The Final Piece to Your Jambo 2026 Plans

The countdown has begun. In just a few short months, Scouts from across the country will gather in the mountains of Southern West Virginia for the 2026 National Jamboree. From July 22 through 31, the Summit Bechtel Reserve and the surrounding New River Gorge National Park will become a place of discovery, adventure, and shared experience for tens of thousands of Scouts.

For many, this will be their first glimpse of the Gorge, a landscape carved over millions of years by the New River and known today as one of America’s newest national parks. And for those who have been here before, the return is like greeting an old friend.

But the question remains: How will you and your Scouts experience the Gorge itself?

The Tradition of Rafting the New River

There’s something timeless about setting out onto the New River in a raft. The anticipation at the put-in, the steady current carrying you downstream, the sudden rush as rapids rise before you—these are moments that leave an imprint.

The Lower New River Gorge is where adventure meets memory. Towering cliffs, crashing whitewater, and the sense of working as a team to navigate each rapid create an experience unlike any other. For generations of Scouts, a rafting trip here has been the highlight of their Jamboree journey—a story they carry home and retell for years.

ACE Adventure Resort—Guiding Scouts for Generations

For more than 40 years, ACE Adventure Resort has been welcoming Scouts and groups to the Gorge. Guides who know every bend in the river, every wave, and every story hidden in the rocks lead the way.

Adding a rafting trip to your Jamboree plans doesn’t just fill a day, it gives your troop or council the chance to experience the very heart of this region. And when you return home, it won’t just be the patches or souvenirs your Scouts talk about. It will be the moment they faced a rapid together, paddled hard, and came out the other side laughing, soaked, and stronger as a team.

A Place to Play Together

Of course, adventure doesn’t end when you step off the river. At ACE, Scouts can climb, jump, and slide their way across a giant inflatable waterpark on a private mountain lake. The splashes and laughter echo across the water as Scouts test their balance, cheer each other on, and discover the joy of simple play in the great outdoors.

Stories Shared and Stories to Come

If you’d like a glimpse of what’s possible, the ACE Adventure Groups Facebook page is filled with reels, photos, and testimonials from Scouts and leaders who have already made the Gorge part of their journey. Their smiles, their teamwork, and their stories are an invitation to imagine your own.

Writing Your Chapter of Jambo 2026

The National Jamboree will be remembered in countless ways—new friendships, badges earned, skills learned, and the thrill of gathering with Scouts from every corner of the country. But for those who raft the New River Gorge, there will always be that one extra story: the adventure on the water that tied it all together.

Let ACE Adventure Resort help you write that chapter. Call Group Sales at 304-469-0130 or request a quote using nonprofit group rates designed for Scouts.

Because the story of Jambo 2026 deserves a little whitewater.