Summer Backpacking
This summer, learn and grow in one of the United States’ most beautiful protected lands: Yosemite National Park or Olympic National Park. Our Summer Backpacking programs are designed to develop future environmental leaders through challenging physical and academic journeys into the wilderness.
Participants explore the wilderness through a multi-day backpacking adventure, conduct hands-on science projects and develop leadership skills. Supported by a new group of friends, students return home with a deeper connection to nature and empowered to pursue interests in environmental science.
Programs are available for students currently in 7th - 12th grades. No backpacking experience is necessary and pricing options and financial assistance are available.
Backpacking Programs
We're sorry to share that our Summer Backpacking programs are suspended due to the continued impacts and uncertainty of COVID-19.
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Our National Park Locations
Backpacking in Yosemite National Park
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Yosemite National Park
In the heart of California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range, Yosemite National Park is home to one of the world’s most striking and beloved landscapes. Towering granite domes, gushing waterfalls, and diverse forest and meadow habitats provide the perfect setting for endless exploration and exciting, hands-on environmental science research. This summer, you can avoid the crowds and see a side of Yosemite National Park that many will never encounter.
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Campus at Crane Flat
Our Crane Flat campus is nestled in the forest on the northwest side of Yosemite National Park. The campus includes a cozy dining hall, a large dorm with bunk beds divided into male and female sections, a bathhouse, and a spacious outdoor area for group activities. The campus also has several trails that lead to local points of interest, like the famous Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias.
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Getting Here
We can’t wait to see you this summer!
Yosemite National Park is in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. It is your responsibility to get to and from Yosemite at the beginning and end of the course. Travel options are listed below. Please refer to the program-specific student packets under “Getting Prepared” for exact arrival/departure times.
Travel by plane
We offer a shuttle service, for a fee, to and from Fresno Yosemite International Airport on the first and last day of each session. Please review the student packet for your program before buying airline tickets to ensure that the arrival and departure times coordinate with our shuttle service. You can purchase this shuttle service while registering for the program on our online registration page.
Travel by car
If you’re planning to drive, indicate this on your online registration, or email Katie Draude, Summer Programs Manager, at kdraude@naturebridge.org so that we can help you arrange carpooling with other participants.
Map and Directions
Google Map of NatureBridge in Yosemite National Park. Route to Crane Flat Campus.
When you arrive at the park
Present your gate pass (you will receive this via email prior to your trip) at the park entrance to waive the park entrance fee. Tell the rangers at the gate that you are going to NatureBridge’s Crane Flat Campus (not Yosemite Valley), and they will direct you. Our Crane Flat Campus is on Highway 120, about one mile East of the Crane Flat gas station.
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Getting Ready
Ready, set, go!
Unless you are an experienced backpacker, the thought of living in the wilderness for multiple days and nights can be a little daunting. Rest assured that our environmental science educators have a great deal of experience leading wilderness expeditions and will be able to help you live happily and comfortably in the backcountry.
It is important that you arrive physically and emotionally prepared for the challenge. Our student packets will help you to prepare with a complete packing list and guidelines for buying or renting the right equipment and clothing.
2020 Student Packets
- Preparing for the Yosemite Science Expedition
- Preparing for the Yosemite Science Adventure
- Preparing for the Yosemite Science Adventure: Middle School!
Registered Student Paperwork and Information
Registered students must complete the following forms:
- NatureBridge Participant Registration Form (electronic) - requires parent/guardian signature
- NatureBridge Medical Exam (printable pdf) - Participating students must visit a physician prior to the course to discuss the course and ascertain that their health is well-aligned with the demands of the course. The NatureBridge Medical Exam form must be used.
- Student Contract (electronic) - requires student signature
- Pre-Trip Student Survey (electronic)
Backpacking in Olympic National Park
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Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park is renowned as a premier backpacking destination because of the wide range of ecosystems that are found here. From the regal Olympic Mountains, to enchanting old-growth forests, to the breath-taking wilderness coast, there are adventures around every corner. Despite rumors that it always rains in Washington, the summers here are nearly perfect, with warm days, starry nights, and picturesque mountainscapes covered in wildflowers.
