For Teachers

Parks As Classrooms

Muir Woods National Monument provides Parks as Classroom programs designed to engage students in historic inquiry and environmental science.

Educational Opportunities at Golden Gate National Recreations Area's Parks As Classrooms uses the Understanding by Design framework, and incorporates California Common Core Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies. Our inquiry-based park programs can be timed to introduce concepts, reinforce understanding, or stimulate culminating projects within a teaching unit. Programs are typically structured in three parts: a classroom preparation, a national park field session, and classroom assessments in which students demonstrate what they have learned. Teachers are provided with resources, including program curriculum and supporting materials.


How to Request a Field Trip

Ranger-led field trips for the 2024-2025 school year are now accepting program Education Reservation Request Forms. Teachers will be informed if their class was accepted to a program by September 25, 2024.

To be considered for a program, please select a program from below and complete an Education Reservation Request Form found on each program website. Please e-mail us if you have any questions.

 
 
 

Ranger-Led

 
 
high water rushes through a full creek in a redwood forest
Rings, Ripples, and Echoes

Students navigate through the magical realms of the Redwood Creek Watershed of Muir Woods on a self-guided inquiry-based journey.

 
 

Academic Fee Waiver – In-person Park Visit

Use this form to apply for an Academic Fee Waiver. Suitable for educational groups seeking to visit.

  1. Complete and review the Education Reservation Request Form

  1. Complete Section 1, 2, and 5 of Fee Waiver Application using the following instructions. Please leave Section 3 and 4 blank.

Section 1: Complete every box in this section and follow these instructions:

Under the “Does anyone in your classroom need any accommodations?” and "Describe need” box, please let us know if anyone in your classroom needs any special help, such as accessibility, language, or special needs.

Section 2: Complete every box in this section and follow these instructions:

1.Under the “Program or Subject Requested/Self-Guided” box, please let us know if you want a self guided program (short introductions may be available for your group, but tours are not available).

2.Under the “Mode of Transportation” box, please let us know how you will get to the park, such as by bus or car. Please let us know the size of your vehicle (in feet).

* Please note: Only buses under 30ft may take Muir Woods Road between Panoramic Highway and the Muir Woods National Monument entrance. Buses over 30ft but smaller than 35ft are allowed into the park only via Highway 1 by taking Muir Woods Road (also known as Frank Valley Road) from the west. No vehicles longer than 35ft are allowed according to the regulation of the California Highway Patrol (CHP)

Section 5: Complete every box in this section and make sure to attach requested documents when you submit your application.:

1.Leave the Academic Fee Waiver blank if students are under 15.
Muir Woods collects entrance fees for visitors that are 16 years of age and older. Children 15 years of age and under may enter for free.

2.Please complete Section 5 to request an academic fee waiver only if your group contains students 16 years of age and older.

3.We will only request your group to fill out the fee waiver section 5, if you expect a ratio exceeding 1 adult per 5 students for your class. For example if you have a class of 20 students and you have more than 4 chaperones, we expect you to complete section 5.

CERTIFICATION: Academic fee waivers are not granted automatically. Applicant groups must show they qualify for the waiver. There are three criteria the group must meet to qualify for an academic fee waiver:

1. Eligibility: Your institution must be officially recognized or accredited as an educational institution by a federal, state, or local government, or you must provide other documentation attesting to your educational status, such as an accreditation letter or educational tax-exempt letter.

2. Educational Purpose: You must verify how this visit supports a specific curriculum for which academic credit is offered. For example, you can attach a course syllabus/description, course catalog, lesson plan, letter detailing the educational purpose, etc., and/or describe below.

3. Relevance of Park Resources or Facilities: You must identify the pertinent park resources and/or facilities and detail how they are relevant to support the educational purpose of the visit (attach letter or description.
 

4. After completing the Education Reservation Request Form, please be sure to:

  • Specify Self-Guided.
  • Submit your school's accreditation (Tax exempt form) if your students are over 15 years old.
  • Self-guided programs are available Monday through Friday for educational groups that qualify for the Academic Fee Waiver.

 

Please contact muwo_educationrequest@nps.gov if you have any questions.


Please note: Only buses under 30ft may take Muir Woods Road between Panoramic Highway and the Muir Woods National Monument entrance. Buses over 30ft but smaller than 35ft are allowed into the park only via Highway 1 by taking Muir Woods Road (also known as Frank Valley Road from the west). No vehicles longer than 35ft are allowed according to the regulation of the California Highway Patrol (CHP)





 

NPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021)
National Park Service

OMB Control No. 1024-0228
Expiration Date 11/31/2025

Disclaimer:

A park representative will follow-up to confirm group details once this request has been received and reviewed.


NPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021)
National Park Service

OMB Control No. 1024-0228
Expiration Date 11/31/2025

Notices

Privacy Act Statement

Authority: Public Law 114-289 National Park Service Centennial Act and 54 U.S.C. 100701 Protection, interpretation, and research in System.

Purpose: To administer education programs for education audiences including but not limited to school groups, scouting groups, extracurricular groups, and home school groups.

Routine Uses: To effectively manage requests for education received by the NPS, the Education Reservation Request Form is used to collect basic education reservation information to facilitate operational aspects of scheduling groups for park education programs, including in-park education programs, ranger in classroom programs, and/or online distance learning programs.

Disclosure: Voluntary, however, failure to provide the requested information may impede the ability to grant your education reservation request.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

We are collecting this information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501) to provide park managers and educators the information needed to schedule and conduct education program activities. All applicable parts of the form must be completed in order for your request to be considered. You are not required to respond to this or any other Federal agency-sponsored information collection unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. OMB has approved this collection of information and assigned control number 1024-0288.

Estimated Burden Statement

Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to average 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525. Do not send your completed form to this address.

 

Every Kid Outdoors

With Every Kid Outdoors gives U.S. fourth graders and family members free entry to national parks!

To get a pass, fourth grade students can visit the bilingual Every Kid Outdoors website. First, do a short educational activity. Then download a paper voucher to print and bring along when visiting a national park!

Last updated: August 29, 2024

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

Muir Woods National Monument
1 Muir Woods Rd

Mill Valley, CA 94941

Phone:

415-561-2850
United States Park Police Dispatch: Non-Emergency: 415-561-5505 Emergency: 415-561-5656

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