Give your students the adventure of a lifetime in California’s largest state park! Let Anza-Borrego Foundation arrange half-day, full-day, or multi-day field trips in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Choose from topics on natural history, archaeology, Indigenous history, paleontology, geology, and astronomy. We also weave social-emotional skills into our outdoor recreation programs and give students the knowledge and confidence to be outside in this incredible landscape.
Single-Day Field Trips: Typically, 4-8 hours and can include a guided adventure hike, team building games, and activities tailored to school curriculum (e.g., plant and animal adaptations, geology, Native American history, etc.). Can accommodate up to 60 students.
Camping Field Trips: Typically, 3-day, 2-night experiences with essential camping skill-building (e.g., tent construction, cooking, campfire), guided adventure hikes, team building games, activities tailored to school curriculum (e.g., plant and animal adaptations, geology, Native American history, etc.). We provide everything and can accommodate up to 30 students.
Activity and Topic Examples:
Additional Considerations:
For more information, download a sample camping field trip itinerary or a single-day field trip itinerary. Please also see our Student Learning Outcomes for virtual, single day, and overnight camping
Fees are on a sliding scale to cover our costs for coordination, program facilitation, food, and site fees. Please pay the most that your budget can accommodate. Anything beyond our costs funds field trips for students from underserved communities.
Don’t have funding? We can work with you to write a grant for your school! Please reach out.
| Length of Trip | Up to 30 students | Up to 60 students |
|---|---|---|
| Half-Day Field Trip (~4 hours) | $450-750 (Sliding Scale) | $750-1,150 (Sliding Scale) |
| Full-Day Field Trip (~8 hours) | $675-975 (Sliding Scale) | $1,225-1,625 (Sliding Scale) |
| Three-day, two-night camping program | $3,400-4,400 (Sliding Scale) | N/A |
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is the largest state park in California, with ~1,500 species of native plants and animals, thousands of archaeological sites, traditional homeland of the Kumeyaay and Cahuilla people, and important paleontology including the most complete Pleistocene fossil record on the planet.
The Anza-Borrego Foundation is the official State Park nonprofit partner. We offer quality Education Programs vetted by the State Park, serving the general public, teachers, and students of all ages. Our programs engage participants in meaningful outdoor experiences in nature, bring State Park resources to those who might not have access, and work to create desert advocates.
We look forward to the opportunity to collaborate in igniting a lifelong passion for nature, instilling a sense of environmental responsibility, and inspiring the next generation of conservation leaders in your students. Thank you in advance for the opportunity to host a Desert Discoveries Field Trip with your school!
If you can’t bring your class to the desert, bring the desert to your class with a virtual field trip! We’re proud to support the California State Parks PORTS Program (Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students) to provide free programs and educational resources. See how you can incorporate Anza-Borrego Desert State Park into your classroom here.
Want to stay connected with California State Parks PORTS Program? Become a VIP (Very Important PORTSfan) to hear about new opportunities across the state.
Looking for Teacher Professional Development opportunities? Anza-Borrego Foundation invites teachers interested in preserving and sharing the wonders of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park to our Teacher Symposia. Join us for speakers, field tours, peer collaboration and discussion, & building lesson plans to inspire students. Find out more here.
