Ranger Guided Field Trips

Bring your students to the outdoor classroom of Rocky Mountain National Park and be a Nature Detective!

NPS Photo

Rocky Mountain National Park Offers Educational Programming for Students Grades K-12 Year-Round!

Field trips are offered on both the east and west sides of Rocky Mountain National Park.

• For east side programs, access the park from U.S. Highway 36 or U.S. Highway 34 near the town of Estes Park.
• For west side programs, access the park from U.S. Highway 34 near the Town of Grand Lake.

All ranger-led education programs are free. Advanced reservations are required.

Interested in a Field Trip on the East Side of RMNP?

Before Making Your Reservation:

Please review the list of available programs RMNP has available for your desired grade level. Programs are available for grades K-12 and are offered mid January - early November.

Elementary Programs
Secondary Programs

When ready to schedule a program, please send us an email at [e-mail].

Reservations are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. So that education rangers at Rocky Mountain National Park can best meet your needs, please contact us at least three months in advance of your desired field trip date.

Please share the following information when requesting a ranger-led field trip:

1. Three or more preferred dates

2. The age/grade and number of students

• Spring and fall programs are limited to 60 students.
• Winter programs are limited to 30 students (Multiple days can be scheduled to accommodate larger schools). We request a minimum of 7 participants.

3. Contact Information: school name, best point of contact, school phone number and address, and your phone number (a mobile phone number is preferred) and your e-mail address.

4. Please share any special needs or other pertinent information to help us meet the needs of your.

5. List the preferred topic(s) or program(s) that you would like for your group.

Reservation Confirmation

After submitting a reservation request, you will receive an email back with a confirmation letter and a pre-visit packet that includes directions, a fee waiver for free entrance into the park (if applicable), a list of field trip essentials, student expectations, and chaperone expectations.

Cancellations

If you need to cancel a scheduled program, contact us at least two weeks in advance of the date of your program.

Programs may be canceled or modified last minute due to inclement weather. In the case of a weather cancellation, we will contact you to discuss rescheduling options. We encourage your to monitor weather conditions in advance.

Programs may be rescheduled to a later date, however we cannot guarantee a reschedule date. Programs may be canceled for groups who are more than 30 minutes late without prior contact with us.

Interested in a Field Trip on the West Side of RMNP?

Before Making Your Reservation

Please review the selection of field programs offered for your grade level. Programs are offered for grades K-12 and are offered September to April. Education programs are not available during the summer season.

Fall Programs: Offered September to October. Programs are offered in November and December on a case-by-case basis and are dependent on staff availability and weather.

• Kindergarten - 2nd Grade: Nature Explorers - Students use their senses to detect what lives in the water, trees, and ground of Rocky Mountain National Park.
• 3rd - 5th Grade: Nature Detectives - Students conduct a Carnivore Scene Investigation (CSI) to search for clues of life and adaptive characteristics of plants and animals.
• 6th - 8th Grade: Great Ecosystem Adventure - Students learn about and navigate through an ecosystem by gathering clues, unlocking coordinates, and completing an adventure log.

Winter Programs: Offered January to March. Winter programs include students using snowshoes that are provided by the park. If choosing a winter program, it's essential that school groups arrive prepared for winter weather conditions, including kids wearing appropriate clothing and waterproof boots.

Programs are offered in April on a case-by-case basis and are dependent on staff availability and weather. April programs do not include snowshoes.

• Kindergarten - 2nd Grade: Winter Detectives - Students search for clues to solve the mysteries of who lives in the snowy winter conditions of the Rocky Mountains.
• 3rd-5th Grade: Winter Explorers - Students follow tracks, search under the snow, and discover how animals survive the harsh winters of the Rockies.
• 6th-8th Grade: Winter Ecologists - Students investigate how plants and animals live in the winter environment by looking for evidence of life and discussing survival strategies.
• 9th-12th Grade: Winter Mountain Safety and Survival - This program is offered on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if your class is interested in this program.

Make a Reservation for a Field Trip on the West Side of RMNP

When ready to schedule a program, please send us an email at [e-mail]. In your subject, please list that you are requesting a WEST SIDE program.

Programs are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. We recommend that you request a program at least two weeks in advance of your desired date.

Please include the following information in your email:

1. Three preferred dates
2. The age/grade and number of students. Group limits are dependent on staff availability
3. Contact information: school name, and teacher phone number and e-mail address
4. List any special needs or other pertinent information for your group
5. The program topic chosen from the list above

Reservation Confirmation

After submitting a reservation request, you will receive an email with a confirmation letter and pre-visit packet that includes directions, a fee waiver for free entrance into the park (if applicable), a list of field trip essentials, student expectations, and chaperone expectations.

Cancellations

To cancel a program, please send us an e-mail at least two weeks in advance of the date of your program. If it's less than two weeks, please call the Kawuneeche Visitor Center at 970-586-1513. Programs may be canceled last minute due to inclement weather. In the case of a weather cancellation, we will contact you to discuss rescheduling options.

If you are concerned about the weather, please call us. Programs may be rescheduled to a later date, however we cannot guarantee a reschedule date. Programs may be canceled for groups who are more than 30 minutes late without prior contact with us.

General Information for All Field Trips

Field Trip Duration

• Most programs are designed for a 3-4 hour visit, including lunch.

Chaperone to Student Ratio

• We require that you provide at least one chaperone for every 10 students. We recommend a ratio of one to six for grades K-2 and a ratio of one to eight for grades 3-5.

Field Trip Cost

• All education programs offered by Rocky Mountain National Park are free for school groups.

Accessibility

• Rocky Mountain National Park and the National Park Service are committed to ensuring that all people have the opportunity to benefit and enjoy our facilities, programs, services, and activities. If anyone in your group has an accessibility need, please contact us in advance to discuss how we can best support your group.

Location and Directions

• Please click here for a park map and driving directions.

Weather

• For information on weather in Rocky Mountain National Park, visit the park's weather page.
  

 

Thank You to Rocky Mountain Conservancy!

Founded in 1931, the Rocky Mountain Conservancy is the nonprofit partner of Rocky Mountain National Park.

This program, and many other park projects like it, would not be possible without support from the Rocky Mountain Conservancy. To learn more, visit their website at https://rmconservancy.org/