Preparing to Embrace Challenges at Sly Park
At Sly Park, growth comes through experience—and that often means stepping outside of comfort zones. Whether it's spending five days away from home, hiking five miles through nature, embarking on a night hike, or scaling the challenge wall, students are encouraged to face and overcome a variety of new challenges.
Our dedicated team of credentialed teachers works closely with students, visiting teachers, and cabin leaders to provide the guidance and support needed throughout the week. We’re here to help each student build confidence, resilience, and a sense of accomplishment.
Use this page as a resource to discover ways to prepare your students for their Sly Park adventure—and to help them make the most of every challenge they encounter.
To register your student for the Sly Park Environmental Education Center experience, click on the registration button.
Please Note you must first create an account and THEN register your student.
Please Note you must first create an account and THEN register your student.
Please Note you must first create an account and THEN register your student.

See How We Meet the Basic Needs of the Students

More generally, we expect students to be respectful of themselves, one another, and of all adults on campus. The LAST thing anyone wants is to send a student home. We make every effort to support students with adults. Adult cabin leaders maintain supervision inside cabins and support supervision during activities. Any discipline beyond a mild reminder should be referred to a visiting teacher or Sly Park teacher. Any physical confrontation, sexual harassment, harrassment of another student, or repeated need for direction may result in the student having to go home.
See How We Meet the Basic Needs of the Students
Sleeping Accommodations

Our campus, nestled in the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains, offers a unique and memorable experience—likely quite different from home! Students are housed in one of eight cozy cabins, each equipped with heating, indoor plumbing, private showers, and bathrooms to ensure a comfortable stay.
Each cabin includes four rooms with bunk beds and cubbies for students to store their belongings. Students will have their own bunk and cubby, serving as their personal space throughout the week. Depending on the program's capacity, rooms typically accommodate between 4 and 8 students. Cabin Leaders have a separate room within the cabin.
We strive to maintain a calm and welcoming atmosphere in the cabins. To support students who may be sensitive to noise, each cabin includes a few pairs of headphones for quiet relief when needed.
All cabins are supervised by fingerprinted adult Cabin Leaders who provide a safe and supportive environment. In keeping with our values of community and inclusion, students from different schools are thoughtfully grouped together. To help students feel at ease, each cabin also includes an adult representative from each participating school.
Check out this Cabin Life Video and Silent Cabin Tour to get a glimpse of where you'll be staying.
Nutritional Needs

At Sly Park, we take student nutrition seriously. As a state-accredited school program, we provide well-balanced, nutritious meals that meet all state dietary requirements. Students receive three full meals a day, along with a snack during high-exertion hikes. Each day ends on a sweet note with a homemade cookie for everyone.
Our staff closely monitors mealtimes to ensure students are eating and staying nourished. We encourage families to talk with their students ahead of time about the importance of fueling their bodies and being open to trying new foods during their stay.
Our experienced kitchen team has carefully designed a menu that accommodates a variety of dietary needs. We are proud to offer options for:
- Vegetarian and vegan diets
- Lactose intolerance
- Gluten-free requirements
- Food allergies
- Religious dietary restrictions
If your student has these or other specific dietary needs, please:
- Contact us early. Reach out to our Sly Park Kitchen staff at least two weeks before you arrive at (916) 228-2320 or via email.
- Share the details. When you contact us, share your child’s full name, school name, dates of attendance, and specific dietary requirements.
- Stay connected. Please share a reliable contact number or email. We may need to reach out for additional information.
Important Note: Our kitchen is proudly peanut and nut-free to provide a safer environment for all.
Hydration


