Hiking Day Hike  Spend an hour and a half discovering the trails of Astrocamp and our neighboring National Forest. Located at over a mile above the surrounding desert areas, the high altitude climate teems with flora and fauna found at few other places in the world, from enormous and ancient Incense Cedar trees to endangered amphibians. The hikes not only include spectacular scenery of the encompassing mountains, but also ample opportunity to explore local geologic phenomenon, from granitic crystallization to tectonic theory. Students can wander paths first blazed by the Cahuilla Indians thousands of years ago and uncover archeological evidence of their presence while learning about their culture.
Extended Day Hike The Extended Day Hike provides an even greater opportunity to delve into the natural history of the mountains while allowing for more games and individual attention. Students can explore trails created by pioneer conservationist Ernie Maxwell or summit the May Valley ridge crest while learning to interpret everything from coyote tracks to cloud patterns. The extended time even gives a chance to sit back, write reflections, drawings or just let the peace and quiet sink in.
 Full Day Hike (5-day groups only) There’s no better way to let students study nature than to immerse them in it. On the full day hike, students will truly get the chance to connect and explore nature. Led by our expert instuctors, students will spend the day studying plant and animal life of the mountain ecosystem, learn a little bit about how the mountains were formed and get a close-up study of geology by examining rocks and rock formation in and around Idyllwilld.
|
