Field Trips

We invite you and your students to join us for a journey into the great outdoors of Ottawa County Parks!

Our professional outdoor educators provide field trips that are enriching, positive, and memorable, giving your students tangible experiences to relate back to what is taught in your classroom, no matter the season! We strive to:

Initiate and encourage further exploration
Nurture an emotional connection with nature
Advance a wider perspective of students’ sense of place in the environment
Promote a greater understanding and attitude of responsible stewardship

All programs meet Next Generation Science Standards; many also meet specific Michigan standards.

Interested?

Fill out a program request form today!

Get Started

Program Length

Field trips for grade school students are typically 2-3 hours, plus a half hour for lunch (not provided). We offer a variety of nature-based program topics that can be paired together to best fit your classroom goals and interests. We also offer specialty programs that are three hours, plus a 30-minute lunch. Students will rotate through activities planned for each topic with a break in the middle for lunch.

Example Schedule (grades 3-12)
9:30am-11:00am	Program Topic 1
11:00am-11:30am	Lunch Break
11:30am-1:00pm	Program Topic 2

Pricing

Join us at a park/location in Ottawa County for $7 per student ($125 minimum)
Rendezvous! Fur Trade on the Grand for $8 per student ($350 minimum)
We can travel to you outside of Ottawa County for $10 per student + $50 travel fee (includes Muskegon, Kent, and Allegan)
Teachers and aides included
Parent chaperones included, based on grade and group size:
- Chaperone ratio of 5:1 for grades 1-12 (e.g. class of 25 = 5 chaperones allowed without additional charge)
- Chaperone ratio of 3:1 for pre-k/K
- Additional chaperones $5/person

Visiting Parks

Are you visiting an Ottawa County Parks property with your class? Here are a few tips to plan your visit:

Please let us know you’re coming in advance by contacting us by email or phone (616) 786-4847; this helps us ensure that the park and facilities are ready for a large group.
Familiarize yourself with park rules Park rules and regulations may vary by property. For example, while visitors are not allowed off trail at parks, off trail hiking and exploration is allowed at open spaces.
Follow Leave No Trace principles: Take only pictures, leave only footprints.
Special events require a permit. Check here to see if you need a permit for the event you are planning.
Do you need a facility for your visit? Ottawa County Parks has many rentable facilities