Take a Nature Walk at the Ivy Creek Natural Area

Since 1980, the Ivy Creek Foundation has been offering guided nature walks for Central Virginia school groups at the Ivy Creek Natural Area -- at no charge -- as part of the Foundation's commitment to environmental education.

Our guides are all adult volunteers who have completed our training course or have comparable expertise. They are qualified to discuss the natural history of the trails, some species identification and conservation. Special needs can be met with advance notice. If you have any questions, please call the Education Coordinator at (434) 973-7772. 

Guidelines for Ivy Creek Natural Area tours:

1. One-hour nature walks are offered Monday, Thursday and Friday mornings between 9:00 a.m. and noon. On Mondays only, the optional “Trees of Virginia” program is also available and takes an additional 45 minutes.
2. Maximum number of students per tour is 70.
3. Each group of 10-12 students will be lead by one Ivy Creek Foundation guide. In addition, the school must provide at least one adult for each group of 10-12 students. *** An extra adult must also be provided for each child needing assistance and/or careful monitoring including children with a history of behavior problems.
4. For children needing special accommodations, there is a half-mile paved and level trail. Please let us know ahead of time if you have children who could benefit from this trail.
5. Tours may be scheduled by sending us a completed Online Field Trip Request Form. Tour confirmation will be provided to the lead teacher, with the name and telephone number of the lead guide and additional information about the field trip. The lead guide will telephone the teacher before the tour date to confirm, review guidelines, and discuss content.
6. Because Ivy Creek is a wildlife area, picnicking after a tour is not allowed except with special permission. We highly recommend picnic sites at nearby Pen Park and McIntire Park should your group wish to make lunch and play time part of your Ivy Creek field trip experience.
7. Click here for more information about the optional “Birds and Their Habitat” program. Please note that separate registration is required for this program. To pay for Birds and Their Habitat: download, fill in and mail Outreach Education Invoice to the Virginia Museum of Natural History.
8. If you have questions or special requests, please send an email to programs@ivycreekfoundation.org or leave a message at (434) 973-7772.