The Rocky Mountain Nature Association, Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, CO 80517 (tel. 800/816-7662 or 970/586-0108; www.rmna.org), offers a wide variety of seminars and workshops, ranging from half-day to full day to several days in duration. The program began with two seminars in 1962, and by 2004 the association offered well over 100 courses, including a number for children. Subjects vary but might include songbirds, wildflower identification, edible and medicinal herbs, painting, wildlife photography, tracking park animals, astronomy, human history, map and compass basics, GPS navigation, and edible mushrooms. One recent seminar was titled, "Uppity Women of the Rockies."
The nature association thinks of Rocky Mountain National Park as a "college on the crest of the continent," and uses it as an outdoor classroom. Field trips are a part of most seminars and sometimes require more than average exertion.
Programs are usually scheduled from March through November, although most of them are held from June through August. Rates range from $35 for half-day programs to $65 to $75 for full-day programs, and $135 and up for multiday programs. There is also a series of special kid's programs -- "Children's Nature Sketchbooks" -- that is often offered a number of times through the summer at a cost of $15. Association members get 10% discounts. Participants are responsible for their own lodging and meals. Academic credit is available from Colorado State University for some of the longer courses, and all seminars qualify as teacher recertification units ( 1/2-3 semester credits).
