Parent Central / FAQs

Q: When is the deadline to register for camp?
A: Registration closes one week prior to the session start date.
If a session if full, consider adding your Girl Scout to the waitlist.
The waitlist is reviewed on a continual basis and you will be
notified more than one week prior to the start of the camp session
regarding the status of your registration.
Q: I'm unsure if my Girl Scout is ready for overnight camp. What
other camping options does GSWPA offer?
A: We offer
several camping options, including Troop Camp, Family Camp, and a Me
and My Girl Scout Weekend. To learn more about our summer weekend
offerings, view our Camp S’more magazine (available soon). We
are also offering Day Camp at Camp Redwing and Camp Hawthorne Ridge
for Daisies and Brownies (select weeks).
Q: Who can go to camp?
A: Girl Scouts is for every
girl... and you don't even need to join a troop. Simply become an Individually Registered Girl Scout—Indie
Girl—and enjoy all of the activities, programs, and projects that make
Girl Scouts so much fun—including camp!
Q. Is financial assistance offered for camp?
A: Girls
can earn funds to help pay for camp by participating in our Cookie and MagNut programs, and financial
assistance is available to cover one council-sponsored camp per
membership year. To request financial assistance, complete the Financial Assistance Form.
Q. What are the sleeping arrangements at overnight camp?
A: Our overnight camps living units include:
- Rustic Cabins with screen door and windows
- Platform tents with cot style beds
- Lodges with bunk beds
Unit assignments are determined by the Camp Director and based on capacity and session needs. Your Girl Scout(s) will find out their unit assignment at check-in. Each living unit has bathroom facilities.
Q: I am interested in bringing my troop to Troop Camp. What
training is required?
A: Volunteers heading to camp with
girls for troop camping are required to complete Outdoor Skills
Training and CPR/First Aid Training. See our Adult
Training page for more information. Adults accompanying girls to
Family Camps aren’t required to have these trainings.
Q. What safety guidelines are in place at camp?
A: All
camps meet established standards for health and safety, site
maintenance, program, and personnel, which are set by state and local
governments and Girl Scouts of the USA. All GSWPA camps are ACA
accredited, for more information please review ACA Accreditation.
In addition, all camps have a qualified Camp Nurse on site and a
health center stocked with first aid equipment. Camp staff are
trained on safety and emergency procedures. Each unit and program
area has a stocked first aid kit. View our COVID-19 plans and procedures related to camp.
Q: What are the meals like at camp?
A: Our food
service staff at resident camp prepare a variety of pleasing and
nutritious meals appropriate for children. Three well-balanced meals
and one afternoon snack are served daily. Each meal includes one main
dish and two sides. A salad bar is also available at lunch and dinner,
and snacks are provided in the afternoon.
Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy free options are available at all meals. If you or your camper has allergies, dietary needs, or requirements based on religious or philosophical beliefs, please contact us at least one week before your arrival so that we can help plan the best meal options for you.
Q: How can I keep in contact with my Girl Scout(s)?
A: The best way to keep in contact with your Girl Scout(s) is
mail! You can drop off mail for the week during check-in OR send it
directly to camp (please include camper's name, session name, and
session date). Mail is distributed at lunch each day. It is a good
idea to send your camper(s) with pre-addressed envelopes and stamps in
order for them to reply. The Camp team is working on communicating to
parents throughout each camp session with some highlights and pictures
of what is happening. More details will come soon.
For safety reasons, access to camp properties is limited when camp is in session. If you have an emergency or change in plans, please call the camp director. Camp phone numbers are provided with your confirmation materials, and camp directors will contact the parents in case of an emergency or illness. Please note: Camp phones are limited to camp business only.
Q: What are the check-in/check-out times?
A: Check-in
and check-out has a new look this year including enhanced health
screenings upon arrival at camp. Check out our general camp procedures for full details.
Q. What’s a typical day like at camp?
A. Our camp
sessions are overflowing with ways to make friends and memories and
every day is full of girl-led fun and adventure! Check out our camp page for what a typical day at camp looks like.
Q: Who are the camp staff?
A: Camps have
specialists—like a cook, healthcare manager, and activity specialist
staff for the horse and adventure programs. These staff members are
carefully selected for their skills, as well as how they work with
children and adults. Staff members who supervise high-adventure
activities such as the pool, water sports, challenge course, archery,
and other areas receive additional training and qualifications.
Resident camp unit leaders and counselors are enthusiastic, talented, and caring individuals, who are 18 years of age or older. Campers’ health and safety are our top priorities. We select staff based on their maturity, program skills, experience, and their ability to serve as role models. All staff must attend an intensive pre-camp training program, including safety, activity planning, camper care, teambuilding, and much more. Meet our camp directors.
Q: Is there a camp trading post?
A: Each of our
overnight camps (Camp Conshatawba, Camp Hawthorne Ridge, and Camp
Skymeadow) have their own, unique trading post! The trading post
will be open during check-in and check-out. In addition, Girl Scouts
will visit the trading post at least once during their time at camp
and items range from ice cream to patches to camp attire. We suggest
that you put money on your camper's trading post account at check-in
to ensure that it is not lost during her stay. Money that is not
spent during the week will be returned to the parent at
check-out. Prices can range from about $2 to $35 depending on the item.
Program Disclaimer
We reserve the right to cancel any
program or program activity when weather conditions are unsuitable–
including extreme heat, thunderstorms, etc. Refunds are not given when
activities are cancelled as a result of “Acts of God.”