First Time Campers

We are excited that you and your troop want to go camping! Here are your next steps for having an amazing outdoor experience.

Ensure that your Girl Scouts are ready to go camping

There are a lot of factors to consider when determining if your Girl Scouts are ready to go camping. You can complete the camping readiness survey below which can help you determine what level of camping opportunity your troop is ready to try.

Check out our Camp Readiness PDF

Ensure that you have the appropriate trained adults

For your troop to be ready to go on a camping trip you’ll need to have a few adults trained! You will need a Cookout/Campout Certified adult and a different adult needs to be First Aide Certified.

Check out Volunteer Essentials for more specifics on requirements for your camping trip!

Ready to take a training to get your troop outdoors?

Find Upcoming Trainings Here:

Reserve your campsite

Your Girl Scouts are ready to go camping, you have adults with all of the required training, now it's time to book a campsite for your trip.

Find our in depth PDF for reserving a campsite.

1. Decide what kind of site your troop wants

There are a variety of camp site options to consider! We recommend you choose a site based on your troop’s age, readiness, and preference. Learn a little more about our site types here:

Types of campsites toggle arrow

Lodge

Lodges are great for first time campers! Lodges are enclosed and have HVAC and electricity.
Camping in a lodge is like have a big sleepover! Girl Scouts can anticipate sleeping on the floor or on a sleeping pad. Most Lodges have some sort of kitchen for indoor cooking.
We have 31 different lodges across our camp properties and 3 different sites that have both Lodges and Glen Shelters.
With so many different lodges there are a lot of differences in their capacities and amenities! Check out each camp’s Facilities Chart to see those details.

Glen Shelter

Glen Shelters are the most common sleeping structure we have, with 36 different Glen Shelter sites across our properties! We also have 3 different sites that have both Lodges and Glen Shelters
Glen Shelters sleep between 4-6 people and are typically in units with 3 - 7 Glen Shelters.
Glen Shelters are great for groups that are ready to be close to nature (but not too close). You’ll hear the birds in the morning, hear the rain on the roof, and feel the breeze through the shelter.
Some Glen Shelters have Cots and Mattresses; check out the camp’s Facilities Chart to see.
Glen Shelter units all have access to a bathroom facility and running water.

Platform Tents

Platform tents are shelters that are made up of a wooden platform and a strong canvas tent. They are often the kind of shelter people think of when they think of what a summer camp looks like.
We have 6 different platform tent units across our properties.

Treehouse

Treehouses are a fun way to experience camp on a whole new level.
We have two different Treehouse sites each with its own unique features!
At Camp Crowell our treehouses are raised shelters nestled amongst the trees! These wooden structures have Vinyl Curtains and screen windows much like our Glen Shelters.
At Camp White Rock our treehouses are raised shelters with build in bunk beds. These shelters have spiral staircases for an entry point and slides as an option for exiting the shelter. Be careful! Some of these slides are a very fast ride.

Covered Wagon

Covered Wagons are a very unique camping experience! These stationary covered wagons have bunkbeds along their sides to allow for multiple campers to sleep in the structure.
Covered Wagons typically keep in the warmth from the sun more than other shelter types.

Adirondak

Adirondaks are a sleeping shelter similar in many ways to our Glen Shelters. These shelters have 3 full walls and a 4th wall that is made of screens and includes a vinyl curtain for privacy and keeping out the rain.

Hammocks

Hammocks are a camp site that has space to set up hammocks to sleep in. These sites come equipped with hammocks and the supplies to set them up!
Whether for one night or two hammocks are a great way to sleep under the stars.
We have 3 hammock units across our properties.

Bunkhouses

The Riverview Bunkhouses at Camp White Rock are a great way to camp with a large group! Each bunkhouse has several bunkbeds, HVAC, and electricity! Bathrooms are on site in the pavilion.

Tent sites

Tent camping is great for more seasoned campers! Set up a tent and enjoy your time in nature.
With 15 tent sites across our camps they have a wide range of features! Some tent sites are a slight hike to the nearest bathroom facility others have bathroom and water right on site. Check out the Facilities Chart for each camp to see what features the tent site has.

2. Pick a Camp

We have 8 camp properties across Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. Each is unique and full of awesome camping opportunities!

Picking a Camp involves a number of factors:

Does it have the Site type my Troop wants?
Does it have the activities my Troop wants?
How far is it from home?
Is it available for the dates we have in mind?

