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Property Information and Rental

Volunteer Opportunities

Help us get ready for Spring and Summer Camp! Our Property team is working hard and could use some helping hands to get ready for girl arrival. Interested in volunteering for any of the tasks below? Email property@gsofct.org.

  • Carpentry
  • Painting
  • Cleaning
  • Flower planting
  • Raking
  • Fire pit cleanouts
  • Tents installation  

Current Reservations Calendar | View Here

From hiking, camping, or seeking adventure, Girl Scouts of Connecticut properties are an affordable way to connect with the outdoors. Whether you're a troop, school, family, corporate, or religious group, GSOFCT properties are a great choice for your next event.

GSOFCT has 12 camp properties across the state of Connecticut!  Each site has different facilities and outdoor opportunities to explore. Accommodations at each camp range from modern buildings with heat and running water to primitive sites with tents and latrines. Most camps are open year-round. Using these properties will build great experiences, lasting memories, and skills for your girls!

Reserve Your Spot Today!

  • Troops Reserve Property Button
  • Non Members Reserve Site Button

Our service centers are a great place for troop meetings! Click here to check availability. 

Activities | What to Expect

Keep an eye out here for more activities!

Snowshoes
  • Snowshoeing is for all ages!
  • Snowshoes are available for rent and use at Camps AnSeOx, Candlewood, Laurel, and Yankee Trails.
  • To see their availability and to rent, select “Activities” in the drop-down menu on our Site reservation page. Rental is for all the shoes for the time period you choose.
  • There are varying sizes based on weight. Weight includes clothing, and any gear a person is carrying, and ranges are under 50, 150, 250 lbs.  Inventory varies from camp to camp. All camps have the 150 and 250 lb. shoes. Camps Rocky Craig and AnSeOx also have snowshoes for our younger members, up to 50 lbs. These shoes do not have accompanying poles, all others do.
  • It is best to plan a concurrent activity in case you divide your group into smaller groups. Snowshoeing is a physical activity and some participants may tire before others in your group. Suggestions for other activities may include: snowshoeing, snow play, sledding, photography, a campfire, etc.
  • If you are planning on settling into one spot for any length of time, please reserve that area.
  • Snowshoeing attire includes: snow boots, warm socks, mittens/gloves, layered outerwear is recommended as it is a physical activity and you will warm up! You will fall down too. Snow pants are recommended. Bring a daypack to carry a water bottle and snack.
  • Snowshoeing can be done on camp playfields, trails, any place that is snow covered (except bodies of water/ice). We recommend starting out easy, on a relatively flat area. To start a “15 minute out, 15 minute back” trek could be just right!
  • Consider what other activities you might do while snowshoeing. Possibilities include: a scavenger hunt, look for nests in trees, seek out different types of tracks in the snow, travel to a destination for a snack, etc.
  • Remember to review and follow the helpful GSUSA Safety Activity Checkpoints  and Leave No Trace rules. 
Swimming
  • During the appropriate weather, Lakefront swimming areas are available for rent at camps Candlewood, Laurel, and Yankee Trails
  • Camps Aspetuck and AnSeOx have pools which are used during Summer Camp. With prior communication, they may be rented by service units immediately after the summer camp season.
  • All Safety Activity Checkpoints must be observed including, but not limited to; lifeguards*, watchers, and ratios. For lake swimming, Lifeguard certification must include the waterfront module.
  • Lifeguards are not included in the site rental. If you do not have a lifeguard in your group, we will do our best to locate one for you. Before summer camp, GSOFCT offers Lifeguarding classes designed for summer camp staff. There may be additional spaces available. Contact customercare@gsofct.org for more information.
    • *Note: This lifeguard may not supervise swimmers and boaters at the same time. 
Boating
  • Canoes and Kayaks are available at Candlewood, Yankee Trails, and Laurel.
  • It is the responsibility of the users to remove & return all items, including the small craft, from their storage racks/boathouse. At Laurel, boats are stored on shore. At Yankee Trails, return to boat house. At Candlewood, return to boat house.
  • All Safety Activity Checkpoints must be observed including, but not limited to facilitation by a currently certified boating facilitator or Lifeguard with waterfront module, ratios, and wearing of pfds.
  • Boating Facilitators or lifeguards are not included in the site rental. If you do not have a facilitator in your group, we will do our best to locate one for you. Occasionally, GSOFCT Offers Facilitator Courses. Contact customercare@gsofct.org for more information.
    • *Note if facilitated by a lifeguard, they may not supervise swimmers and boaters at the same time.
Archery
  • Archery ranges may be rented at camps Rocky Craig, Aspetuck, Candlewood, AnSeOx, Laurel, Merrie-Wood, and Yankee Trails.
  • GSOFCT equipment is appropriately sized beginning with Girl Scout Juniors, age 10 and older.
