Outdoor Support and Resources

Girl Scouts are a force of nature

Let's get you ready to guide them on more outdoor adventures.

Whether they’re discovering the wildlife in their own backyard, swimming in a lake for the first time at summer camp or being a citizen scientist and observing bees in their neighborhood park, every outdoor adventure grows a Girl Scout's “I’ve got this” attitude. And once you unlock that confidence, she'll aim as high as the stars she sees outside her cabin window.

As a volunteer, getting Girl Scouts outdoors is a rewarding, but sometimes daunting, task. Remember to engage girls in the planning process for any outdoor adventure - even if it's just a walk around your local park - and utilize the resources provided below to help you feel confident and prepared.

Ways to get outdoors

Take your meeting outside - Does your meeting space have an outdoor area you can use? If not, consider planning a visit to a local park. When using the Volunteer Toolkit, activities that can be adapted to the outdoors are indicated with a tree icon.
Plan an outdoor field trip - Local farms, state or national parks, GSCB camp properties, and more are all great destinations for a quick outdoor trip.
Reserve a Camp Property - Whether its for the day, the night, or the weekend, GSCB camp properties offer exciting opportunities to connect with nature, bond as a troop, and develop outdoor skills.
Attend a GSCB Outdoor Program - Our Adventurer series and other outdoor opportunities give Girl Scouts a chance to experience something new together with their troop, or on their own, and takes the planning off of your plate!

These are just a few of the experiences awaiting Girl Scouts who are ready to explore the great outdoors. Camp and outdoor experiences can be enjoyed during summer camp, day camp, or year-round.

Progression in the Outdoors

Girl Scout outdoor experiences are based on a system of progression. We encourage girls to start at their comfort level, learn new skills at their own pace, and keep building their confidence in the outdoors.

Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay has several progression guides you can use to help your Girl Scouts set outdoor goals:

Outdoor Training for Volunteers

In-Person Training

Ready to become a leader in the outdoors for your Girl Scouts, but not sure where to start? We've got your back! GSCB offers a variety of outdoor training opportunities in-person, so you can get hands-on and learn by doing with our staff and volunteer experts.

Head over to our Event Calendar for an up to date list of all of our in-person training opportunities. Keep in mind that some trainings do involve an online pre- or post- work requirement.

Interested in learning or teaching a specific skill? Consider becoming an Outdoor Facilitator or an Outdoor Instructor!

About Becoming a Facilitator or Instructor toggle arrow

Outdoor Facilitator - Outdoor facilitators serve as a hands-on educator for Girl Scouts or other non-volunteer audiences.
Outdoor Instructor - Serves as a hands-on educator for volunteers in a particular skill. Instructors train interested volunteers in becoming a facilitator.

As an instructor or facilitator, you can narrow your focus to any of these categories:

Outdoor Skills	Instructor Role Description	Facilitator Role Description
Leave No Trace	Instructor Role Description	Facilitator Role Description
Archery	Instructor Role Description	Facilitator Role Description \| Junior Facilitator Role Description
Small Craft	Instructor Role Description	Facilitator Role Description \| Junior Facilitator Role Description
Challenge Course	Supervisor Role Description
Hatchet/Slingshot	Instructor Role Description	Facilitator Role Description \| Junior Facilitator Role Description
Zipline and High Ropes		Facilitator Role Description

Earning Facilitator Credits Towards Property Reservations toggle arrow

Beginning October 1, 2025

As of October 1, 2025, outdoor activity facilitators who elect to facilitate for Girl Scout troops/groups they are not affiliated will have the opportunity to earn credits towards property reservations at Camp Country Center and Camp Todd.

Credits expire at the end of your certification term with no exceptions. A maximum of $200 credits can be accumulated for each certification term.

The chart below outlines the credit structure and training fees:

Skills	Certification Term (begins the day you complete your training)	Cost of Training	Credits Earned Eligibility
Archery	3 years	$50	$25 per facilitation
Small Craft	2 years	$75	$50 per facilitation
High Ropes/Zipline	1 year	$125	$50 per facilitation
Lifeguard	2 years	$100	$50 per facilitation
Outdoor Skills	Lifetime	$10	No credits earned
Low Ropes	Lifetime	$10	No credits earned

Frequently Asked Questions:

How do I find out about faciltation opportunities? Once you are a certified facilitator, GSCB will share upcoming facilitation opportunities on a regular basis. If you arrange facilitation on your own, please ensure you contact Member Care to notify us prior to the facilitation date.
Who keeps track of facilitations and credit balances? You can check your credit balance anytime by contacting Member Care.
How do I apply my credits? When you are ready to make a property reservation, contact Member Care to apply your credits. If you are pooling credits between multiple members, you will need to have the agreement of all credit owners in writing at the time of reservation. Credits must be used in $25 increments.
I was trained prior to October 1, 2025. Can I earn credits? Yes. Any facilitator who completed training on or after January 1, 2025 will be eligible to begin accumulating credits starting October 1, 2025. Credits earned will still expire at the end of your certification term.
How many credits can I have at one time? There is no maximum number of credits you can hold at one time. However, you can only accumulate $200 credits per certification term. For example, if you are certified in Archery for 3 years, you can only earn $200 credits for archery facilitations throughout those 3 years. If you are also trained in Small Craft, you can earn an additional $200 credits during that certification term. If those terms overlap, you could hold over $200 credits at one time.
Can I earmark credits for future property reservations after the expiration date? No. Credits will expire at the end of your certification term with no exceptions. In order to use the credit, you must book the reservation prior to the expiration date.
Can I gift credits to another member? Yes. The gift must be in writing from the original credit owner and include the name of the new credit owner. The new credit owner must be an active GSCB member and be in good financial standing with the council. The expiration date for the credits will remain the same as it was with the original credit owner. Credits must be used or gifted in $25 increments.
Can credits be utilized for anything other than property reservations? As of this time, no. Credits can only be applied to a property reservation at Camp Country Center or Camp Todd.
What facilitations are eligible to earn credits? When you facilitate for a Girl Scout troop/group that you are not affiliated with or any Service Unit event, you will earn credits for each time block. You can facilitate as many times as you wish, but you can only earn a maximum of $200 credits within your certification term. Any facilitations completed after the maximum of $200 credits is reached will not earn any credits.
Are there any facilitation requirements if I'm only interested in facilitating for my troop/group? No. There are no required number of facilitations needed after completing the training.

Find a copy of the FAQs to download and print here.

Online Training

Learn the outdoor skills you need to successfully guide your troop on their next adventure - on your time, at your pace, and in the comfort of your own home! Whether you're a night owl, an early bird, or just need to fit training into your busy schedule, our online outdoor trainings in gsLearn were created with you in mind.

In your gsLearn content library, search for "Outdoor" and find a number of available trainings you can take right now including Outdoor Basics, Knot Tying, Protecting Yourself from Poisonous Plants and Dangerous Insects, and more. Check back often for additional trainings, or request a training you'd like to see available.

Tutorial: How to Access gsLearn

Downloadable Outdoor Resources

Outdoor Basics Skills Guide

Troop Camp Training Booklet (for Girls)

Troop Camping Packing List

Outdoor Activities Guide for Volunteers

GSCB Camp Cookbook

GSCB Property Wildlife Identification Guide

High Ropes Programming Guide

Small Craft Programming Guide

Target Sports Programming Guide

Letterboxing Badge Kit

two young girl scouts outside at state park using binoculars - older girl is helping daisy girl scout see nature

Girl Scouts Love State Parks

Take part in this annual celebration where Girl Scouts come together to explore their local state parks.

LEARN MORE