Staying hydrated in the mountains is essential for a successful and enjoyable week at Sly Park. All students are required to bring a refillable water bottle. If a student forgets, loses, or breaks theirs, we have loaner bottles available.
Our water is mountain-fresh, cold, and delicious. If your student isn’t used to drinking plain water, we encourage you to help them build the habit in the months leading up to their trip. Hydration is key to feeling great and having fun at Sly Park.
In addition to water, our dining hall offers milk and dairy alternatives at every meal. Students love the milk—so much so that, even decades later, many alumni say it’s one of their most vivid memories of their time at Sly Park!
Communication
In order for the students to fully immerse themselves in the program, contact with families is highly discouraged. Please prepare your student for this by:
- talking to them about how to manage if they are missing home.
- writing a letter and giving to classroom teacher to deliver midweek.
Behavior Expectations
The Sly Park Outdoor Education Center strives to provide students a once-in-a-lifetime outdoor education experience in the safest possible setting. Given the nature of our program and our activities, student safety is absolutely paramount. To ensure safety and ensure every student has an equal opportunity to participate, we need to enforce these student conduct expectations.
Generally speaking, ANY student behavior that negatively impacts another student’s experience is not allowed. More specifically, we ask that students:
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Maintain respect for themselves, each other, adults, and for the Sly Park facilities.
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Be ready to participate in Sly Park activities by having a full water bottle; wearing athletic, closed-toed shoes (Crocs are unacceptable everywhere but meals and cabins); being layered for the weather; having gone to the restroom; and, if required, carrying an epipen and/or inhaler in advance of each activity.
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Remain CALM when in cabins. Cabins are a close space and there is NO room for rough-housing while in the cabins.
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Respect one another’s privacy. Do not get into anyone else’s luggage or belongings and respect individual privacy, especially when changing, showering, and/or using the bathroom.
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Observe the lights-out/silent time in cabins between 9:30 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Stay silent in bed unless going to the bathroom. Disruption of another’s sleep is considered disrespectful conduct.
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For obvious reasons, cameras are to be used outside only. There is no use of cameras when students are in the cabins.
More generally, we expect students to be respectful of themselves, one another, and of all adults on campus. The LAST thing anyone wants is to send a student home. We make every effort to support students with adults. Adult cabin leaders maintain supervision inside cabins and support supervision during activities. Any discipline beyond a mild reminder should be referred to a visiting teacher or Sly Park teacher. Any physical confrontation, sexual harassment, harrassment of another student, or repeated need for direction may result in the student having to go home.
What to Pack?
Here is an elaborate list with explanations on what to pack.
Please be aware that we have just about anything your student may need while they are here. Our "Loaner Items" are clean and ready for any student that needs them.
HOW TO HELP SET UP YOUR STUDENT FOR SUCCESS BEFORE COMING TO SLY PARK
HOW TO HELP SET UP YOUR STUDENT FOR SUCCESS BEFORE COMING TO SLY PARK
Practice Homesicknesss Management Skills
Students sometimes experience homesickness while at Sly Park. Working with your student BEFORE their trip will give them strategies in case they find themselves deeply homesick.
Actions you can take:
- If they have never been away from home before overnight, practice letting them stay with a relative or trusted family for longer and longer periods of time.
- Practice the tips on this poster. (it will be posted in every cabin to help remind student how to deal with homesickness)
- NAME THE PAIN! Saying the feeling out loud is a powerful way to release the angst. Saying "I HAVE sadness" rather than "I AM sad" helps trick the brain into seeing it more as something that can be let go of, rather than an identifying trait.
- BREATHE MINDFULLY! Stop whatever else you are doing and notice when you are breathing in and then when you are breathing out. Pay attention as you take 10 breathes and make the OUT breath last a bit longer than the in breath. Slowing down the exhale calms your brain.
- SPEND TIME IN NATURE! That's easy here at Sly Park. Go on your hikes!!! Participate. Look at a tree or a rock and think about all the hardships it has endured. Share the power to make it though your discomfort. Why? Nature bathing is proven to heal your broken spirit!
- CONNECT! Find 20 things that are similar to what you are missing. Find comfort that is not the SAME as what you miss, but can be a substitute while you are on an adventure.
- DISTRACT THE WORRY CENTER OF YOUR BRAIN! Name 5 things you see in this instant. Name 4 things you hear in this instant. Name 3 things you can touch/feel in this instant. Name 2 things you can smell in this instant. Name 1 thing you can taste in this instant. This activity is known to help humans stop the spiral of overthinking and worry and come back to the present moment.
Learn to Pack a Sleeping Bag
It is very easy to pull that sleeping bag OUT of the stuff sack. When Friday morning arrives and your tired student looks at the HUGE BAG and the TINY STUFF SACK, they can be easily overwhelmed . Practice stuffing the bag with your student until they can do it themselves with little to no frustration.
(video coming soon)
Resources to Help Prepare for the Adventure
Before you pack for your adventure, here’s your treasure map for a successful Sly Park experience.
- Download and review the Parent/Student Handbook
- Read our guide on Conquering Homesickness / Informacíon Importante Sobre La Nostalgia
- Register your explorer online
- Contact our kitchen staff 2 weeks in advance for special dietary needs
Our Commitment to Inclusivity
At Sly Park, we celebrate diversity in all its forms. We do not discriminate based on race, religious beliefs, color, national origin, nationality, immigration status, ethnicity, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sex, or sexual orientation. Our commitment aligns with all applicable Federal and State laws and regulations.
Learning That Leaps Off the Page
Textbooks come to life at Sly Park Environmental Education Center. Our accredited program aligns with California Next Generation Science Standards, offering hands-on experiences in:
- Ecosystem exploration
- Wildlife and insect guides
- Geological investigations
- Environmental awareness
Want to see what awaits? Take a virtual tour through our photo galleries and videos. Soon, you’ll be able to explore Sly Park from the comfort of your home with our upcoming virtual tours!
- KVIE Sly Park Video
Learn more about our outdoor science and environmental education program with KVIE's "Inside California Education: Sly Park" video. - Experience Sly Park Video
Get a feel for what Sly Park is all about with this brief video.