Our mission is to connect young people to the wonder and science of the natural world, igniting self-discovery and inspiring stewardship of our planet. Through our overnight, hands-on environmental science programs, we take more than 35,000 children and teens each year into our national parks to explore the outdoors, connect with their peers, discover themselves and develop a lasting relationship with the environment.
Our multi-day programs get students from grades 4-12 out of the classroom and into nature where they’ll learn scientific concepts first-hand and use them in real-time all while connecting to themselves, each other and the environment.
From backpacking programs to summer day camps, a summer with NatureBridge is one spent outside, exploring and learning in our national parks.
Dr. Stephen H. Lockhart goes by another name to many of those within NatureBridge: The Steve Lockhart. Once you speak with Steve or read his curriculum vitae, you quickly understand he is worthy of that prefix. A Rhodes Scholar, he began college at the age of 15 and graduated at 18, going on to earn a master’s in economics from Oxford and a PhD and MD from Cornell. Steve is one of the most accomplished anesthesiologists in his field and his conservation efforts have earned him numerous distinctions, including being named a Champion of Change by the Obama Administration. He serves and has served on numerous boards, including REI and Molina Healthcare, and recently started Sutter Health Institute for Advancing Health Equity.
He has served NatureBridge in multiple capacities over the years: board member, Board Chair, Chief Medical Officer and more. In our conversation, Steve provides insight as a physician, as a former board chair and as an extraordinarily accomplished agent of change on why NatureBridge survived a global pandemic, the opportunity we have to help students heal post-pandemic and what he would change about the organization with the click of a button.
Andy Baxter, prince among men and one of the last true gentlemen, passed away in February 2022. Andy committed himself passionately to several organizations he held close to his heart—lucky for our mission and the students we serve, one of those organizations was NatureBridge.
In the early 1970s, Jack Walston was approached by his friend Bob Maynard to help him with an idea – Bob, who was Vice President of Operations at Yosemite Park Curry Company, along with its president, Dr. Alan Coleman and then-Director of the National Park Service George B. Hartzog Jr., wanted to fill their less attractive, often-empty cabins with area students by providing them with educational programming. Why approach Jack Walston, a senior executive at a large brokerage firm at the time?
“I knew I could help make it succeed.”
In the months to come, Jack helped construct a potent board of conservationists, Yosemite enthusiasts and experts, thought leaders in the field and other successful people that would help found and guide Yosemite Institute (now NatureBridge) for years to come. Read the story of how NatureBridge was born and learn what it took to get Ansel Adams, a U.S Secretary of Defense and a famous astronaut to join the very first board of directors.
In the heart of California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range, Yosemite National Park is home to one of the world’s most striking and iconic views—towering granite domes, gushing waterfalls and diverse habitats provide the perfect setting for hands-on environmental science education.
Just north of the Golden Gate Bridge in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area sits historic Coastal Miwok land and modern day Marin Headlands. Our historic WWII military campus is surrounded by miles of trails along unique rock formations, through wildflowers, with scenic views of the beach and coastline.
Home to alpine ridges, temperate rainforest, and rugged coastline, Olympic National Park boasts three stunning, distinct ecosystems. Amidst it all, the NatureBridge campus sits on the shore of glacially-carved Lake Crescent. Trails lead from the steps of our historic cabins to lush, old growth forest and salmon-filled waterways.
Rugged mountaintops, fresh saltwater spray and breathtaking views—only miles from Los Angeles, yet worlds away from the indoor classroom. It’s the park in LA’s backyard with rugged mountains that meet the vast ocean at its base. And just a few miles off its coast are the Channel Islands—these other worldly islands are home to some of the most unique species on earth.
Tucked away in the largest green space of the DC Metro Area is a hidden world of tall trees and clear streams. Prince William Forest's unbroken Piedmont forest ecosystem houses miles of trails that run through the park, offering new creeks, lakes, waterfalls and rare flowers at every turn.