Dale Earnhardt Environmental Leadership Campus at Oak Springs

The Dale Earnhardt Environmental Leadership Campus at Oak Springs is 45 minutes north of Charlotte, just a few miles from Statesville. With over 700 sprawling acres of gently rolling hills full of oak trees, this property also features spring-fed streams, and is bordered by the South Yadkin River for nearly two miles.

In recognition of the Dale Earnhardt Foundation’s $2 million gift to support the development of the property, the campus is named the Dale Earnhardt Environmental Leadership Campus to honor the legendary NASCAR driver. With a rich history between Mr. Earnhardt and the property, the Foundation wanted to give back to an organization that shares their philanthropic focus of children, education and environmental preservation.

This unique outdoor property hosts our Overnight Summer Camp, and during the off-season offers heated and air-conditioned cabins for group rental, with the opportunity to participate in bring-your-own tent camping, cooperation courses, hiking trails, archery, all kinds of water activities in our 25-acre lake, and many other programs.

1919 Turnersburg Highway, Statesville, NC 28625

( Service Unit Teams wishing to book an encampment should scroll to the bottom of the chart on that page, and click the link for them there.)

Troop Leaders and Service Units should familiarize themselves with 'Outdoor Trainings for Girl Scout Volunteers' and 'Outdoor Activity Facilitator Trainings' on our Adult Development page, so that they know what their Troop is and is not certified to do at camp.

Outside groups will need to complete the Community Rental Agreement and submit it, along with a Certificate of Liability Insurance, to our Customer Care Team before their rental date.

For questions regarding property reservations, please consult the information below. If your question is not answered there, please email customercare@hngirlscouts.org or call 704-731-6500.

Pricing and Information Guides

Price and Information Guides

For a quick guide to what is available, including a map of the property, pricing, and important information, please click your rental group type below:

Girl Scout Troop
Girl Scout Service Unit (Encampments)*
Girl Scout Member Hosting Non-GS Event
Non-Girl Scout Group (Non-Profit, Government, or Educational)
Non-Girl Scout Group (Corporate)

To see photos of the property, visit the correct rental calendar, select a Category, Date, and Duration, and then click 'More...' under the facility you would like to see pictures of.

*Encampments should also consult the 'Service Unit Encampments' drop-down below for more information, such as an example Planning Schedule and Agreement, and important encampment guidelines.

Overnight Areas (Noon to Noon)

Cabins

Two units available - Eagle Mills and Union Grove
Each unit has 6 total cabins
- Two small cabins, sleeping 8 each (Cabins 1 and 6)
- Four large cabins, sleeping 16 each (Cabins 2, 3, 4, and 5)
- For a total of 80 beds in each unit
Sleeping arrangements are bunk beds with twin-size plastic-covered foam camp mattresses. No bedding is providied - please bring your own.
Cabins are fully enclosed, heated, and air-conditioned
Each unit has access to one bathhouse, containing:
- Three showers
- Three toilets
- Six sinks
- Plus one separate bathroom with toilet, shower, and sink
Each small cabin is attached to a screened-in shelter with the following:
- Fireplace
- Picnic tables
- And Kitchen, which has the following amenities split between the shelter and an indoor room:
  - Refrigerator/Freezer
  - Sink
  - Stove and Oven
  - Microwave
  - Coffeemaker
  - Gas Grill
  - No utensils, dishes, pots, pans, foil, soap, etc. are provided - please bring your own.
- The shelter and kitchen at Cabin 1 in each unit is shared between Cabins 1-3, and the shelter and kitchen at Cabin 6 in each unit is shared between Cabins 4-6.
An ice machine is available in the Union Grove bathhouse. Washer/Dryer there is NOT for rental group use.
Toilet paper, paper towels, and trash bags are provided. Campfire wood is provided for groups with correct training.

Tent Camping

Two tent camping areas are available - Catawba and Occoneechee. Please consult the map in the Pricing and Information Guide for the location of each.
Each area can sleep up to 50 individuals - groups must bring their own tents.
Includes access to either port-a-potty(s) OR the single full bathroom in the bathhouse, depending on your group's size, special needs, and other rentals on site.
Toilet paper and trash bags are provided.
Includes use of large covered shelter, which has water spigot and electricity.
Groups may use the ice machine at the Union Grove bathhouse to refill coolers, but tent area rental does not include access to kitchens.
Each area has one fire circle, and firewood is provided for group use.

Movie Theater Equipment
Includes indoor/outdoor screen, projector, speakers, DVD player, remote, and HDMI cable.

Day Use Areas (9am-7pm)

Day Use Only rental areas are not suitable for overnights. Groups must be cleaned up and out of their areas by 7pm, unless a later program has been coordinated with camp staff.