  • To help ensure a positive experience, depending on the size of the range, we recommend group sizes of 8-12 archers, in session lasting 45-90 minutes. In this scenario, each archer is using the same bow for the duration of the event, with smaller groups of archers taking turns.
  • Longer initial sessions allow for a complete explanation of the range safety rules and instructions for archers taking their first shot.
  • Rental of the archery area includes the range and equipment such as; arrows, quivers, and arm-guards. It doesn’t include the Certified Archery Instructor, or cleaning & sanitizing supplies. The equipment shed code will be sent to the person who makes the site reservation.
  • There are several right hand and at least one left hand recurve bows at each site. In some circumstances, equipment may need to be shared.
  • The Instructor will need to direct set up of the range; which may include tasks such as; hanging the net, setting up the stands, targets, shooting lines, and cleaning & sanitizing the equipment. They will also need to direct proper stowing the equipment. Allow time in your plans for these processes.
  • The Instructor and the troop adults should be familiar with and ensure everyone follows the Safety Activity Check points.
  • If you do not have a trained archery instructor in your group or service unit, you may reach out to customercare@gsofct.org with specifics of location and dates, and we will do our best to connect you to an instructor.
  • Having an adult in your group become a certified archery instructor, allows you flexibility in scheduling, and in the long run is more economical. GSOFCT occasionally offers Level 1 Archery Instructor training. 
Hiking
  • Most GSOFCT camp properties have walking/hiking trails. When there is snow cover, some are appropriate for snowshoeing. Due to its small size, Camp Merri-Wood has limited trails, there are Town/Connecticut Forest and Park Trails (CF&P) hiking trails just across the street.
  • If you already have a site reservation, you are also able to share the trails. If you do not have a site reserved, you must make a reservation. Select “Hourly Use” and reserve “Trails”.
  • When hiking, please remember to review and follow the Leave No Trace (LNT) principles, and Girl Scout Safety Activity Checkpoints (SAC).
  • Remember to wear proper footwear, such as socks & sneakers, and layered clothing. Bring a daypack to hold thigs such as; map, insect repellent, first aid kit, snack, trash bag, and water.
  • Camp trails vary from marked & well-established, to not so clearly blazed and narrow. There are maps to most camps*.
  • Most have connecting trails or lead you in a loop, terrain mildly rocky and uneven, but not too difficult, i.e. you do not need to scramble up and down rocky inclines.
  • A walk in the woods need not be at a quick pace. Use the trail as a place to stop and observe nature, do a badge activity, play a game, eat lunch, take out a sketch book, etc.
  • If you are using a trail for trail-running, walk the route first, to check the terrain.
  • Camp trails are also a good place to ease into backpacking. Put on a weighted pack (use bottles of water) and increase the weight till you reach the weight you’ll be carrying for backpacking trip. Consider starting at one end of camp and hiking to an established camp unit as a way to progress into backwoods camping.
  • *If you are interested in helping maintain a trail, contact customercare@gsofct.org with the name of the camp and the age of your troop members. Help is needed with mapping, marking, and clearing overgrown trails. 
Letterboxing
  • Letterboxing is a combination of hiking, scavenger hunt and pen pals. For information about this outdoor hobby visit Atlasquest.com or Letterboxing.org. Brownies may earn a Letterboxer Badge and GSOFCT has a Letterboxing patch for all levels.
  • There are letterbox series planted and maintained by volunteers at the following GSOFCT camps: Rocky Craig, Candlewood, AnSeOx, Laurel, Merrie-Wood, and Yankee Trails.
  • When letterboxing at one of our camps, you must make a reservation. If you already have a site reservation, you are also able to share the trails. If you do not have a site reserved, you must make a reservation. Select “Hourly Use” and reserve “Trails”.
  • GSOFCT letterbox clues are not publicly shared, email customercare@gsofct.org  to obtain them.
  • When letterboxing, please remember to review and follow the Leave No Trace (LNT) principles, and Girl Scout Safety Activity Checkpoints (SAC) for hiking.
  • Remember to wear proper footwear, such as socks & sneakers and layered clothing. Bring a daypack to hold things such as; insect repellent, first aid kit, snack, trash bag, water.
  • Our letterboxes are arranged in topical series. There is one logbook in a letterboxing series, so not every box will contain a logbook. You can expect that each box will have an inkpad.
  • If you find a letterbox out in the open, hide it according to the clues, or if you do not have the clues, return it to main camp area, and email customercare@gsofct.org so that we can replant it.
  • Letterboxing “gear” includes; a personal stamp, ink pad, personal letterboxing log book, and a clipboard or other hard, smooth surface to use while stamping.
  • GSOFCT also offers Letterboxing day events in the fall and spring. In the fall, we host a letterboxing weekend at camp Laurel. 
Slingshot Range (more info coming soon)

 

 

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Our Properties

Reservation Process

GSOFCT troops/groups may reserve a site here.

