Camp Carlen is named after a former Council President of the Chicago Area Council. It consists of 12 campsites with in-site sanitary facilities. A segregated staff row provides housing for 30. Food service is provided to the camp in “hot packs” with food prepared centrally at the Administration Center in the Food Prep industrial kitchen.

Carlen has a camp office large enough for feeding the section camp staff and has an integral camp trading post. The aquatics area is a 275,000 gallon pool, and boating facilities are at the Carlen boat docks on Lake Wolverine. Carlen has a location for a dining hall and recent dining activities have been conducted under a large circus tent. Carlen has a separate field sports range for rifle, shotgun, black powder, and archery use.

The annual capacity for Camp Carlen is approximately 1,500 over a six-week camping period. Carlen has been host to several 4-H horse camps in the past.