Do Girl Scouts Go Backpacking?

By Alice Nichols

Girl Scouts go backpacking all the time! The organization has been embracing backpacking since at least the late 1990s, when the organization started a program called Girl Scouts Wilderness Adventure. It allowed girls to explore the outdoors and experience nature in a way that was previously unavailable to them. The program provided girls with an opportunity to learn about themselves and their environment, as well as gain confidence and develop an appreciation for nature.

Girl Scouts backpacking trips are typically led by volunteers who are knowledgeable about the area and safety protocols. On these trips, girls learn basic outdoor skills such as proper clothing, nutrition, water treatment, navigation, shelter building, campfire building and more. Girls also learn how to be good stewards of public lands and how to safely practice Leave No Trace camping ethics.

In addition to learning outdoor skills, backpacking trips provide an opportunity for girls to gain leadership experience by taking on roles such as trip planner or navigator. These experiences help build confidence and foster a sense of responsibility for their actions in the future.

Girl Scouts also use backpacking trips as a platform for community service projects. Girls might clean up trails or build bridges in order to give back to their local environment. This helps build a sense of ownership over their natural resources.

Conclusion:

Do Girl Scouts go backpacking? Absolutely! Backpacking provides girls with an invaluable opportunity to explore nature while learning new skills and gaining confidence in themselves. It is also a great way for them to give back to their communities through service projects that benefit the environment.