Discover the extraordinary biodiversity thriving in our desert region, offering students an enriching learning experience in a unique and diverse environment within The Wildlands Conservancy’s Desert Preserves—Whitewater, Mission Creek, and Pioneertown Mountains!

Whether you’ve been participating in our programs for years, or this is your first time hearing about us, we would love to have your students Behold the Beauty of our preserves and supplement their in-class science learning.

Our programs are inquiry-led and guided by the Next Generation Science Standards. We have a number of programs to choose from that fit within grade-specific requirements for science learning for grades K-12. All our programs are based around the ecology and hydrology of the canyon, involve a 1- 1.5 hour hike, riverbed exploration, and hands-on activities and games!

Programs run from 9 am - 1 pm, Tuesday through Friday. There is a minimum of 30 students and a maximum of 60 students per day. Groups larger than 60 need to split into multiple days.

More than 160,000 students have participated in the Outdoor Discovery Program at the Oak Glen Preserve since its inception in 2002. Located in Oak Glen on the edge of the San Bernardino Mountains, this free, naturalist-led program takes place on a two-mile nature trail on the Oak Glen Preserve. This trail meanders through an evergreen forest, past ponds that host migratory ducks in winter, under a canopy of deciduous black oaks, opening onto a south-facing chaparral hillside. The return trail follows a willow-shaded stream onto a boardwalk that is the home to a variety of butterflies when the wetlands are in bloom. Within a small geographic area, children will experience a rich variety of ecosystems.

Our program is a five-hour adventure field trip, during which every child will have a chance to explore, learn, and gain a new respect for nature while having fun. The program offers quality outdoor education experiences with hands-on group activities for students in grades 2nd through 9th.

Wind Wolves Preserve has welcomed over 200,000 students to its Outdoor Discovery Program since 1998. We continue to provide one of the premier environmental education facilities in Kern County, offering hands-on programming to hundreds of school children each year.

Our goal is to inspire wonder and joy in nature with lessons that connect youth to the natural world and its processes.

Field trips typically run for 3.5-4 hours, starting at 9:30 am, and include a 1/2-hour break for lunch.

Click on the Program Descriptions button below to view our guide of available themes. We look forward to hosting your class soon!