Tech on the Trail

Cub Scouts · Adventure, Elective

Tech on the Trail shows how gadgets can help you hike safely. You'll explore GPS, plan a route online, and then take your trek. Technology is a great tool, as long as you also know the basics.

Why it's worth it

Hikers, search-and-rescue teams, and park rangers use GPS and online maps every day. You'll learn how satellites help a device know where you are, how to plan a route on a computer, and what to do when the battery dies. Knowing both the tech and the backup skills makes you a safer, smarter hiker.

Start this week

With your adult, open an online map and find your home, then measure the distance to your school.
Ask your adult if you can try a GPS device or a phone's compass and location app.
Talk with your family about what you'd do on a trail if the phone battery ran out.

Requirements · 4

Every official requirement and part, numbered to match Scouting America, in plain language. Sign off against the official wording (opens in a new tab).

Requirement 1
Talk about ways technology can help keep you safe outdoors
Tip: Talk about how phones, GPS, and weather apps help, and what to do if the battery dies.
For example: Technology can help by showing your location, warning you about storms, and letting you call for help. But batteries die and signals drop, so you still carry a paper map and stay with your group.
Requirement 2
Explore GPS and how to use it
Tip: Try a GPS device or app. Mark your starting spot and use it to find your way back.
For example: Mark your starting point as a waypoint, walk around the block or a park, then use the GPS to guide you back. Notice how close it gets you and how long it takes to find satellites.
Requirement 3
With an adult, pick an online mapping tool and use it to plan a 2-mile trek
Tip: With an adult, use an online map to plan a 2-mile route and check the distance.
For example: Use an online map's route or distance tool to draw a loop on park trails. Adjust it until it measures about 2 miles, then print or download the map in case you lose signal.
Requirement 4
Go on your 2-mile trek
Tip: Bring your Six Essentials and follow your plan with your den or family.

Talk about it together

How did the GPS help you, and when did it not help?
What would you do if your device stopped working on the trail?
How close was your online plan to the real hike?
What other gadgets could help hikers stay safe?

Helpful reads

Cub Scouts: a guide for families, How Cub Scout ranks and adventures work from kindergarten through fifth grade, what an adult partner does, and how to keep it fun at meetings and at home., Families · Leaders · 4 min read

For leaders & parents

Bring a paper map too and talk about backups when devices fail.
Try a simple geocache hunt to make GPS practice exciting.

People & places that can help

National Park Service (opens in a new tab) — Trail maps and outdoor safety tips.
Local park or nature center — Maps of nearby trails to plan your trek.
GPS.gov (opens in a new tab) — How the Global Positioning System works, explained by the U.S. government.
USGS Topographic Maps (opens in a new tab) — Free maps that show hills, valleys, and trails.

Webelos, Rank · 7 requirements

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Tips, examples, and questions are ideas from experienced leaders, not extra requirements. Your unit leader or counselor decides when a requirement is complete.