In Person Field Trip to Hendy Woods State Park
In Person Field Trip to Hendy Woods State Park
Located in Anderson Valley, along Highway 128, Hendy Woods acts as a great stop for those traveling any distance from inland locations to reach the coast. Our educational program offers guided redwood ecology hikes, nature journaling and bird watching expeditions as student activities. The park has ~ 5 miles of hiking trails, including the 1.5 mile accessible trail of Big Hendy Grove. The Day-Use Picnic area has ample space for students to eat lunch and rest between the offered activities. Due to parking availability group size is limited to the equivalent of 1 school bus ~ 70 students.
Guided Activities: For the best student experience, school groups should be assigned to groups of no more than 35 to minimize crowding of trails and reduce impact to natural resources.
Please choose one or more of the following activities.
Redwood Ecology Hike: (Duration: 1-1.5 hours, Distance: ~1.5 miles ADA accessible. All Ages) Explore the majesty of an ancient coast redwood forest through Big Hendy Grove. Discover the intricate relationships between the associated flora and fauna of this ecosystem as well as the history of conservation that led to the protection of Hendy Woods State Park.
Nature Journaling: (Duration 1 Hour, recommended for 2nd grade and up, journals and pencils are provided) Training the eye to make and record careful observations, nature journaling is a great supplemental activity for young learners. Students will receive a tutorial on how to make their observations using drawings, descriptive words and measurements. They will then have time to record their own observations of the surrounding plants and wildlife.
Bird Watching 101: (Duration 1 Hour, recommended for 3rd grade and up, binoculars are provided) Birds are among the most diverse wildlife on the planet. Observed in nearly every ecosystem, this diversity can help students discover the numerous ways that animals adapt to their environment. Students will receive a brief tutorial on directional listening, and the use of binoculars. They will then be guided along the meadow and river trail and learn about bird adaptations.
Climate Change Field Science: (Duration 1 Hour, recommended for grades 7th-12) The Redwood forest is known as one of the largest carbon sinks in the world, due to the forest’s ability to store large amounts of carbon dioxide within the plants and soils. To help demonstrate this, students will take part in a hands on experience of environmental science, as they collect data in the field (measuring tree height and diameter) to calculate biomass and carbon storage, while documenting biodiversity.
Apply for a FREE blended field trip to Hendy Woods!
Hendy Woods State Park is excited to offer blended-access programs through PassPORTS, which offers Title I public schools with a field trip reimbursement grant to experience the park both virtually and in-person!
Fill out the PassPORTS 23-24 interest form to find out if you qualify to receive up to $1000 in reimbursements for your field trip costs! If approved, the K-12 Access Coordinator will reach out to schedule your virtual and in-person programs.
Want to find more PassPORTS Programs? Search the PORTSfinder!