Field Trips
Group Visits, Summer Camps, School Trips
Field Trips for Schools & Camps
A docent-led visit to Desert of Maine will give your group a window into the history, geology, and ecology of this unique destination. Your group will learn about human influence on the land, starting with the Tuttle Farmhouse, followed by an age-appropriate introduction to the Ecology Walk. We will then help facilitate the rest of your visit, whether your groups wants to spend time at the Shady Grove Filling Station exhibit, the Fossil Dig, Spring House, Gemstone Village or coordinate with the business to play a round of mini golf.
Your group will have a "home-base" to leave your stuff and eat lunch. Our approach is hands on, immersive and student-directed. We encourage kids to get their hands dirty (quite literally!) as they investigate questions like, what is soil and why is it so important? What are the different plant communities that have lived on this land over time and how have human choices and activities influenced the environment?
Home School Group Experiences
Adult & Mixed Age Group Visits
Loved by visitors, passholders, and press
It’s a place unlike any other in Maine...
The Desert of Maine is a must visit spot.
Mike, Google review
Visiting this amazing place is a summer staple for us.
Emily, Season Passholder
Joseph, Google review
I wish we’d spent more time here. We’ll definitely be back to explore the dunes and the farmhouse.
Brooke, Freeport Local
FEATURED IN
Clint Harp, award-winning carpenter, HGTV hit show Fixer Upper alum, and host of Restoration Road, heads to the Desert of Maine. He takes on a challenge: to transport, rebuild and assemble our 18th century New England Cape Cod house as a historical museum.
“It’s a place unlike any other in Maine,” reports NBC’s News Center Maine. “Acres of fine sand stretches out into the distance, complete with sand dunes, looking much like, well, a miniature desert. Welcome to the Desert of Maine, an ecological oddity that’s been a tourist attraction for a century.”
Our re-opening made a splash in the local papers. The Press Herald got an exclusive: how we launched The Desert of Maine, reopening with new attractions and a focus on sciences. They also chronicle the unveiling of our nonprofit to promote arts and sciences.
Explore the Desert of Maine through the lens of journalists and ecologists alike
Home School Group Experiences
Adult & Mixed Age Group Visits
Whether you are new to ecology or have an in-depth knowledge of the ecosystems that populate the Desert, we have something for you. Our teachers and guides are ecologists and artists who are passionate about the lessons and stories of this land.
Loved by visitors, passholders, and press
It’s a place unlike any other in Maine...
The Desert of Maine is a must visit spot.
Mike, Google review
Visiting this amazing place is a summer staple for us.
Emily, Season Passholder
Joseph, Google review
I wish we’d spent more time here. We’ll definitely be back to explore the dunes and the farmhouse.
Brooke, Freeport Local
FEATURED IN
