Every year, Girl Scouts explore the natural wonders found across our country during the Girl Scouts Love State Parks weekend. On September 9th and 10th, Girl Scouts nationwide, along with their troops, friends, and family, will celebrate our shared love of the outdoors. Use this guide at the State Park of your choice to help plan your adventure, inspire your activities (earn some badge steps along the way!) and reflect on your experience.
Review the following section with you Girl Scouts before you go on your State Park adventure. Remember, keeping yourself and the environment safe is extremely important during any outdoor experience.
The first step is to decide which State Park you want to visit! Search for nearby parks on your own or see our suggestions on the Girl Scouts Love State Parks event page. Look at the things you can do at each park, including the trail maps. How long of a hike do you want to go on? Will you be camping? How about fishing? Plan your adventure ahead of time so you will be ready to have fun when you arrive.
Texas State Parks and Events - Bonham, Ray Roberts, Lake Whitney
Texas State Parks and Events - Tyler State Park
Texas State Park and Events - Martin Creek
Trail Safety
Leave No Trace and Packing list
Packing List
Honoring a Tree Activity
Nature Photographer Activity
Nature Sleuths Activity
Nature Walk Prompts
Bonham State Park Scavenger Hunt
Martin Creek Lake Scavenger Hunt
Click the links below for more info/registration. You can also visit the Texas State Park Events Calendar for more events!
Nature Hike Saturday, September 9th 10am-11am
Price: FREE
Take a short hike to explore the park from a different viewpoint. Look for the native flowers and plants. Search for hidden man-made structures. Please wear closed toe shoes. What to bring: Camera, Water, Hiking Stick, Bug spray, sunscreen. Meet at the flagpole.
Ray Roberts Lake State Park
100 P W 4137, Pilot Point, TX 76258
Family Fishing Festival Saturday September 9th 8am-2pm
Price: FREE
The festival includes the Buddy Bass Fishing Tournament, kid fishing events, vendor booths, music, and family festival. In addition, Park Rangers and other groups will also be on hand with free Ranger games & activities for the whole family!
Lake Whitney State Park
433 FM1244, Whitney, TX 76692
Star Party in the Park Saturday, September 9th 8pm-10pm
Enjoy an evening in the park viewing the galaxy by using star maps, a laser pointer and telescope. Retired National Park Ranger and Astronomer Larry Smith will guide you through the planets, moon and stars.
Viewing space is limited, so please register your group by calling the park office during business hours at (254) 694-3973 or email Ranger Rita with the number of adults and children attending and a phone number to contact you if needed.
Birding 101: An Introduction to Birding 10am-11am
Learn how to identify birds by sight and sound.
Wilderness Backpack 2pm-3pm
Learn what to put in a backpack for your wilderness adventure and how to use it as an emergency pack.
Ranger Backcountry Hike 3pm-5pm
Tyler State Park trails provide an excellent training ground to prepare for your backcountry hikes and camping trips.
Use the buddy system!
Safeguard valuables. Store equipment and other valuables in a locked storage area. Make sure all your equipment can stay safe and dry!
Bring a whistle in case you are separated from your group.
Check the weather before heading out.
Stretch before hiking or doing anything physical.
Drink lots of water! Bring a reusable water bottle to keep hydrated. If you become separated from your group, remember to S.T.O.P.
T P
Here are some things to do to be safe on an outdoor trip! S O
The first step is to STOP as soon as you realize you're lost
The next step is to THINK about the situation. Take a few deep breaths so you can remain calm and think clearly
Step three is to OBSERVE your surroundings. What do you see and hear? look for familiar landmarks and listen for familiar sounds
Finally, PLAN what to do next. If your plan with your group was to stay put when lost, be sure to stay where you are.
Before you go, pledge to “Leave No Trace!” Talk about these seven important tips that help you keep nature safe when you’re exploring. Visit LNT.org/GSLSP2021 for more resources.
Plan ahead.
Stay on the trail.
Carry out what you carry
Leave what you find.
Be careful with fire.
Respect wildlife.
Be considerate of other visitors.
Creating a packing list is a helpful way to prepare for a hiking or camping trip. What do you need to bring with you on your outdoor adventure? Add to the list on the next page!
Once you arrive at the State Park of your choice, try some of these activities (badge connections included in the reflection section of the guide).
Honoring trees is a great way to raise awareness about the important role they play in our environment, communities, and history. By learning about and honoring the trees in their area, girls are creating a relationship with them. By raising awareness in the community, they are protecting trees and encouraging others to protect trees, too. (Taken from the Girl Scout Tree Promise)
Materials:
Pen or pencil
Colored pencils or crayons
Lined or blank paper
Ask these questions to get the girls thinking:
1. Why is it so important to recognize how essential trees are, especially right now?
2. How many types of trees can you name off the top of your head?
3. What are some of your favorite tree-related memories?
Do this activity:
1. Explore your state park and use a book or an app (like iNaturalist) to identify different types of trees.
2. Choose a tree that sticks out to you or holds special memories. Take 10-15 minutes to think about what makes this tree special. What does the bark look like? Are all the branches smooth and identical or are they have twists and knots? Share this tree’s significance with a friend or family member.
3. With your paper, colored pencils or crayons, make a bark rubbing of the tree.
4. Write some poe-tree! Write a poem dedicated to the tree you chose alongside a drawing you’ve made of that tree.
Reflect on your experience:
1. How did it feel to observe a tree for that long? What were some things you noticed that you might not have before?
2. What ways do people celebrate and honor trees in different parts of the world?
3. How does honoring a tree make you think differently about their importance in your everyday life?
One of the most important skills as a naturalist is observing nature. Photography can also help us to practice the Girl Scout principle of Leave No Trace, which helps us to be aware of our interactions with the environment and our impact on nature. Photography is a great way to capture nature and keep it with us while leaving it undisturbed.
