'Girl Scouts Love State Parks' initiative aims to get every girl outside

From Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming

BILLINGS — In collaboration with the National Association of State Park Directors — NASPD — and Girl Scouts of the USA, the Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming is participating in the first-ever Girl Scouts Love State Parks weekend in July.

“Girl Scouts has always been a leader in getting girls outdoors, and we are excited to open our state parks specifically to the organization this July,” NASPD CEO Lewis Ledford said. “Girls can flex their leadership and risk-taking skills while exploring the parks, learning something new, and, most of all, having fun.”

Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming is hosting a variety of events at six state parks located throughout Montana and Wyoming Saturday, July 13, for girls to explore what the parks have to offer and to learn what thinking like a citizen scientist is all about. The programs are not just for girls, but also their family and friends to experience the great outdoors.

• Curt Gowdy State Park, Cheyenne, Wyoming, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Buffalo Bill State Park, Cody, Wyoming, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Sinks Canyon State Park, Lander, Wyoming, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

• Pictograph Cave State Park, Billings, Montana, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Lewis and Clark Caverns, Whitehall, Montana, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

• West Shore State Park, Lakeside, Montana, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit http://www.gsmw.org/en/events/event-list.html for more details on the Girl Scouts Love State Parks event and to register.

The registration deadline for the programs is Monday.

The legacy of Girl Scouts and the outdoors is profound. Studies show that 71 percent of girl members ages 8–14 tried their first outdoor activity through the organization and half would not have had access to outdoor activities and programming if not for Girl Scouts.