Nestled in a wooded canyon in beautiful Marin County, Bothin offers a variety of options for your outdoor education program. You can choose between dorm-style accommodations, Adirondack style 3 sided structures, platform tents, or traditional tent camping. The facility includes trail access to open space, an organic garden, a ropes course and close proximity to a variety of off-site optional educational activities. Hot showers, picnic tables, covered teaching areas, and a seasonal swimming pool add to the experience.
Naturalists at Large’s experience has been that the student’s participation in the process of learning and living together provides the basic framework for a successful outdoor program. The program will emphasize outdoor skills along with an introduction to the various environments of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Naturalists at Large takes responsibility for evening activities.
Students will discover the unique natural and human history of the area, develop group cooperation through shared experiences, enhance leadership abilities, and learn basic outdoor skills. All Naturalists at Large programs are designed to give the students a "sense of place". This is accomplished by introducing them to the natural and cultural history of the surrounding area while they explore the trails, study the various habitats, and live in the area for up to five days.
Naturalists at Large instructors work with their groups to teach basic outdoor skills, conduct outdoor education activities (primarily a mix of walk and talks and hands-on activities) on local trails. Students are constantly encouraged to solve problems posed by the Naturalists at Large instructors, comprised of both intellectual problems and well thought-out and well executed physical problems (i.e. initiative activities). Each trail group is with a Naturalists at Large naturalist-instructor, and a faculty or parent chaperon each day for the entire program.
• Coastal Range Natural History
• Introduction to environmental science concepts
• High Ropes Course
• Organic Gardening
• Field Space for outdoor games
• Stream Surveys
• Challenge/ropes course, initiatives, group activities
• Coastal range natural history, group and individual challenges
• Introduction to environmental science concepts
• Use of playing fields
• Ferry to Angel Island State Park
• Mount Tamalpais State Park
• The Marine Mammal Center
• Muir Woods National Monument
• Point Reyes National Seashore
• Tomales Bay
• Kayaking in Tomales Bay
Naturalists at Large is a leading outdoor and environmental education group in California. Since 1985, we have provided outdoor education programs for tens of thousands of students from over two hundred schools, offering custom client designed trips, flexible dates and locations, commitment to safety and comfort in the outdoors, the wonder of nature and the importance of outdoor and experiential education.
