Holcomb Valley Scout Reservation is located on the site of the old Hitchcock Ranch of Holcomb Valley. Rich in the history of the colorful and often violent gold rush days of 1855 - 1865, the valley was discovered by Bill Holcomb while on a bear hunting expedition from the Big Bear Valley in 1859. While tracking a wounded bear, Holcomb found a quartz vein bearing gold. He spread the news to miners in the nearby Big Bear Valley, who swarmed to try out the new find. Soon, the town of Belleville, named after the first child born in the valley (Belle Van Dusen), was populated by approximately 1,500 people. Most of these were miners, many were criminals.

In the early 1960's, a retiring rancher from the area was attending a function at which Guy Reide, Old Baldy's Scout Executive from 1949 to 1966, was discussing the need for a new council camp site. Reide's vision was to have a council camp closer to the inland valley and utilize the then current council camp, Circle B in Tulare County, as a high adventure property. Within a week the rancher, William Hitchcock, walked into Guy Reide's office and struck the deal whereby the ranch became the property of Old Baldy Council. The council took title to the property in 1965. In April, 1966 Guy Riede died and was succeeded by Everett Vinzant as Scout Executive from 1966 to 1972. The Camp Development Chairman, Dan Milliken, led the capital campaign which resulted in the camp opening in 1970 for camporees and Order of the Arrow activities. Soon Loren Baldwin became the first camp ranger and Holcomb Valley held its first Boy Scout summer resident camp in 1974. As the successor to the Circle B Camp (1955-1973) and the Two Lakes Camp at Barton Flats (pre-1954), the Holcomb Valley Scout Reservation carries on Old Baldy council's tradition of keeping the OUTING in Scouting.