
Troop Camping

Troop Camping at summer camp is a way for Girl Scouts and their troop leaders to enjoy the camp experience together with the support of camp staff. Troop camping can be a great step in the camp progression before sending Girl Scouts to summer camp alone or before going camping on your own as a troop.
Refer to the Minicamps page for weekend camp programs for the spring and fall.
Check back in December for the 2024 theme.
Check back in December for 2024 sessions.
Check back in December for 2024 dates.
Refer to the Minicamps page for weekend camp programs for the spring and fall.
Check back in December for 2024 costs.
Please note that Girl Scouts can apply for an activity scholarship if needed.
Ways to Pay
Option 1: Participants pay their contribution to the troop. Troop submits Activity Credits to GSU with an Activity Credit Log (PDF, page 2 only). Troop pays balance in UltraCamp with troop debit/credit card.
Option 2: Troop pays troop contribution in UltraCamp with troop debit/credit card. Participants pay their contribution directly to GSU with a Program, Event, and Camp Payment form (PDF) and/or calling Customer Care (801-716-5124) to make a payment with a credit/debit card.
Due to the popularity of GSU’s Troop Camping program, troops are responsible for paying the full amount for the number of spots selected during registration.
Email GSU (info@gsutah.org) as soon as possible if a participant is unable to attend camp due to illness, injury, family emergency, etc.
No refunds are given if a participant returns home during camp because of illness, injury, homesickness, misconduct, and/or any other circumstance.
The camp Health Supervisor has the right to refuse admittance to any participant who does not meet acceptable health conditions. The Camp Director reserves the right to request that any participant who is ill or unable to adapt to camp living be returned home.
Everyone is expected to follow the Girl Scout Promise and Law. Campers are asked to listen and follow directions from camp staff and troop leaders, use the buddy system, stay with the group, and stay in camp boundaries. No drugs, alcohol, pets, or weapons are permitted on Girl Scout property. Smoking is permitted by those of legal age outside the gate only.
The Camp Director reserves the right to send home anyone who neglects to follow camp rules, becomes a danger to themselves or others, or damages property. No refund will be given if someone is sent home due to misconduct or refusal to follow policies.
All medications (i.e., prescription, over-the-counter, herbal) a participant is bringing to camp must be entered into UltraCamp at least 10 days prior to the start of their Troop Camping session.
We require all medications, prescribed or not, to be kept in a locked space while on property. For Troop Camping, there are two options for the storage/security of medications. Meds can either be checked in to our Health Center wherein camp staff will administer it to attendees when needed, or they can be kept in Troop Leaders’ vehicles, locked when not in use, for the adult attendees to administer. Emergency medications (inhalers, Epi-Pens, insulin) may be an exception – consult with the Camp Director and/or site Health Supervisor upon arrival to discuss options.
Please do not send as needed over-the-counter medications to camp. Both camps carry over-the-counter medication such as: Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Tums, Benadryl, and cough drops for as needed use per our Treatment Guidelines and per your approval on your camp forms.
If you need to update your camper’s medications within 10 days of camp, please email info@gsutah.org in addition to updating it in UltraCamp.
Download and Upload your EPI-Pen Authorization Form
Download the GSU EPI-Pen Authorization form and submit the completed form by uploading it in your family's UltraCamp account in the Document Center under the Health Forms section.
Note: Uploaded forms must be processed by GSU which can take 1-2 business days. Once the form has been processed, the task to upload forms will no longer be listed in your account.
About EPI-Pen Authorization Forms
If a camper will be bringing an EPI-Pen to camp, a task will be assigned to your UltraCamp account to upload an EPI-Pen Authorization form (requires a doctor’s signature).
EPI-Pen Authorization forms are valid for up to 24 months prior to the program start date. For example, for a camper attending a program July 2, 2023, an authorization form from July 2, 2021, and after will be accepted.
The Trading Post (Camp Store) will be open during your Troop Camping session at set times. While completing your health and program release forms for Troop Camping, you will have the option of placing money in your camper’s Trading Post account (pay with debit/credit card or submit Activity Credits with a Program, Event, and Camp Payment Form (PDF).
If you need to update the amount:
Participants may also bring cash, credit cards, or Activity Credits as a form of payment with them to camp. GSU is not responsible for any lost or stolen cash, credit cards, or Activity Credits.
About Trading Post
The Trading Post carries a variety of items, such as stuffed animals, postcards, hats, patches, and jewelry. Items range from $1 to $40. Trading Post shopping is optional.
Participants are free to choose any items they would like to purchase in the Trading Post. Camp staff will not question or guide campers’ purchases. If you would like to guide your camper’s purchase, you should discuss that with them before camp.
At the end of the session, if your camper’s Trading Post balance is over $5, the balance will be refunded. Please allow 10-14 business days for the refund to be processed.
Payments for Troop Camping are to be handled between your family and the troop leader. Troop Camping is $145 per person. Each troop decides how much the troop contributes per person and how much the participants contribute toward this $145 fee.
If your troop leader asks you to make a payment with GSU:
If your family would like to request an Activity Scholarship, please review the Activity Scholarships for Events, Programs, and Camp section on the Scholarships page. Complete your request between March 1 and April 1, 2023. Requests submitted after this date will be awarded based on funds available at that time
Troop leaders will have a customized troop schedule which will list your troop’s specific check-in and check-out times.
We ask that minors and adults coming to a troop camping experience be able to stay for the entire duration of the event. If your troop has youth or adults who need to arrive or depart at different times due to other obligations, you will need to work with the Camp Director to make these arrangements.
Tag–a–Longs and Visitors
For the safety and security of all participants and to ensure quality programming, tag-a-longs or visitors not registered for this event (boys, girls, adults, siblings, children, infants, parents, etc.) may not stay or visit.
