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School Field Trips

Let us connect your students to nature, people, and place. We provide guided educational field trips to enhance what students are learning in the classroom. 

Using nature as the classroom can be a fun, engaging way to connect your students to the curriculum. 
Larimer County open spaces are special places to discover science. We offer life  and earth science programs that are hands-on, interactive, support Colorado state science standards and inspire stewardship of our natural resources.  

Our volunteer and staff are ready to take your students on a journey of discovery. Choose from one of our field trips below to get your students exploring the wonders of the world. 

Our calendar is full for Spring 2024! We are no longer accepting requests. We'll start accepting requests for Fall 2024 on July 1.  

School Field Trip Request Form    

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Rocks are the clues to the mystery of the Earth's past.

4 Station Field Trip
  • Location: Devil's Backbone Open Space
  • Time: 2-3 hours
  • Distance: < 1 mile
  • Second, Fourth and Sixth Grade
Students will learn about:
  • Local geological topography. 
  • Processes involved in changes in the Earth's surface over time. 
  • The three rock types and how they are formed and changed. 
  • How plants, animals, and humans can change the physical characteristics of their environment. 
  • How humans can be stewards of the land and make decisions that impact the Earth. 
State Standards
  • Second Grade
    • Physical Science
      • 1.1 Matter exists as different substances that have observable different properties. 
    • Life Science
      • 2.1 Plants depend on water and light to grow and on animals for pollination or to move their seeds around. 
      • 2.2 A range of different organisms live in different places. 
    • Earth and Space Science
      • 3.1 Some events on Earth occur quickly; others can occur very slowly. 
      • 3.2 Wind and water can change the shape of the land. 
         
  • Fourth Grade
    • Earth and Space Science
      • 3.1 Earth has changed over time. 
      • 3.2 Four major earth systems interact. 
      • 3.4 Energy and fuels that humans use are derived from natural sources and their use affects the environment in multiple ways. 

Habitats provide the components living organisms need to survive. 

4 Station Field Trip
  • Location: Devil's Backbone Open Space or River Bluffs Open Space
  • Time: 2-3 hours
  • Distance: < 1 mile
  • Kindergarten, First Grade, and Second Grade
Students will learn about:
  • The factors that make up a habitat. 
  • How plants and animals rely on habitats.
  • What plants need to grow and reproduce. 
  • How habitats can change over time. 
  • How their actions can affect the environment. 
  • Leave No Trace principles. 
State Standards
  • Kindergarten
    • Physical Science
      • 1.2 Sunlight affects the Earth's surface. 
    • Life Science
      • 2.1 To live and grow, animals obtain food they need from plants or other animals, and plants need water and light. 
    • Earth and Space Science
      • 3.2 Plants and animals meet their needs in their habitats and impact one another; people can prepare for severe weather. 
         
  • First Grade
    • Life Science
      • 2.1 All organisms have external parts that they use to perform daily functions. 
         
  • Second Grade
    • Life Science
      • 2.1 Plants depend on water and light to grow and rely on animals for pollination or to move their seeds arounds. 
      • 2.2 A range of different organisms live in different places. 

Learn how climate, weather and people influence natural disasters. 

4 Station Field Trip
  • Locations: Devil's Backbone Open Space or River Bluffs Open Space
  • Time: 2-3 hours
  • Distance: < 1 mile
  • Third Grade
Students will learn about:
  • How natural disasters affect people and ecosystems. 
  • How natural disasters happen. 
  • How people can work to reduce the impact of natural disasters by taking care of our ecosystems. 
  • How people can be stewards of the land and make decisions that impact the Earth. 
  • Why healthy natural ecosystems are valuable in reducing the impact of natural disasters on people. 
State Standards
  • Third Grade
    • Life Science
      • 2.3 Different organisms vary in how they look and function because they have different inherited information; the environment also affects the traits that an organism develops. 
    • Earth and Space Science
      • 3.1 Climate describes patterns of typical weather conditions over different scales and variations; historical weather patterns can be analyzed. 
      • 3.2 A variety of weather hazards result from natural process; humans cannot eliminate weather-related hazards but can reduce their impacts. 

Observation deepens the connection to nature and place. 

Guided Hike
  • Locations: Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, Devil's Backbone Open Space, other open spaces upon request (may depend on group size)
  • Time: 3-4 hours
  • Distance: 3+ miles
  • Any grade
Students will learn about:
  • The plants and wildlife of Larimer County. 
  • Leave No Trace principles and how people can be stewards of our natural resources. 
  • How humans have used these lands in the past and present. 
  • The impacts of wildfire. 
  • Observation skills through a color scavenger hunt, silent hike or micro hike. 
  • Life zones, habitats, and connections within an ecosystem. 
State Standards
  • Earth and Space Science
  • Life Science
  • Movement Competence and Understanding
  • Physical and Personal Wellness

This is an informal program that is designed to take advantage of what we see on the trail. Specific topics may vary. If you have interest in covering a specific topic or standard, let us know. Our Naturalists lead programs on geology, wildlife, plants, local history and more! Write a suggestion in your request form, and we'll do our best to accommodate it. 

Education Field Trip Program Guide

FAQs

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  1. We welcome groups no larger than about 100 people (students and teachers/chaperones). Groups will be split into 3-4 smaller groups. 

    If you would like to bring more than 100 people, we can schedule you on two separate days. This works well if you'd like to bring more than one class at a time. 

  2. It's free! There is no cost to schedule a school field trip with us. 

  3. Yes! Larimer County Department of Natural Resources has funding available to help subsidize transportation to County Open Spaces for school field trips. Funds are limited and applications will be considered on a first come, first served basis. Funding can cover up to $200 of your transportation costs. 

    Mark it on your request form and we'll send you the application. 

  4. Unfortunately, no. However, we are willing work with you to best accommodate second-language learners. 

  5. We welcome youth with special needs to our programs. Please let us know how we can best prepare by including this information in the Special Accommodations section of the request form. We ask that an aide or assistant, who is familiar with the children, accompanies them to the program. 

  6. Restrooms are available at the trailhead. However, once we are out on trail it may be a short hike to the restroom. We'll provide time before and after the program for your students to utilize the restroom. 

  7. Yes, please do! We include time for lunch at the end of the program and most locations have picnic tables or a pavilion where your students can eat lunch. Please let us know if we need to include a snack time into the middle of the program.

    We recommend all students bring a backpack to carry their lunch and other belongings. 

  8. No. While these field trips are designed to complement curriculum in the classroom, anyone can request a field trip. We'd be happy to lead it for your scout troop, camp, youth group or home school. 

    If you are interested in a guided educational program but looking for something more informal, or for adults, check out our Special Request Programs. 

  9. Field trips are available Tuesday - Friday starting at 9:00 or 10:00 am. Typically, we schedule field trips during the Spring & Fall semesters. 

  10. We require at least two weeks advanced notice. On the request form, you'll see available dates. Selecting an alternative date provides us with flexibility. 

    The School Field Trip request form will be available two weeks before the start of the semester. 

  11. Submit a School Field Trip request form in Offero. You'll need to create an account; your name, phone number and email are all that is required. 

    Once we receive your request, we'll be in contact to discuss details and/or confirm the date. If you have questions, contact Julie Enderby at 970-619-4552 or jenderby@larimer.org 

nr-volunteer-contact.

Contact Us

Julie Enderby
Education and Volunteer Supervisor
jenderby@larimer.org
(970) 619-4552