Angeles District Park Sites
The Angeles District offers a variety of field trip sites featuring diverse learning experiences such as tide pooling on the Malibu coast, exploring the unique ecosystems of the Santa Monica Mountains, and encountering the rich historical and cultural stories of California's landmarks. Scroll down to explore the park sites that your school can visit!
Malibu Creek State Park
As the Santa Monica Mountains were slowly rising, Malibu Creek was meandering across the land, cutting the scenic gorges and buttes through the 20 million year old volcanic mountains. The unique climate of cool wet winters and hot dry summers create a “hot spot” for biodiversity, second only to the Rain Forest.
Visit us in person at Malibu Creek State Park for our docent-led field trip designed for grades 3rd through 5th! On our trip, students will take a 3-mile guided nature walk along Malibu Creek as they explore how plants, animals, and humans (now and historically) are interconnected and dependent on each other. Students will understand the need to preserve and protect Malibu Creek State Park and the ecosystems where they live!
Los Encinos State Historic Park
Los Encinos State Historic Park is a relic of California Rancho history featuring preserved buildings that hold the stories of the different people who settled in the San Fernando Valley. Through the centuries the area has been home to Native peoples, the Spanish Crown, Mexico, and lastly becoming part of the United States in 1850. Students will be able to explore the remnants of a once 4,500-acre Rancho, experiencing 8 rooms of the 172-year-old De la Osa Adobe, the 149-year-old Garnier building, the natural hot spring and duck pond, and various native plants, trees, and animals.
Leo Carrillo State Park
The tidepools of Leo Carrillo are an incredibly unique place where many plants and animals live together under extreme conditions. Meeting on the edge of the Santa Monica Mountains in Malibu, freshwater streams into the ocean creating a natural estuary. Here we explore what a tide pool is, what kinds of living things you’ll find in them, and why they’re important. Along with learning all about tide pools, students also learn how humans impact this habitat and how it is connected with deeper ocean ecosystems. By exploring Leo Carrillo during this 90 minute guided tour, you can help students become steward of this special ocean ecosystem!
Please Note: In our ongoing efforts to have as low an impact as possible on our amazing beach, we limit this class field trip to one classroom with a maximum of 40 students. Thank you for understanding, our beach ecosystem thanks you as well.
Pio Pico State Historic Park
On the grounds of Pio Pico State Historic Park stands the over 170-year-old adobe, home of the last governor of Mexican California. Don Pio Pico was one of the wealthiest and most influential men in the Wild West territory. Owning large amounts of land from San Diego to the San Fernando Valley, Don Pio Pico acquired his wealth through Cattle ranching. Students learn the history of Pio Pico, what life was like in the 1800s at the ‘Rancho’ and how he made his money and eventually lost it. In this multisensory guided tour, your class will experience three different rotations and immerse themselves in the life of a Mexican Rancho.
Will Rogers State Historic Park
Nestled on a scenic hillside sits the stunning ranch home of early 20th century celebrity, Will Rogers, along with his beloved horse stables and beautiful hiking trails overlooking the Malibu coast. Will Rogers was the first media superstar of the growing entertainment industry of Los Angeles region - beginning with his silent movie fame in Hollywood during the 1930s. Additionally, Will became a newspaper columnist, a radio show commentator, an author, a technology enthusiast, recycler and an early airplane flight promoter. Growing up in American Indian Territory as a Cherokee Native (Present day Oklahoma), Will came from a simple and humble background. Thanks to Will’s love for entertaining and land conservation, Will Rogers State Historic Park Museum tour goes beyond the movie star and shows the many aspects of Will Rogers’ passions, as well as the land he loved most.
Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook
Baldwin Hills Parklands is an “island of habitat” surrounded by the second largest city in the country. This once exploited land has been restored to a beautiful native habitat thanks to civilian efforts to protect this green space. It is now a stunning urban park that features a panoramic view of the entire Los Angeles Basin, the Pacific Ocean and surrounding mountains. Residents and visitors alike can enjoy the beautiful California sagescrub, wildflowers, and native animals that have made their homes in this haven of wildlife.
Bring your students to connect with the natural habitat and learn what efforts have lead to the preservation of this park and what actions the public can take to ensure it remains a part of ‘wild Los Angeles’.
Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa
Our partner site with National Parks Service offers school field trip programming at Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa, a unique national park in the Santa Monica Mountains. Ranch structures and introduced grasses represent over a century of ranching, while native plants reflect an environment that the Chumash built a relationship with for thousands of years. National Park Rangers will lead students in learning all about the connection of local native people, the Chumash, to Satwiwa as well as the stunning biological diversity of the Santa Monica Mountains. Students will experience an immersive nature walk that will allow them to experience this unique park, then participate in a series of hands-on activities that will expose students to information about native animals, the relationship between the mountains and the ocean, and how the environment has shaped human culture.
Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park
This historic park, located in Los Angeles County where the Simi Hills meet the Santa Susana Mountains, is rich in natural, historical and cultural significance. Here in the western part of the Transverse Ranges, the land is dominated by high, narrow ridges and deep canyons covered with an abundant variety of plant life. The park offers panoramic views of the rugged natural landscape as a striking contrast to the developed communities nearby.
Join volunteer docents for a guided exploration!
What is Blended-Access?
Blended-Access means we blend virtual and in-person experiences to create a robust learning experience for your students, and help integrate classroom learning with live exploration at the park. All of our park sites above offer blended-access opportunities to maximize the learning potential with the park!
Title I public schools in Los Angeles and Ventura County are eligible for field trip funding. Transportation expenses will be covered for approved applicants. Field trips at each park are granted depending on availability, so don’t wait and submit an interest form today!