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Campus on Lake Crescent
The NatureBridge Olympic campus is located on the south shore of beautiful Lake Crescent. Built as a resort in the early 1900s, this campus includes historic and modern cabins, a fully equipped classroom, and a dining hall that retains its original name Rosemary Inn. Students will stay in large dorm-style cabins, some of which include their own bathroom and others that share a large bathhouse. Our campus is connected to miles of hiking trails that lead to old-growth forests and nearby Marymere Falls.
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Getting Here
Olympic National Park is on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. It is your responsibility to get to and from Olympic at the beginning and end of the course. Travel options are listed below. Please refer to the program-specific preparation packets for exact arrival/departure details.
Travel by Car
If you are planning to drive, please refer to our Google map for directions.
Travel by Plane
We offer a shuttle service, for a fee, to and from Seattle International Airport (Sea-Tac) on the first and last day of the session. Please review the student packet for your program before buying airline tickets to ensure that the arrival and departure times coordinate with our shuttle service. You can purchase this shuttle service while registering for the program on our online registration page.
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Getting Ready
Ready, set, go!
Unless you are an experienced backpacker, the thought of living in the wilderness for multiple days and nights can be a little daunting. Rest assured that our environmental science educators have a great deal of experience leading wilderness expeditions and will be able to help you live happily and comfortably in the backcountry.
It is important that you arrive physically and emotionally prepared for the challenge. Our student packets will help you to prepare with a complete packing list and guidelines for buying or renting the right equipment and clothing.
2020 Student Packets
- Preparing for the Olympic Science Expedition
- Preparing for the Olympic Coast Science Adventure
- Preparing for the Olympic Coast Science Adventure: Middle School!
Registered Student Paperwork and Information
Registered students must complete the following forms:
- NatureBridge Participant Registration Form (electronic) - requires parent/guardian signature
- NatureBridge Medical Exam (printable pdf) - Participating students must visit a physician prior to the course to discuss the course and ascertain that their health is well-aligned with the demands of the course. The NatureBridge Medical Exam form must be used.
- Student Contract (electronic) - requires student signature
- Pre-Trip Student Survey (electronic)
Why Join?
Explore
- Hike through the stunning wilderness of a national park
- Learn the basics of backpacking and backcountry travel
- Live simply, bringing only what will fit into your (rather large) backpack
Experiment
- Use science to gain a deeper understanding of your natural surroundings
- Conduct hands-on science projects
- Apply your experience to high school capstone projects, college applications, and job resumes
Empower
- Strengthen your leadership skills
- Test your decision-making skills as you alternate with your peers as one of two Leaders of the Day
- Have fun and create long-lasting friendships
- Return home, supported by a new group of friends and empowered to pursue your interest in environmental science
Schedule, Prices and Financial Assistance
Enrollment & Tuition: Prices include all meals, lodging and educational experiences. Transportation costs to and from the NatureBridge campus are the responsibility of the participant.
Tiered Pricing:
We believe all students should have the opportunity to explore and learn in our national park classrooms. To make our Summer Backpacking programs financially feasible for all families, we use a tiered pricing system.
How does it work?
Determine which price your family is able to pay for your Summer Backpacking program and select this tier when you checkout on our registration page. Your choice is confidential and will have no effect on your child’s experience.
Thank you for choosing the price that is right for your family’s circumstances and helps us to serve as many students as possible.
Tier A represents the full price of a Summer Backpacking program, covering the costs of our experienced educators, gear, food, transportation and all the other things that makes these experiences truly life-changing. If you are able to pay this price, please do so. Thank you.
Tier B represents a partially subsidized price in which we seek additional funding from grants and donors to cover our costs. We appreciate your dedication to providing rewarding, immersive experiences to your child(ren).
Tier C We want all students to have the ability to attend a highly impactful backpacking program in our national parks. If your family needs financial assistance beyond Tier B, please apply using our online application form. Our online application form is closed for Summer 2020.
Where to begin? The friendships, the life skills, the education to protect our parks and that their field work contributes a little to the work of other scientists... it's beyond expectation.Debby, Parent of 2019 Summer Backpacking Student