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Everything You Need to Know to Plan an Outdoor Adventure for Your Scout Troop

Planning a Scout troop outing should be exciting – not a logistical puzzle.

Whether you’re organizing a Girl Scout troop activity, Cub Scout outing, Scouts BSA adventure, or another youth group trip, an outdoor adventure is a great way to get kids away from screens, try something new, and put their skills to the test.

But taking a group of scouts on an adventure requires a little more planning than simply picking a date and showing up.

From choosing the right activity and collecting waivers to coordinating adults, transportation, food, and what everyone should wear, here’s a step-by-step guide to planning a successful Scout adventure day.

And if you’re looking for an activity that checks a lot of those boxes at once, Go Ape offers high-ropes and zipline adventures specifically designed for scout groups.

Step 1: Choose Your Adventure

Start by thinking about what you want your troop to get out of the experience.

Are you looking for:

A fun outdoor activity?
A physical challenge?
A confidence-building experience?
An opportunity to practice teamwork?
A way to celebrate completing a goal or badge?
A memorable end-of-year troop outing?

An aerial adventure can check several of those boxes at once.

At Go Ape, scout groups can tackle suspended obstacles, crossings, and ziplines while encouraging one another along the way. The experience naturally creates opportunities for peer-to-peer coaching, problem-solving, communication, and confidence building.

And unlike a typical field trip where everyone simply watches or listens, participants are actively involved from start to finish.

Step 2: Pick a Date and Location

Once you’ve decided what you’d like to do, lock in your date and location.

For a large group, it’s a good idea to start planning early. You’ll want enough time to:

Confirm availability
Collect your final headcount
Coordinate adult supervision
Arrange transportation
Complete waivers
Communicate details to parents
Plan food and other activities

Go Ape recommends using its group inquiry process for larger groups of 5+ participants.

Pro Tip

Don’t choose your location based solely on distance.

Think about parking, picnic areas, nearby trails, food options, and whether you can turn the adventure into a full day outdoors.

Step 3: Check Participant Requirements

Before sending invitations or collecting money, make sure everyone in your troop can participate in the activity you’ve selected.

Go Ape has age, height, weight, physical-capability, and adult-supervision requirements that vary by activity and location. These requirements cannot simply be waived for a group.

For younger scouts in particular, check:

Minimum age
Minimum height
Weight restrictions
Adult-to-child supervision requirements
Physical requirements
Accessibility considerations

If someone in your group may need an accommodation, contact Go Ape before booking so the team can discuss the specific needs of your group.

A little planning here can prevent surprises on adventure day.

Step 4: Build Your Adult Supervision Team

You can’t plan a successful Scout outing without enough adults.

Start by determining how many adults you’ll need based on the requirements of your chosen location, activity, and your organization’s own supervision policies.

Then consider bringing a few additional adults when possible.

Extra adults can help with:

Transportation
Check-in
Non-participating children
Bathroom breaks
Lunch
Gear and personal belongings
Keeping the group together before and after the activity

At Go Ape, instructors provide the safety briefing and are available to assist guests, but many treetop activities are completed independently after the safety instruction. Adults remain responsible for required supervision of minors.

Read also: What to expect at Go Ape

Step 5: Get the Paperwork Done Early

Few things slow down an exciting adventure faster than a group of people trying to complete paperwork at the last minute.

For Go Ape, every participant needs a signed waiver, and minors must have a waiver completed by a parent or legal guardian before participating. Waivers can be completed electronically before the visit.

Add this to your planning timeline:

2–3 weeks before: Send waiver information to parents.

1 week before: Check who has completed their waiver.

A few days before: Send one final reminder.

That way, adventure day can focus on the adventure – not paperwork.

Step 6: Tell Everyone What to Wear

Outdoor activities are much more enjoyable when everyone arrives dressed for the occasion.

For a Go Ape treetop adventure, scouts should come prepared with:

Comfortable clothing
Weather-appropriate layers
Clothing that allows plenty of movement
Fully enclosed shoes
Gloves

Avoid sandals, open-toed shoes, slip-ons, or footwear that leaves any part of the foot exposed. Go Ape’s current safety guidance requires appropriate enclosed footwear for treetop activities.

Don’t Forget the Small Stuff

Depending on the season, remind families to bring:

Water bottles
Sunscreen
Bug spray
Rain gear
Extra layers
A change of clothes, if appropriate

Sending a simple packing list with your final event details can save everyone a lot of questions.

Step 7: Plan Food and Breaks

Adventure works up an appetite.

Before the event, figure out when and where your troop will eat. Depending on the location, Go Ape may have options for pavilion rentals, picnic areas, and catering. Availability varies by park.

