Fulfills Step 5 of GSUSA Cabin Camper badge requirements.
Items Needed:
- Map of the camping area
- Packing Basics by GSUSA (one per scout)
- Hiking gear: water bottle, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, sturdy shoes
- Optional: small notebook or phone/camera to record trail markers
Instructions (Total Time: 60 minutes):
- Choose a Trail and Check Gear (10–12 minutes)
- Scouts look at the map with the troop and outline a short hiking path
- Use the Packing Basics handout to check that scouts have what they need (water, sun protection, shoes, etc.)
- Learn About Trail Markers (5–7 minutes)
- Explain that trail markers help hikers stay on the correct path
- Show an example marker if available and talk about how to recognize signs or blazes
- Go on a Group Hike (35–40 minutes)
- Follow the mapped trail with the troop
- Ask scouts to point out any trail markers they see and guess what they mean
- If there’s a marker they don’t recognize, take a photo or draw it to research later
- Reflect After the Hike (5–6 minutes)
- Discuss how scouts prepared and how trail markers helped
- Ask what they liked most and if they want to learn more about a specific marker
The Badge Archive 