Girl Scouts of Northern California Camps

Girl Scouts of Northern California Camps offer a wide range of activities, including singing, games, crafts, theme workshops, outdoor cooking, hiking, swimming, archery, rock climbing, water activities, and STEM projects. Campers take part in themed activities such as scavenger hunts, leather craft, and theme-based crafts, and they can learn more about nature, practice outdoor skills, and cook outdoors. Some camps offer traditional camp experiences for younger girls, leadership programs for older girls, optional sleepovers, multi-day wilderness trips, horse programs, and troop and family camping.

• Ages: 5–17 years old
• Schedule: Week-long and multi-week day camps with some four-day Tuesday–Friday options, multiple summer sessions at certain camps, and a one-week Spring Fling day camp during Spring Break each year

Many camps are volunteer-run and are staffed by screened and trained volunteers, while council-run camps are staffed by trained counselors and are backed by more than 100 years of Girl Scouts of Northern California camp experience. Girl Scout camps are described as a safe, all-girl environment, ideal for girls ages 5–17, and campers can relax and unplug from the everyday while making lifelong friends. The mission of Diablo Day Camp is to “build girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place” while fostering a love of the outdoors.

Volunteer-run day camps are run by dedicated volunteers, and parents can often attend with their girl in exchange for helping in different areas of camp operations. Many former campers at Diablo Day Camp return as Elves (Program Aides) and as adult volunteer staff, and many older girls at Marin Day Camp at Arequipa work as Camp Arequipa Aides, Junior Unit Leaders, workshop leaders, and Directors in Training. Troop and family camping is available at Skylark Ranch.

Girls at some camps use bus transportation from local stops, including Diamond Crest Day Camp, Funshine, and Mountain Top Day Camp, and girls at Alameda Day Camp bring their own brown bag lunch and enjoy theme snacks each day. Camp registration opens in January 2026, with registration beginning January 21 at noon for returning campers and January 28 at noon for first-time campers. You don’t have to be a Girl Scout to go to Girl Scout camp, robust financial aid options are available, and there is a promotion where returning campers who refer a friend who has never camped before give both campers 10% off registration.

Alvarado Day Camp has been serving girls in West Contra Costa County for 78 years, and Girl Scouts of Northern California has been running summer camps for over a century. Leadership for council-run camps includes Mykayla “Mouse” Louie as camp director for Bothin, Alyssa “Moose” Oertli as camp director at Sugar Pine, and Erica “Chicklet” Sutliff as camp director for Skylark Ranch, and 2026 will be Erica Sutliff’s 10th summer working at a summer camp with Girl Scouts of Northern California.

Last updated May 15, 2026.