Keep food simple and easy to serve:

Pizza
Sandwiches
Fruit
Granola bars
Chips
Cookies
Water
Juice

If your troop is spending the entire day at a park, consider packing a lunch that can be enjoyed before or after the adventure.

And don’t forget to account for dietary restrictions and food allergies when collecting information from parents.

Step 8: Build in Time for the Adventure

One of the biggest mistakes group leaders can make is packing too much into the schedule.

Give your troop plenty of time to arrive, park, check in, use the restroom, complete any remaining paperwork, and get ready.

Go Ape’s treetop experiences can take approximately 1–3 hours, depending on the activity and location.

Rather than rushing from one activity to another, leave some breathing room in your schedule.

The goal isn’t to see how much you can squeeze into one day.

It’s to make the day memorable.

Read also: Free Group Outing Planner

Step 9: Turn the Adventure Into a Learning Experience

A Scout adventure doesn’t have to feel like a classroom to be educational.

In fact, some of the best learning happens when kids don’t realize they’re learning.

As scouts navigate an aerial course, they may naturally practice:

Communication

“Which way should I go?”

“Do you want me to help you?”

“Watch out for this obstacle!”

Problem-Solving

What’s the best way to get across?

How do you approach an obstacle you’ve never seen before?

Courage & Confidence

Can I take that next step?

What happens when I try something outside my comfort zone?

Leadership

Who wants to go first?

How can we help someone who’s nervous?

Teamwork

Even though each scout completes the obstacles individually, the encouragement happening between platforms can turn an individual challenge into a shared accomplishment.

That’s part of what makes outdoor adventure such a natural fit for scouting.

Step 10: Make It a Day to Remember

Once the planning is done, don’t forget to enjoy the experience yourself.

Take group photos before the adventure begins. Celebrate accomplishments. Encourage scouts who are nervous about trying something new. And give everyone a chance to talk about their favorite part of the day afterward.

Go Ape scout groups can also request free Go Ape scout patches, giving participants a small keepsake to remember their adventure.

Most importantly, let the scouts own the experience.

The best part of an adventure day isn’t watching someone else conquer a challenge.

It’s realizing you can do it yourself.

Scout Adventure Day Checklist

Before Booking

☐ Choose a location

☐ Choose an activity

☐ Check age, height, weight & supervision requirements

☐ Pick a date

☐ Get a headcount estimate

☐ Request group information

☐ Request scout patches, if desired

2–3 Weeks Before

☐ Confirm reservation

☐ Recruit adult supervisors

☐ Arrange transportation

☐ Send parent information

☐ Send waiver instructions

☐ Plan food

Week Before

☐ Confirm final headcount

☐ Check completed waivers

☐ Send arrival information

☐ Share clothing & packing list

☐ Confirm food and transportation

☐ Check the weather

Adventure Day

☐ Arrive early

☐ Check in

☐ Complete safety briefing

☐ Make sure everyone has appropriate footwear

☐ Adventure!

☐ Eat and celebrate

☐ Take group photos

☐ Collect your scout patches

Why Go Ape Is a Great Scout Troop Activity

Scouting is all about getting outside, learning new skills, building confidence, and challenging yourself – and an aerial adventure puts those ideas into practice.

At Go Ape, scout groups can experience high-ropes challenges and ziplines while building camaraderie and encouraging one another along the way. Go Ape currently offers special scout group pricing, instructor-led safety training, 1–3 hour canopy experiences, free scout patches upon request, and additional options that vary by location.

It’s an activity that gives scouts something to talk about long after they’ve left the park.

And perhaps more importantly, it gives them a chance to discover what they’re capable of.

Ready to Plan Your Scout Adventure?

The best Scout outings don’t have to be the most complicated ones.

Choose an activity, get your adults organized, communicate the important details, and give your troop plenty of time to enjoy the experience.

Whether you’re planning a Girl Scout troop activity, Scouts BSA outing, Cub Scout adventure, or another youth group event, getting outside and taking on a challenge together is a great way to create memories – and maybe discover a little courage along the way.

Ready to start planning? Explore Go Ape’s Scout Troop adventures and find a location near you.

Explore Go Ape Scout Troop Adventures

About Go Ape

Go Ape believes in creating spaces where people of all ages and abilities can escape the ordinary, rediscover their courage, and embrace the thrill of discovery. Here, in the treetops or along scenic paths, lifelong bonds are forged, confidence is renewed, and laughter echoes through the canopy. Go Ape isn’t just an activity; it’s a movement to reconnect with what truly matters: people, place, and purpose.

Go Ape isn’t just an activity. It’s a movement to reconnect with what truly matters: people, place, and purpose. Let’s rise above together. Visit goape.com.