Discover the Flyway is an outdoor education program for kindergarten through 12th grade students based on California science and social studies standards. Its goal is to offer children a meaningful outdoor experience that will give them an appreciation for the wetlands, agriculture, and wildlife of the Central Valley and contribute to a lifetime of healthy outdoor activities and development of a land stewardship ethic. See the options below to learn how you and your students can Discover the Flyway!
Registration now open!
Visit the program pages below for more information and to make a reservation.
Discover the Flyway Modified Field Trips
October through December – 2025
Discover the Flyway Modified field trips have two options.
Option #1: Discover the Flyway in the Wildlife Area field trips meet and take place entirely outdoors in the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area. After an all-class introduction to wetlands, the students will break into small groups and rotate through three science activities followed by lunch. Teachers have the choice of concluding the field trip after lunch (the “no tour” option) or continuing with a binocular lesson and tour of the Wildlife Area (the “with tour” option). This is an all-outdoor program in the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area. Cancels for rain.
Option #2: Discover the Flyway All-class Activity and Tour field trips meet at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area Headquarters and start indoors in the conference room. After an all-class introduction to wetlands, the class will participate in a selected science or social science presentation. The students will then break into three small groups to actively explore the selected topic in more detail with a hands-on learning activity (also indoors). After lunch, the field trip continues with a binocular lesson before driving to the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area for a tour. Except for the tour, this is an all-indoor program.
Discover the Flyway Field Trips
January through March 2026, and May 2026
The all day Discover the Flyway field trips start at the demonstration wetlands behind the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area Headquarters. Students rotate through wetland themed science learning activities or a social studies unit. All activities are hands-on, interactive, and inquiry based.
The field trip continues after lunch with the distribution of loaner binoculars and bird I.D. cards to each student followed by a binocular lesson. Then students load up in their bus or chaperoned cars and caravan to the nearby Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area for a time of discovery. (New this year: tour is optional)
Click here for more information about Discover the Flyway Field Trips and to make a reservation.
Discover the Flyway Vernal Pool-based Field Trips
April 1 through April 30 – 2026
The free, all day Discover the Flyway Vernal Pool-based field trip starts at the demonstration wetlands behind the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area Headquarters. After lunch, the students load up in their bus or chaperoned cars and caravan to the nearby vernal pools of Grasslands Regional Park for a time of discovery before returning to school. All activities are hands-on, interactive, and inquiry based. The Vernal Pool-based field trips are FREE thanks to a grant with California State Parks and a partnership with Yolo County.
Discover the Flyway In-Class Activities
October through December – 2025: Wednesdays
January through May – 2026: Upon Request
Discover the Flyway In-class Activities bring the wetlands to you. These activities provide hands-on, inquiry-based science or social studies curriculum for 1st through 5th grade classrooms.
Click here for more information about Discover the Flyway In-class Activities
Discover the Flyway Teacher Workshops
Teachers must attend a one time Teacher Workshop before bringing their students on a Discover the Flyway field trip. All educators interested in learning how to teach students about wetlands, wildlife, and human history in the Central Valley are also welcome to attend!
Click here for more information on Discover the Flyway Teacher Workshops and to register.
Discover the Flyway is an outdoor education program for K-12 students, based on California science and social studies standards. Its goal is to offer children a meaningful outdoor experience that will give them an appreciation for the wetlands, agriculture, and wildlife of the Central Valley and contribute to a lifetime of healthy outdoor activities and development of a land stewardship ethic.
The program is a partnership between the Yolo Basin Foundation and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Since 1997, over 79,000 students from both public and private schools in the Sacramento region have experienced a Discover the Flyway program.