Summer Adventures for Kids & Families

Local Kid-Friendly Field Guide

How can you tell a Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel from a chipmunk? Which insects are indicators of good water quality? What is Nevada's state mammal? Take our handy pocket field guide to over 100 species along on your outings, and you'll be the expert. Even if you're only 10! We use these guides with our students, and proceeds support our environmental education programs. (Photo credit for the young nature lover--J.P. Kiel)

Get your field guide here.

Take the field guide challenge, and challenge your friends with these questions that are all answered in our pocket field guide.

July is our biggest Adventure Day Camp Month

From learning about our watershed with support from the Truckee River Fund to getting excited about aviation and its many applications and careers with support from the Gillemot Foundation, our students spend the summer expanding their horizons. Huge thanks to these supporters and to everyone else who contributes.

During our first summer "Soaring the Skies: Fun with Flight" week, drones, gliders, kites, a remote-controlled plane, and a rocket all made big impressions on our students. Pilots and other presenters shared their expertise. Last week we had guest presenters on "Survival".

Want to help out or present on a topic?

Here's a link to a volunteer interest form.

Want to join our educator team and teach?

Please share with great candidates.

Contact Day Camp Director Kit .

We'll host 6-12-year-olds at the River School Farm in Reno near Mayberry Park doing STEAM/nature-based activities and crafts, hiking, and learning fascinating science topics from guest presenters for four more summer weeks. Most are pretty fully booked, but there are waiting lists.

See details and register here!

Contact Day Camp Director Kit .

Family Hike at Tahoe Meadows Saturday, July 18

Beat the heat with a little elevation gain up the Mt. Rose Highway. Bring the family and friends for an easy walk from 10-noon starting at the stone restroom. We'll watch for wildflowers and will have some activities for the kids.

Please see details and register on our website.

Fall at Tahoe--Just a bit of space

Teachers, there's only room left for one class of 25-30 fourth or fifth graders Tuesday-Friday, October 20-23 at our Tahoe science camp, so HURRY! Your students will make new friends with fourth graders from Excel Christian Academy and do all our standards-based life science and earth science activities. We'll hike at Spooner Lake and visit the Tahoe Environmental Research Center. See more about overnight programs on our website here, and contact Program Director Lauren.

(Photo by Mark Vollmer)

Contact Program Director Lauren.

Scorpion Hunt

Ever been on a scorpion hunt? Did you know they glow a brilliant blue-green under black light? Washoe Lake State Park invites families for a fun summer evening exploring the desert in search of these fascinating arachnids on Saturday, July 25 at 8:30 pm, and they even have some black lights to lend. See more on their website.

Why do they glow? Their exoskeleton absorbs UV light and re-emits the energy at a wavelength we perceive as blue-green. The fluorescent compounds are linked to the hardening of their new shells after molting.

Gear Hut

July is Great Basin Outdoor School month at Gear Hut! Gear Hut is a family-owned consignment gear shop in Reno at 318 Broadway

increasing access to the outdoors and keeping usable adventure gear in our community and out of landfills. Owners Leah & Rusty are intensely involved in our community, dedicating countless hours to outdoor projects and supporting various outdoor organizations such as Great Basin Outdoor School. Your donations of gently-used outdoor clothing and gear in our name will be sold to benefit our educational programs for local youth. So check your closet and your garage, and give unused items new life. Your donations there help us year-round.

Sunday, July 26 10% of all Gear Hut sales goes to GBOS!

Don't Miss Project WET Next Summer!

Teachers earned recertification hours learning activities linking multiple subjects to nature and our watershed on a lovely June Saturday at the River School Farm in Reno. Executive Director Emily selected and led activities adaptable to various grade levels.

Teachers' school-age children split their time between participating in some activities with us and going off with our naturalists on their own adventures. Studies at the edge of the Truckee River showed life forms with clues to our water quality.

Teach With Us This Summer & Fall

September and October could not be more beautiful on the shore of Lake Tahoe and at Galena Creek, Spooner Lake and the River School Farm, and we're hiring! If you're great with kids and love the outdoors, we provide paid training and good work experience. Please think, recommend, and share with colleagues who would be a good fit.

See and share more on our website now.