As part of the Friends’ educational programs, docents lead schoolchildren, their teachers and parent chaperones on a hike in Huddart Park.

The groups wind through the range of our local ecosystems; chaparral, redwood forest, mixed forest, and riparian. The kids are fascinated by their discoveries along the trail–coyote scat, woodrat houses, turret spider colonies, mother redwood trees and their offspring, the smell of bay laurel, the feel of hazelnut leaves, the brilliant yellow of banana slugs and the skittish western fence lizards. All this wildlife is a bus-ride away from the busy urban lives of the students. For some of them, this hike is their first time in the woods, and it opens their minds and senses to the natural world. Each year during Fall and Spring some 1,000 students join the docents on these Huddart Park Nature Hikes.

"After going to Huddart Park on a docent-led field trip with my daughter's kindergarten class, I just had to get my school in on this. The Nature Hike program has been so easy to work with and accommodating for our kindergarten classes. The kids love being outdoors, and teachers love the fact that it's right in line with our science standards."
– Kristl Wong, Teacher

Click here for information about booking a hike.