Vail Nature Center in Vail, CO

The Vail Nature Center in Vail, CO is a nature center on seven acres of the land. The land is covered with meadows, forests, streams and numerous indigenous Colorado plant species. The center is nestled along the banks of Gore Creek, and provides a variety of educational programs that provide hours of fun for the whole family.

The center's mission statement is to "awaken a sense of wonder and inspire environmental stewardship through natural science education."

Environmental education programs are conducted year round. Here are a few of the types of programs available.
·    Summer Youth Science Camps: There are two types of camps available, depending on the age of the youth. There's a weeklong camp for youths entering grades 1 to 4. These camps explore the natural histories of animals, plants, rivers and rocks. There's a weeklong, overnight camp for youth entering grades 5 to 9. These camps explore ecology, field research, outdoor leadership, low-impact backcountry travel, and wilderness living.
·    School Programs: The Vail Nature Center works closely with teachers to provide three- to five-day hands-on programs for students from kindergarten to grade 12.
·    Professional Development. Natural Science educators receive hands-on teaching experience by teaching the summer science camps. Natural Science Educators participate in an intensive 15-month graduate program.
·    Guided Naturalist Programs: Staff and interns lead summer and winter nature explorations form the center's building at the top of Vail Mountain.
·    Adult Natural History Seminars: Summer-run one- and multi-day programs that are led by expert guest instructors. Topics that have been covered in the past include botany, geology and glaciology.