Teachers
Explore Wilder Ranch State Park
Located along the beautiful California coastline, Wilder Ranch State Park’s 7,000 acres offers numerous learning opportunities for students. Schedule your class for a field trip to discover California’s early ranching history and experience what life was like a century ago on this innovative dairy ranch. Visit an 1897 Victorian home, experience an 1896 water-powered machine shop, and say hi to the farm animals.
In-Person Program: Ranch History and Farm Animal Encounter
Travel Back to the year 1900 here at Wilder Ranch and discover what it was like to live and work at a dairy ranch. Join California State Park interpreters during this 2 hour long program while we explore the essentials to making a successful dairy ranch. Students will meet our farm animals, learn how to do the jobs necessary to dairy ranching, and explore what everyday life would be like for someone their age at Wilder Ranch over 100 years ago.
Please Note: This program is designed for 2nd-4th grade students. We have a minimum of 15 students per program and a maximum number of 35 students. We also limit the amount of chaperones to one for every 2 students. We ask that all chaperones play an active role in the facilitation and supervision of activities. This program will take place outdoors so please be prepared for varied weather conditions and bring water. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your field trip, please feel free to reach out to us at wilderranch@ports-ca.us or call us at (831) 426-0505.
Register for an In-Person Field Trip!
Virtual Program: A Hard Day's Work on the Ranch
Living on a dairy ranch in the year 1900 took a lot of hard work and required working together as a team to be successful. This program, designed for 1st - 4th grades, explores some of the tasks and responsibilities that children would have been expected to help with. Follow along with our interpretive staff as they will showcase our volunteers demonstrating some of the work that kids were expected to help with while we discuss and learn all about a kids role on the ranch.
This virtual field trip to Wilder Ranch will take approximately one hour and go over many of the similarities and differences in what life was like over 100 years ago. During the program we will be doing different activities such as scavenger hunts that will require the students to get up and move about the classroom or space that they are currently in.
Register for a Virtual Field Trip!
This is a Kids2Parks Participating Park!
Kids2Parks is an innovative park-equity program to bring students from Title 1 schools to State Park field trips. The program, a partnership between California State Parks and Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks, increases the number of students who have visited a state park or beach by reducing barriers to access. The program offers transportation funding for field trips to select Title 1 schools in Santa Cruz, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties. For more information, and to apply, please visit www.thatsmypark.org/visit/k2p.