Materials:
A camera, smartphone, or tablet that will take pictures.
(There are many different tools used to capture photos! Whether you are using a camera, a smart phone, or a tablet, the pictures you take will be unique to your style.)
Ask these questions to get the girls thinking:
1. What can we learn about nature through photographs?
2. How does photography help bring awareness to environmental issues?
Do this activity:
1. Head outside and find your ideal scene. This may be your backyard, a nearby park, or somewhere along a nature trail.
2. Start by observing. Take a look around your location find plants you’d like to photograph. Snap a few shots of your favorites, focusing on which colors and shapes catch your eye.
3. Sometimes nature photographers wait hours for the perfect shot. Watch birds and insects and their movements to learn their patterns.
4. Once you’re ready, try taking some pictures of things in motion; a bird taking flight, a beetle crawling away, leaves blowing in the wind.
5. Now try taking landscape pictures from farther away. What landmarks do you see? A really tall tree? A curvy path?
6. Once you’ve got enough pictures, think about what someone else might learn from what you’ve captured. Can you identify what types of plants or critters you captured in your photos?
Reflect on your experience:
1. What did you notice in your photos that you might not have noticed if you were just out walking or playing?
2. What stories do your photos tell?
3. How did the lighting affect your photography?
4. Which of the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace do you think photography help us with the most?
Biologists, park rangers and game wardens investigate plants, animals and their habitats. Your challenge is to collect evidence of the items listed below just as a detective collects evidence about a crime. (Remember, when you are in a state park you may not collect anything without permission—Leave No Trace!)
· When you find evidence of an item listed below, describe it in the space provided and then describe where you found it.
· Make a sketch or take a photo of the evidence or the item if you choose.
· If possible, use a scientific tool to make a measurement of the evidence or item, disturbing it as little as possible.
Spice up your hike by trying one or more of these themed nature walks!
Copy Cat Walk- Imitate the things you see in nature.
iSpy- Play iSpy during your walk.
Opposites Walk- Find things that are opposites (big/small, hard/soft, tall/short, etc.)
Color Walk- Chose a color and see how many things that color you find on your walk.
What Do You Hear? - Focus on listening to the sounds of nature on your walk.
Leaves- What different leaves do you see on your walk?
Number Walk- See if you can find things in groups of 2, 3, 4, and 5 on your walk.
Cloud Walk- Look up at the clouds during your walk, what do you see?
All Alone- Look for things that are by themselves during your walk.
Find and photograph at least 10 of the following. Photos must be current and taken in the park.
CCC Structures:
The Chimney
The Banquet Table
The Arch (Roman) Bridge
The Date of the Classroom (Hint: 1935)
The Wrought Iron Lamps
Activities:
Flames of a Campfire
Boat on the Water Hiking/On a Trail
Park Ranger at Work
Food Cooking
Fish on a Hook
Flora and Fauna:
Fruit of the Bois d’Arc
Tree Leaf of a Redbud
Butterfly or Hummingbird
The Beaver Lodge
Rabbit/Squirrel/Other Mammal
A Shell
Challenge:
The Moon
Sunset/Sunrise
Feather
Native Blackland Prairie
Plant (Identified)
Find and photograph at least 10 of the following items from any list. Photos must be current and taken in the park.
Easy
Something Red
Something White
Something Blue
Something Yellow
A Shell
A Flower
Food Cooking
Stone structure
A Nut/Fruit
Medium
Butterfly
Yellow Wildflower
Purple Wildflower
Berries
Boats
Fish/Fishing
Campfire
Park Ranger at work
Hiking/On a trail
Challenge
Roman Arch (includes Keystone)
Bird in flight
Beaver lodge
Animal sign
Multiple butterflies
Mammal
Sunset/Sunrise
Night sky
Reptile/Amphibian
Find and take a picture of each of the following items. Answer the questions as you search for the different things.
o Moss: Where does moss grow?
o Pine tree: Identify it as a short leaf or loblolly pine. HINT: check the need length and cone size
o Seeds or seed pod: Name 3 animals who might eat seeds
o Exposed tree roots
o Dead tree
o Eroded soil
o Smooth/shiny rock
o Mud
o Dark or light green leaf
o Small pebble
o Twig
o Deer tracks
o snail
o Deer
o Burn mark on a tree
o Unusual shaped leaf
o Rocks with a rust color: Why does this rock look rusty?
o A colorful leaf. Can you identify the tree it came f ?
o Dew on a flower or leaf: What makes dew form?
o Fungus on a tree: What role do they play in the fo
o Lichen
o Vine
o Insect: What is the purpose of this insect in the e
o Knot in a tree: Why do you think there is a knot?
o Poison ivy: Don’t touch! Why does poison ivy ma
o Animal hole in the ground: Who would live in this
o Spiderweb
o Hole in a tree: What causes this?
This September 9th and 10th, Girl Scouts set out to care for local state parks with a fun and adventurous weekend, filled with all sorts of activities!
Gather friends and family to participate in self-guided tours, hikes, stargazing, watersports, and more; all while fostering a clean trail with Pick Up America.
Get started today by downloading our FREE passport activity sheet: w w w.girlscouts.org/lovestateparks
Notes:
Download your FREE passport activity sheet and start working on creating a clean environment for all!
Once you’ve taken action, unlock your next patch to show you have everything it takes to lead the way!
Check our social channels and website to track all the fun at #GSLoveStateParks weekend!