The 50-Miler Award is an award of the Boy Scouts of America

Boy Scouts of America

The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...

 (BSA) designed to promote the ideals of Scouting

Scouting

Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....

 and in Scoutcraft

Scoutcraft

Scoutcraft is a term used to cover a variety of woodcraft knowledge and skills required by people seeking to venture into wild country and sustain themselves independently. The term has been adopted by Scouting organizations to reflect skills and knowledge which are felt to be a core part of the...

, conservation

Conservation ethic

Conservation is an ethic of resource use, allocation, and protection. Its primary focus is upon maintaining the health of the natural world: its, fisheries, habitats, and biological diversity. Secondary focus is on materials conservation and energy conservation, which are seen as important to...

, self reliance, and physical fitness

Physical fitness

Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness , and specific fitness...

. The award may be earned by Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts, Venturers

Venturing (Boy Scouts of America)

Venturing is part of the program of the Boy Scouts of America for young adults, men and women, from the age of 14 years old or 13 years old and completed eighth grade through 21....

 and leaders

Scout Leader

A Scout Leader or Scouter generally refers to the trained adult leader of a Scout unit. The terms used vary from country to country, over time, and with the type of unit.-Roles:...

.

Award

The 50-Miler Award is presented as a cloth or leather patch and as a decal. The award may not be worn on the uniform but is affixed to equipment such as backpack

Backpack

A backpack is, in its simplest form, a cloth sack carried on one's back and secured with two straps that go over the shoulders, but there can be exceptions...

s or vehicle

Vehicle

A vehicle is a device that is designed or used to transport people or cargo. Most often vehicles are manufactured, such as bicycles, cars, motorcycles, trains, ships, boats, and aircraft....

s, or sewn onto items such as patch vests or blankets. The 50-Miler Award was established in April 1956, along with the Historic Trails Award

Historic Trails Award

The Historic Trails Award is an award of the Boy Scouts of America designed to promote the ideals of Scouting and in Scoutcraft, citizenship, self-reliance, and appreciation of national history. It is awarded for studying about, hiking or camping along, or performing a service project on a...

.

Requirements

Although the 50-Miler is an individual award, the requirements are performed as a group; where groups may be the troop, team or crew or a provisional group made of members of various units. The trip must be properly planned and may include other opportunities for advancement and recognition

Advancement and recognition in the Boy Scouts of America

Advancement and recognition in the Boy Scouts of America is a tradition dating from the inception of the Scouting movement. A fundamental purpose of advancement is the self-confidence a young man or woman acquires from his participation in Scouting...

. The group must travel a minimum of 50 miles (80.5 kilometers) on land and/or water in a minimum of five days. Travel may be by foot, bicycle, canoe or boat; pack animals may be used where appropriate. No travel may involve any motorized vehicle. The group must also complete ten hours of conservation

Conservation movement

The conservation movement, also known as nature conservation, is a political, environmental and a social movement that seeks to protect natural resources including animal, fungus and plant species as well as their habitat for the future....

work. If ten hours of work cannot be completed on the trail, similar work may be done in the group's home area.
Even if the award's requirements are completed at a National Jamboree or High Adventure base, the unit's leader must file an application at their local council's service center.