adventure, merit badge, and award — with tips, examples, and questions to help you take the next step. Free for scouts, families, and leaders.

What are you into?

Find badges and adventures that fit what you already love.

Start here

Short guides for scouts, families, and leaders.

All guides

How advancement works, Ranks, sign-offs, conferences, and boards of review in plain words: how a Scout moves from Scout rank to Eagle, at a pace that fits your life., Youth · Families · 6 min read
Choosing your next merit badge, How to pick a badge you'll actually finish: start with what you care about, balance Eagle-required and just-for-fun badges, and make the most of camp., Youth · Families · 6 min read
Cub Scouts: a guide for families, How Cub Scout ranks and adventures work from kindergarten through fifth grade, what an adult partner does, and how to keep it fun at meetings and at home., Families · Leaders · 4 min read
The trail to Eagle, Star, Life, and Eagle in plain words: the time and leadership rules, which Eagle-required badges to start first, the records to keep, the project, and the board., Youth · Families · Leaders · 8 min read

Scouts BSA

Ages 11–17 · Scout to Eagle

Merit badges · 142

Awards · 9

Cub Scouts

Kindergarten–5th grade · Lion to Arrow of Light

Lion adventures · 20

Tiger adventures · 23

Wolf adventures · 23

Bear adventures · 23

Webelos adventures · 23

Arrow of Light adventures · 19

Venturing

Ages 14–20 · Venturing to Summit

Awards · 9

Hitch Guide

What are you into?

Start here

Scouts BSA

Ranks

Cub Scouts

Ranks

Venturing

Ranks