To learn more about our camp properties, check out their pages here

Maryland Camps toggle arrow

Camp Aquasco

Camp Aquasco is nestled in the woods in scenic Aquasco, Maryland in Prince George’s County.

Camp Brighton Woods

Camp Brighton Woods in Brookeville, Maryland, Montgomery County includes 60 acres of nature

Camp Winona

Camp Winona in Hughesville, Maryland, offers girls so many exciting ways to experience nature.

Virginia Camps toggle arrow

Camp Coles Trip

Camp Coles Trip in Stafford, Virginia, is on the shores of the Aquia Creek and spans 229 acres.

Camp Crowell

Camp Crowell, located in Oakton, Virginia, covers 68 wooded acres in Fairfax County.

Camp May Flather

Camp May Flather, in Mount Solon, Virginia, sits on 50 acres George Washington National Forest.

Camp Potomac Woods

Camp Potomac Woods is located in Leesburg, Virginia, 101 acres of varied terrain.

West Virginia Camps toggle arrow

Camp White Rock

Camp White Rock is spread out over 130 beautiful acres in Capon Bridge, West Virginia.

3. Review Availability

We have a variety of weekend activities that take place on our Camp Properties! Some of these your troop can get involved with and others might block the camp for reservations.

To see what weekend’s camps might not be available check out our calendar: https://bit.ly/GSCampAvailabilityCalendar

The first tab of this page is an overview with helpful links and long term closures. Scroll through the tabs to find the month you are considering going to see if it is available.

Campsites open for reservations 3 month prior to the start of the reservation. Sites can be reserved fairly quickly. For quick reference check out our reservations calendar here: gscnc.doubleknot.com/app/calendar/reservationlist/3056

4. Use doubleknot to reserve a site

Doubleknot is the location for reserving our campsites. Campsites will open for reservations 3 months prior to the start of the reservation. For example, Reservations for June 1 will open March 1

Quick Reference Doubleknot Reservation Steps:

Select the camp you will be reserving through “reserve a camp”
Select the kind of reservation you would like
- Overnight
- Day Use
- High Adventure
Select the Site or Activity you would like to reserve.
Select the date you would like to reserve.

IMPORTANT: You must select both the start and end of your reservation. (e.i. For Overnight Clicking April 19 to begin and April 21 to end; For Day Use or High Adventure Selecting 10am to begin and 12pm to end.)
Click Check out and complete your information and payment.

Check out this resource for a more in depth overview of how to make a reservation: How to make a reservation at a GSCNC property

We have a quick reference guide in our Camping FAQs

Can’t find a GSCNC site that fits your dates, location, and other needs? Check out this resource we’ve pulled together with the help of other Girl Scout troops and service units of other places they’ve had successful camping trips! https://bit.ly/campsitesuggestions

Plan your activities

Make your Outdoor adventure complete by planning out your activities! Building a campfire for s’mores, doing a High Adventure activity, going for a hike, and learning about nature are all great ways to spend your time outside!

When making your plan you’ll need to:

Ask your Girl Scouts what they want to do
Make a plan for what activities you’ll have and about how long they’ll take
Prepare for things to not go according to the plan

Find examples of activities by program level on our Troop Camping page

Ready to go camping but not ready to plan the activities? Try out a Core Camp or our Weekend Facilitator Led Programming!

Core Camps

Girl Scouts Nation’s Capital holds Core Camps each spring and fall at our camp properties. Core Camps are fun weekends at a camp designed and organized by volunteers and teen Girl Scouts. Core Camps give troops the opportunity to go camping and not worry about what activities to do when they get there!

Core camp signup happens by lottery, about 6 months prior to the event. Troops register for the lottery together. Core camp offerings and the link to the lottery are posted in our Outdoor and High Adventure Rallyhood.

Weekend Facilitator Led Programming : https://bit.ly/weekendcampgscnc

Girl Scouts Nation's Capital Camping Team is excited to host Weekend programming on 6 of our properties throughout the year!
Our weekend facilitators will lead your youth and/or troop through a series of wonderful activities such as high adventure, STEM programs, team building, arts & crafts and more! The choice is yours. There are programs for audiences of all ages from daisy to ambassador. Bring your brothers or your cousins too! Families are invited and encouraged to attend as long as one person is an active member of Girl Scouts.
Available at Brighton Woods, Coles Trip, Crowell, Potomac Woods, White Rock and Winona.

Go Camping!

You’ve planned your trip, reserved your campsite, and are ready to go camping. Have fun!

Still have questions? Check out our FAQ Document: https://bit.ly/GSCNCCampFAQ

Council Finder