Girl Scouts Love State Parks 2025: Backpacking 101

Join a park interpreter as we learn how to be good stewards of our trails while backpacking and long-distance hiking. This workshop will cover topics such as how to plan a route, proper outdoor ethics to follow, what to pack (and what not to!), how to properly distribute weight in a backpack, water purification and food prep methods, sleep systems, footwear, the pros and cons to various gear, and more. If you bring your own pack and equipment, we can help you get properly packed, and after the workshop you will have the option to take a small hike with your pack on the first mile of the Ouachita Trail, a backpacking trail that starts at Pinnacle Mountain State Park and ends in Talihina, Oklahoma! Completing this program will help earn the following badges: Senior Trail Adventure, Adventurer, Adventure Camper, Survival Camper, Ambassador Trail Adventure, Trailblazing, Primitive Camper, and Eco-Trekker. Pre-registration is required by September 13 for this program, please contact the visitor center at (501) 868-5806 to get signed up! #GSLoveStateParks