From packing your bag and planning your route to learning proper hiking etiquette and reflecting on your outdoor experience, here are 8 important topics to cover when planning a hike with your Girl Scouts.
We can’t say it enough: Girl Scout camp is a transformative experience. Every summer, under the clear California skies, girls of all ages make new friends, push their limits, and learn to love the person that they are. We reached out to our camp alums to find out what camp meant to them and received an outpouring of love and beautiful camp stories. Here’s what they had to say.
You don’t have to be an expert camper or a pro backpacker to take your girls on a troop camping trip. From picking a campsite to preparing parents, here are 6 steps to help you and your girls tackle your first troop camping trip, regardless of experience..
From lesser known naturalist heroines like Rachel Carson and Herma Albertson Baggley to great conservationists like Jane Goodall, women have always had a place in exploring nature. But you don’t have to live with chimpanzees or trailblaze Yellowstone National Park to inspire a love of the outdoors in your girls! Dive into the complex beauty and diversity of the natural world with the Girl Scout Naturalist badges!
Our council-run camps at Skylark Ranch, Sugar Pine, and Bothin are full of fantastic outdoor adventure, but they aren’t the only options! Volunteer-run camps (VRCs) also serve up a classic Girl Scout camp experience. From Gilroy to Humboldt and everywhere in between, there is a camp for every girl. Here are 5 reasons why you should sign your girl up for one of your local VRCs this summer.
![4 Ways to Prepare Your Girl for Her First Time at Camp [Video]](https://trailhead.gsnorcal.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/prepare-your-girl-for-her-first-time-at-camp-1080x675.jpg)
Camp is a transformative experience for every Girl Scout: trying new things, roasting marshmallows under the stars, and making life-long friends and camp sisters. But that kind of transformation can be daunting or even a little scary for first-time campers. Here are our four best tips on making sure your girl is a happy camper.
Whether your girls are working on outdoor-themed badges, putting your outdoor skills and knowledge into practice, or just getting out to enjoy the sunshine with their Girl Scout sisters, Ann Marie Brown, author of Moon 101 Great Hikes San Francisco Bay Area has the perfect hike for your next outdoor adventure.
Whether you’re camping for the first time (as a girl or as a troop leader), or leveling up your survival skills, it can be a little nerve-wracking to get started. Never fear: there’s a troop camping badge for every level of Girl Scouts with age appropriate resources and skill-building activities to turn your troop into happy campers.
With over 280 acres of land, Camp Skylark Ranch is home to dozens of horses and quality riding programs that attract campers and staff members from all over the world, beginners and experienced equestrians alike. When you spend every day saddling up, feeding, grooming, and exploring the dirt paths and redwood forests of Santa Cruz County with your horses, it’s hard not to develop a special bond. Three past staff members, Squirrely, Willow, and Phoenix, share some magical memories from their time riding and making friends with the horses at Skylark Ranch.
Deep in the forested foothills of Calaveras County you’ll find ancient trees, glittering lakes, and one of GSNorCal’s oldest camp properties: Camp Sugar Pine. For over 75 years, generations of campers have laughed, learned, and explored, but the camp still has tons of magic and mystery for new campers and veterans alike.
Did you know that you could learn to fence, rock climb, go backpacking, and even participate in indoor skydive as a Girl Scout? As girls grow and continue through Girl Scouts, they will explore unfamiliar fields, learn new skill sets appropriate for their age-level, and experience healthy risks and challenges.
Harness the power of the sun to get your outdoor cooking done! Covering easy-to-make solar cookers, recipe alterations, and technique tips, Barby shares how Girl Scouts are making a difference around the world with this innovative cooking method.
