Camping
A Special Activity for All Girls

	SPOTLIGHT Signing Up for Summer Camp If you want to go to summer camp, contact the local Girl Scout council in your area. Most councils accept girls from other councils and non-members as well. Want to Work at Girl Scout Camp? Check seasonal listings posted in the Careers: Girl Scout Council Positions section of this site or contact the local Girl Scout council in your area.

Camping is a great way to build new skills, get a sense of community, and develop a deep appreciation for nature. Whether you go for a day, a week or longer, Girl Scout camping gives you an opportunity to grow, explore, and have fun—always under the guidance of caring, trained adults. Every girl should have a chance to camp!

Types of Camping

Here are some specific types of Girl Scout camping:

Resident Camping is a camping experience in which campers live at an established site. Girls sign up as individual campers or go with a buddy. The girls and their counselors/leaders plan activities, taking advantage of the resources available at the campsite. Your council may sponsor summer resident camp with a specially trained staff and facilities.

Day Camping is camping by the day or camping within a 12-hour program day. Girls may sign up as individual campers or go with buddies. The girls and staff plan and carry out activities. Day camping is usually council-sponsored or approved, with the council training the staff and approving the facilities and site. A day camp may be at a council-owned site or a site contracted by the council.

Troop/Group Camping is a camping experience of 24 or more consecutive hours, planned and carried out by a group of girls and their advisors/leaders, using council-approved sites.

Core Staff Camping: Girls sign up with their troops/groups with their adult volunteers to utilize a core staff with specific camping/program expertise to help them carry out their group camping plans at a given campsite. The staff/volunteers running the core camp experience usually provide all the logistical arrangements such as food, project supplies, a first-aider, and experienced instructors when needed.

Travel Camping: A camping experience planned and carried out by a group of experienced participants and their advisors or staff. The group may use motorized transportation to move from one site to another over a period of three or more nights. Travel campers may use camping sites as a means of accommodations.

Trip Camping: A camping experience planned and carried out by a group of girls who are experienced campers and their adult volunteers. The group camps at different sites for three or more nights and travels from one site to another under its own power or by transportation that permits individual guidance of the vehicle or animal—for example, bicycle, canoe, kayak, horse, or sailboat.

Minimal Impact Camping: A method that encourages each person to leave no trace of their outdoor or camping experience. It covers everything from the planning stages to the outdoor experience itself. The concept of minimal impact can apply to any outdoor activity or camping environment.

Camping and Safety

Girl Scouts of the USA is committed to establishing a camping experience that will protect and maintain the well-being of every Girl Scout by providing Program Standards and safety guidelines for camping activities. Your Girl Scout council may also be affiliated with the American Camp Association (ACA), a private, nonprofit educational organization that provides members with educational and accreditation services. An ACA accreditation indicates that a camp has met ACA standards. All Girl Scout councils must meet Girl Scout standards as well as national and state standards set by law.