Environmental Center
A heated and air conditioned building with two bathrooms, seating space for up to 30, and access to lots of Environmental Education equipment, including screen for projecting (projector rental is separate, under 'Overnight Areas'), Environmental display room, and wifi.

Fields and Open Areas
If you are planning an event like a field day or training, and you need exclusive use of all open areas in camp, including both Tent Areas, reserve this facility. Includes access to either port-a-potty(s) or single bathroom, depending on group size, special needs, and other rentals on site. Communal areas can still be used for free for activities, but if they have been rented by a group, they get exclusive use of the area instead.

Outdoor Pavilion and Kitchen (Noon to Noon)

Pavilion ONLY (no kitchen)
No extra training is required to rent the Pavilion by itself. Screened-in pavilion with cafeteria seating for ~250, you will get access to two bathrooms with a total of 4 toilets and 3 sinks, and the fireplace in the Pavilion itself. Kitchen access, equipment (including ice machine), and refrigerators/freezers are for rentals with kitchen ONLY. If your group is planning to serve food, you can store food in the refrigerator and freezer in the Luggage Shelter at the bottom of the hill, and use the ice machine in the Union Grove bathhouse. Please bring all your own serving and dining equipment.

Pavilion WITH Kitchen
Includes commercial kitchen in addition to amenities above. At least one adult who will be in the kitchen at all times when it is in use must complete GSHNC Kitchen Training and have current Serv Safe certification, or you must hire a GSHNC certified caterer to operate the kitchen.

Self-Facilitated Programs (1.5 hour blocks)

These activities are self-led. No camp staff will be provided to lead these activities - you will need to lead them yourself. Many kits have directions for use, but some, like the Sports Fields, are unstructured.

If the Pricing and Information Guide says that your group will need to provide additional supplies for a kit, your on-site contact will be able to give you any specifics you need in order to plan for it.

Programs available include:

Rentable Areas
- Amphitheater
- Chapel in the Woods
- Sports Fields
- Tarheelia Fire Circle
- Waterfront Beach
Activity Kits
- Bat Box
- Geocaching
- Insectopia
- It's for the Birds
- Night Discovery
- Pollinators
- Scat and Tracks
- Tree Wonders
- Wishboats
- WOWW: Wonders of Water and Wildlife + Stream Ecology

Facilitated Programs (1.5 hour blocks)

If your group will require us to find a certified facilitator for you, you must make your reservation at least 6 weeks in advance of your camping dates.

If your group has a certified facilitator, please consult our Program Eligibility chart to ensure that they have the correct certification required for the activity.

The minimum number of participants for each area is eight. If you have fewer participants than that, you can still book the area, but if you are paying for a facilitator you will need to pay for eight participants no matter what.

Activities available include:

Archery (K+, 25 participants max)
Sling Shots (K+, 25 participants max)
Co-Op Games (K+, 25 participants max)
Co-Op Course (4th+, 25 participants max)
Advanced Co-Op Course (6th+, 16 participants max)
- Must be booked using two activity blocks, since minimum activity time is 3 hours total
Phoenix Tower (6th+, 25 participants max)
- Must be booked using two activity blocks, since minimum activity time is 3 hours total
Creek Stomping (K+, 20 participants max)
Fishing (K+, 10 participants max*)
Lake Swimming (K+, 20 participants max)
Canoeing (K+, 12 participants max*)
Corcl Boating (2nd+, 12 participants max)
Kayaking (4th+, 10 participants max)
Stand-Up Paddleboarding (4th+, 10 participants max)

For more details, please be sure to read the Pricing and Information Guides in the drop-down menu above.

*These areas can have their maximum participants doubled if your group can provide at least one certified facilitator.

Service Unit Encampments

Service Unit Encampment Pricing
Example Encampment Planning Schedule and Agreement
Program Eligibility Chart

Please use the documents above to help you plan your encampment - they will help you determine costs, how to train your own facilitators, and what timelines you should be following when planning, promoting, and paying for your encampment.

Once you have booked your encampment online, you will receive a personalized copy of the Encampment Planning Schedule and Agreement, with dates specific to your event.

Once you have received it, please send a signed copy of the first page of the agreement, plus your $200 deposit check made out to GSHNC, to:

Girl Scouts, Hornets' Nest Council
Attn: Encampments
7007 Idlewild Road
Charlotte, NC 28212

Deposits will not be cashed unless your encampment is cancelled after the three-months-before deadline, or your group causes damages during your stay that we will need to cash the check to pay for. If your encampment goes as planned and nothing gets damaged, your check will be shredded and no money will be processed from it. Please do not include it in your payment calculations.