Security
Camp Cloud Rim and Trefoil Ranch both have a full-time site manager and a locked gate and are patrolled by local law enforcement agencies. The campsite areas are secure and monitored by staff.
Troops will be placed in sleeping areas as needed to best accommodate each group during Troop Camping. Children and adults will typically sleep in separate tents and/or cabins unless requested otherwise.
Troops will likely share a unit area with other troops, but usually will not have their campers’ sleeping spaces intermixed with other Troops. Adult leaders may share their cabin/tent with adults from other Troops to help maximize the space in each unit.
Platform Tents
Metal bed frame with a mattress
Wooden floor with a canvas tent
Cabins
Metal bed frame with a mattress
Single beds and bunk beds
Bunkhouse (Trefoil Ranch only)
Metal bed frame with a mattress
Bunk beds
Camp will provide all meals and snacks for Troop Camping. Camp staff will cook meals in the lodge kitchen, and troops will eat either indoors or outdoors. If troops would like the option of doing one cookout, they can select this during registration. Camp will provide the food and supplies for the cookout, along with camp staff to assist.
Participants will be asked about special dietary needs so that all Girl Scouts and adults have alternative options. Troops may bring their own snacks but need to keep them in their cars or in the camp kitchen and not in living areas.
Camp staff and troop leaders will work together to provide a fun, engaging, and relevant outdoor experience for the Girl Scouts. Camp staff will provide three blocks of program time in addition to an evening activity each night. The remainder of the schedule is up to Troop Leaders to fill with troop-led activities. Program areas at camp are not available for troops to lead their own programming.
New in 2023, Troop Leaders will rank their group's top five activity options during initial registration. Troops will be informed on March 1 of their placements, and customized schedules will be sent to troops the first full week of April.
Programming – Troop-Leader Led
Troop leaders will need to provide their own programming for times when they are not scheduled with camp staff (known as troop time). Troops will need to follow Safety Activity Checkpoints for their troop time activities and will not be allowed to use program areas (i.e., archery, waterfront, rock climbing) as other troops will be using these areas with camp staff.
Communal areas may be available for use during troop time; connect with the Camp Director to ensure the space is available for use. It is recommended that troop time be spent in the unit area or hiking on trails. Troops doing their own campfires and/or fire building will depend on the fire restrictions at the time.
Programming – Camp-Staff Led
Camp staff will provide three blocks of program time in addition to two evening activities.
Cloud Rim and Trefoil Ranch have numerous program areas for the troops to experience during their stay at camp.
Camp staff incorporate Girl Scout programming into outdoor programs or activities. Please review the Troop Camping Outcomes (PDF) for badge and patch steps your troop may work on during their session. Connect with your Troop Leaders to know what activities your troop got scheduled for so you can narrow down what steps your camper will work on.
View a sample Troop Camping schedule (PDF) for an example of what your schedule might look like.
Grade Levels
For Troop Camping, we ask that youth are identified by what age level they will be going into in the fall school year. We have the Girl Scouts “bridge” over to the next age level so they can participate in more activities. For example, a fourth-grader can go kayaking on the lake, while a third-grader can only canoe; a sixth-grader can do hatchet throwing, while a fifth-grader cannot. These restrictions are due to Safety Activity Checkpoints and the progression built into the camp program.
View the Troop Camping Packing List (PDF) for location-specific clothing recommendations and requirements. Note that open-toed shoes (flip flops, sliders, etc.) are not permitted for general wear at either of GSU’s camp properties, but they may be used at the shower house. Tank tops are not recommended for general wear due to high sun exposure and heightened risk of skin abrasions at a variety of activity areas. Check with your Troop Leader to see if any additional items are needed.
SWAPS are “Special Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere.” Due to COVID-19, a specific SWAPS fest was not held the last few years. We will continue not holding a specific SWAPS fest, and instead will have a specific SWAP board located in a central area that troops can visit when it works in their schedule to do so. If your camper is making SWAPs, they should make about 10 SWAPS to put on the board.
Campers are not allowed to use cell phones or the camp phones. We ask that if adults must use a cell phone, that they do so away from the campers. The Camp Director or the Troop Leader will reach out for any extenuating circumstance(s) that guardians need to be notified. Please advise parents to avoid promising their camper that they will be able to call home while at camp.
Troop leaders are responsible for providing consistency and supervision for their Girl Scouts at all times. This includes troop time, camp staff-led activity time, morning and bedtime routines, and meal time. When troops are participating in a camp staff-led activity or workshop, troop leaders are welcome to join in the activity but are also expected to assist their campers.
The role of camp staff is to lead activities, interact with campers, facilitate the camp experience, and support Troop Leaders. Troops will interact with multiple staff during their stay and will not be assigned specific counselors. Camp staff will be sleeping in separate areas from troops. Administrative staff are always available to help troop leaders as needed.
Troop camping during summer camp does not require Troop Leaders to take the Troop Camping 101 course due to the presence and oversight of our trained camp staff and Camp Director for this program. If you’d like more information about this training, please contact info@gsutah.org or visit the Activities Calendar.
Troops are expected to follow a 1:5 ratio, regardless of age level(s) of Girl Scouts attending. If your troop does not meet this ratio, your troop will need to add or decrease the number of adults coming with you. If your troop has a special situation requiring more adults than what this ratio would provide, troop leaders will indicate this during the registration process.
This is a troop camping experience that is intended for camping and outdoor experience progression. If you are looking to attend camp with each child having an adult companion, check out the following programs:
If you have questions, please contact info@gsutah.org before registration.
Please click through Camper Well-Being and Guidelines in the Camp Orientation Guide to find information regarding the following topics:
Questions? Contact Customer Care at info@gsutah.org or (801) 265-8472