Nature Camps on the Mendocino Coast
Five days of real outdoor adventure for kids ages 6–11
The Experience: Each week-long session runs Monday through Friday, 10am to 3pm, with a maximum of 14 campers. Small groups are intentional — every child gets real attention, real engagement, and real connection to the natural world around them.
Campers explore the Mendocino Coast through:
Tidepooling — discovering the hidden ecosystems living in the rocks and surf
Coastal and forest hikes — learning to read the landscape like a naturalist
Waterway exploration — rivers, estuaries, and the life that depends on them
Flora and fauna identification — putting names and stories to what they find
Nature games and sensory activities — learning that sticks because it's fun
No two days are the same. The coast sets the agenda.
● Program Overview
What You’ll Learn
Campers explore the Mendocino Coast the way a naturalist does — by getting close, asking questions, and using every sense. Each week introduces kids to tidepooling, coastal and forest trails, waterways, local wildlife, and the plants and creatures that call this coastline home. By Friday they leave with sharper eyes, muddy shoes, and stories they'll tell for years.
This summer
4 weekly sessions
Program Structure
Each day runs Monday through Friday, 10am to 3pm, with a maximum of 14 campers per session. Sue and a second certified guide lead small groups through a rotating mix of coastal, forest, and waterway environments — no two days follow the same route. Activities are hands-on and age-appropriate, balancing exploration with structured naturalist learning. Every session ends with a group reflection so kids leave knowing what they discovered that day.
What’s Included
Weekly tuition covers all guided activities. Sue holdS current CPR and First Aid certification, naturalist certification, and haS passed full background checks. Groups are kept intentionally small so every camper is known by name and never lost in the crowd.
Session Lengths
Summer camp runs in weekly sessions throughout June, July, and August. Families may register for one week or multiple weeks — each session stands alone with fresh activities, so repeat campers always experience something new. Weekly rate is $300 per child. Spots are limited to 14 per week and fill early.
Camper Age Groups
Programs are designed for campers ages 6 to 11. Activities, pacing, and naturalist content are tailored to this age range — old enough to hike and explore independently, young enough that everything on the Mendocino Coast still feels like magic. All skill and experience levels are welcome. No prior outdoor experience needed.
● Camp Life
Sample Itinerary
10:00 am
Drop-off & Morning Gathering — meet your guides, learn the day's adventure
10:15 am
Trail Briefing — what to look for, how to move through nature like a naturalist
Morning Exploration — coastal hike, forest trail, or waterway depending on the day
12:00 pm
Lunch Break — eat outside, decompress, free exploration time
12:30 pm
Hands-On Naturalist Activity — tidepool investigation, species ID, nature journaling
1:30 pm
Nature Game or Group Challenge — team-based outdoor activity
2:30 pm
Discovery Share — each camper shares one thing they found or learned today
2:50 pm
Pack up & Wind Down
3:00 pm
Pick-up
● Faculty & Staff
Meet the Instructors
Sue Coulter
Certified NaturalistSue brings her love of nature and local wildlife of the rugged north coast of California to hundreds of adults and children each year.
● Contact
Request Information
Thinking about enrolling? Curious which program might be the right fit? Wanting to create a custom experience? Whatever you’re looking for, we’re here to help.