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WHAT WE DO

Education

LEARN ABOUT THE MONUMENT

One of the main ways that the Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument (FCSNM) works to support the protection, restoration, and conservation of the Monument is through education.

We believe that caring about a landscape begins with creating a connection to it and that place-based education is one of the best ways to achieve this. We hope that you will join us.  

All of our programs are free of charge and led by local experts or our summer interpretive rangers. Local experts are members of the community who have chosen to volunteer their time and come from a variety of backgrounds. Some are passionate amateur naturalists, artists, and knowledge-keepers, while others are professionals in their fields and work for local universities or government agencies.

Events Calendar
volunteer identifying netted native bees during a hike and learn event
Native Bees Hike & Learn
volunteer teaches about fire ecology during hike and learn event
Fire Ecology Hike & Learn
identifying a bee, photo by Lauren Angel/BLM
Identifying a bee on Hike & Learn (photo: Lauren Angel/BLM)
winter wildlife tracking Hike & Learn event
Winter wildlife tracking

Hike & Learn

One of our longest running programs, Hike & Learn is designed to allow you to deeply explore one topic through the combination of a Friday evening lecture and a Saturday field experience in the Monument. You are welcome to attend just Friday or Saturday or both days.

Check our events calendar for upcoming Hike & Learn events.

guided outing to hike at Lost Creek
Hiking at Lost Creek

Guided Outings

Led either by FCSNM summer interpretive rangers or a local expert, these are typically one-day events that do not have a lecture component. Ranging widely in subject matter, they may include learning about water rights or ethnobotany, going on a guided forest therapy walk or hiking up to Grizzly Peak to watch the sunset.

Check our events calendar for upcoming guided outings.

Lectures

Lectures are educational events that do not include an excursion into the Monument. Typically they are a deep dive into a topic such as geology or Native American history, or address an exciting future project, such as the I5 wildlife overcrossing. Since these lectures are offered both in-person and virtually, it allows people to participate who may not be local to the area. View previous lectures below and on our YouTube channel.

I-5 Wildlife Overcrossing
Fire History and Ecology
Native American History
Volcanic History
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Lost Creek interpretive ranger-led hike
Lost Creek interpretive ranger-led hike
Interpretive ranger leads hike in Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument
Interpretive Ranger leads hike to uncompleted 1880’s railroad tunnel site
Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument Ranger leads summer hike
Ranger on interpretive hike

Summer Interpretive Rangers

Each summer, we hire two part-time rangers to provide interpretive services in the Monument. They lead guided hikes, welcome visitors at the Monument Information Center, and support youth education through our Monument Days program. The rangers also assist with community events and help people of all ages connect more deeply with the Monument.

Check our events calendar for upcoming summer interpretive Ranger-led hikes.

Monument Days education program guided hikes with children from The Crest Nature Day Camp

Summer Nature Camp Monument Days

We offer a day of outdoor environmental education in the Monument once a week each summer for participants in The Crest’s Nature Day Camp. These days feature guided hikes, hands-on activities, and storytelling, allowing campers to explore the Monument’s incredible biodiversity and unique geology. Find out more information about and register for The Crest Nature Day Camps program.

This program is supported in large part by the Gray Family Foundation.

Gray Family Foundation  The Crest at Willow-Witt Ranch

Accessibility

Ranger interns at Cascade-Siskiyou National Park informational station by Greensprings Inn

We strongly believe in making nature-based education and the outdoors as accessible as possible while also acknowledging that there is a long way to go, especially in the realm of outdoor recreation. All of our field experiences take place on public land and trails which limits our ability to address many physical accessibility issues.

All of our adult and family programs are completely free of charge, with the exception of the Nature Camp Monument Days. Any donations are completely optional and not expected.

We offer transportation to and from the field experiences from a meeting location serviced by public transportation. Due to federal funding uncertainty, as of 9/2/2025, RVTD bus routes are no longer running on Saturday. If this represents a barrier to your attendance, please contact us at info@cascadesiskiyou.org and we will try our best to arrange alternative transportation.

All Friday night lecture classrooms are ADA accessible.

The majority of our field experiences and hikes are easy to moderate difficulty with very frequent stops for interpretation.

If you need any additional accommodations or would like more in-depth information on what to expect at any of our events, please do not hesitate to contact us. We would be happy to discuss it with you.

Unless otherwise noted, talks are held at the Ashland Food Co-op Community Classroom located at 300 N. Pioneer Street in Ashland, OR. The community classroom in NOT in the grocery store. It is in a separate building a block behind the grocery store on 300 N. Pioneer Street. The talk is an opportunity to learn, ask questions, and meet your fellow hikers. It is optional and not compulsory before taking the hike.

If you can’t hike the trail you are welcome to attend only the talk! Enjoy the images and participate in the discussion. We believe in making the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument accessible for all people to learn about and appreciate our public lands.

Hikes are held in various locations within the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. We kick off the hikes at the Rite Aid parking lot located at 2341 Ashland Street in Ashland at 9AM (unless otherwise noted) and carpool/caravan to the designated spot in the Monument together.

On the day of the hike:

  • Bring plenty of water
  • Bring lunch and snacks
  • Consider bringing additional items such as: hat, sunscreen, walking sticks, camera, binoculars, hand lens, notebook and pen
  • Wear sturdy shoes and protective clothing

Be considerate of the group and meet on time at the designated location.

Practice hike ethics and leave no trace. Learn about the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace.

Limited facilities. The only public toilet facilities are located at the Hyatt Lake campground, Hobart Bluff trailhead, Pilot Rock trailhead, Grizzly Peak trailhead, and the Tub Springs Wayside. There are no washroom facilities or pit toilets at most other locations.

butterfly

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