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Sacramento Country Day School

Outdoor Education

We leave our Country Day campus with many goals in mind for our community: 

  • Explore three unique ecosystems of California
  • Early year bonding
  • Team building
  • “Challenge by Choice”
  • Opportunity for connection with faculty in a different environment
  • Additional benefits: chance for independence & break from technology
6th Grade Redwood Exploration
in the Santa Cruz Mountains 
A group of people walking on a wooden bridge through a lush, green forest with tall, towering trees.
A group of people, including both adults and children, are standing on a wooden platform in a forested area, surrounded by tall trees.

Our sixth grade travels to Mt. Cross Camp, near Santa Cruz. On site, students stay in cabins and have access to playing fields, explore the area through hikes, and learn about the unique redwood ecology. Highlights of the trip include many team-building challenges and a low ropes challenge.

“I loved being right in the middle of the Santa Cruz mountain ecosystem, and those crazy banana slugs that we saw everywhere.”

7th Grade Mountain and Lakefront Adventures
in the Sierra Nevada Mountains
A serene lake surrounded by a dense forest, with a wooden dock extending into the calm waters under a clear blue sky.
A group of people sitting on a rocky outcrop overlooking a serene lake surrounded by tall pine trees against a clear blue sky.

Camp Sequoia Lake, in the heart of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, hosts our seventh grade trip. Students stay in cabins and get to swim and kayak on the lake. Highlights of this trip include a hike to Grant Grove to see giant sequoias, low and high ropes courses, a climbing wall, and nightly campfires.

“I did not know that teachers were like that (with real personalities). So outgoing, respectful, and caring.”

8th Grade Coastal Expedition
on Catalina Island
A sailboat is anchored in the calm, blue waters, while a group of people are swimming in the foreground, surrounded by rocky formations along the coastline.
A group of students gathered around a table, examining what appears to be a display or exhibit, with various framed artwork and decorations visible in the background.
A scenic coastal landscape with a rocky island in the background, surrounded by various small boats and kayaks in the foreground on the calm blue waters.

The eighth grade travels to the Channel Islands of Southern California. Located south of Long Beach, the islands host unique topography and ecosystems found only in California, along with a rare opportunity to see undeveloped coastal landscapes. At Camp Emerald Bay, students have access to miles of hiking trails, the Pennington Marine Science Center, and the Pacific Ocean. Highlights include snorkeling, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding. 

“I saw my classmate as quiet, but they were in my trail group and we sort of bonded over the week, and they saw more sides of me that they didn’t before, too.”