Check out our FAQ to help to answer questions you have about our online site reservation process.

PLEASE NOTE: American Express is not accepted as a form of payment. We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or debit.

Property Usage during Covid-19

Indoor Availability Effective 3/1/21

For everyone's health, please maintain social distancing when possible. When it's not possible to social distance from others, wear a mask. Some people will choose to continue to wear a mask and that's okay! 

All Beds/Mats/Sleeping bags must be 6 feet apart at all times. All indoor sleeping must use cross ventilation including opening of all windows and doors if possible. Cabins or A Frames should have window and screen doors opened. Platform Tents should keep sides rolled up to offer a cross breeze. Same households can sleep in one unit with the usual capacity limitations. Masks can be removed when sleeping but must be worn when moving about buildings, tents, cabins & A frames.

Sleeping spaces – Sleeping outside of the platform tent!

Consider using this opportunity to think of additional overnight sleeping options. For many Girl Scouts this is an exciting opportunity.

Porches- as long as you aren’t blocking exits, stairs, or ramp, use the covered porches as sleeping areas.

Tents – Put small tents in and among the established platform tents/cabins or create a field unit on a flag or play field (be sure to pick up all your stakes). Keep in mind that you’ll want to be near a porto or sharable bathroom. 

Ask families in your Service unit or troop if they have a tent to be borrowed. Even if it is an older tent, a tarp can be placed over it, to make it rain-ready.

Places like REI rent camping equipment, including tents.

Tarps – Run a line between trees and place a tarp over it. Stake out the tarp to secure your sides, creating a “tarp tent”

Screen house or shade tent with sides – place an old tent underneath or set up your sleeping area underneath the pop-up. Remember to stake out your shelter.

Hammocks – be sure to be kind to the trees as you securely attach your hammock.  Create a sleeping space that is cozy and off the ground. In our camping units, there are usually trees on the edge that will accommodate this.

Empty Tent Platforms – Use this flat space to put up a few one or two-person tents. In case of wind, be sure to weight your tent down with gear or lash it down.

Sleep under the Stars – Head for the field with a sleeping pad or yoga mat and sleeping bag. 

Covid-19 Guidelines for Swimming and Boating Activities
Swimming:
  • When using changing areas, allow three at a time if using a shared space.
  • Swimmers must be 6 feet apart when swimming and no shared/multi touch toys or flotation devices are allowed.
  • Bather load is 1;25 including  2 lookouts The changing room and if applicable, pool deck entrance/exit stair handles will be disinfected, using materials provided by GSOFCT, following each group as per guideline.
  • Lifeguards will be masked only when campers are entering and exiting the swim area. When guarding, as long as there is a 6’distance, masks on staff do not have to be worn.
Boating:
  • Maximum capacities: 2 in a canoe, 1 in Kayak, 1 on SUP (Stand up Paddle Board)
  • Masks must be worn while entering the small craft and removed while on the water. We suggest bringing a sealable plastic bag for your mask and tuck it into your bathing suit or bag.
  • Staff must wear a mask. Campers must wear a life jacket. Life jackets are to be cleaned when dirty and sanitized after each use. The canoe oar handles and gunwales must be sanitized between each use. SUP paddles must be sanitized after each use. Kayak gunwales and paddle handles must be sanitized between each use. SUP and kayaks are only for single person use.
  • Masks must be worn while entering the small craft and removed while on the water. We suggest bringing a sealable plastic bag for your mask and tuck it into your bathing suit or bag.
  • All participants must wear a lifejacket. After each use, all lifejackets must be cleaned when dirty and sanitized using GSOFCT sanitizing spray and hung in an appropriate space.
  • Between each use, using GSOFCT provided spray: The canoe paddle handles and gunwales must be sanitized, SUP paddles must be sanitized, kayak gunwales and paddle handles must be sanitized.

Please contact the Property Department for more information.

 

Hiking Today. Trailblazing Tomorrow. Become a Girl Scout. Join Now
Hiking Today. Trailblazing Tomorrow. Become a Girl Scout. Join Now
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