Field Trips

How to Reserve Your Education Program

Fort Laramie is a fee free park that offers free educational programming to schools, home schools, and groups of all kind. Be sure to schedule your trip early so we can make it the best trip possible. We welcome field trips year round, however, May is our busiest month for field trips so we recommend that your trip be scheduled as soon as possible to guarantee a spot for that month. Please remember that all trips are tentative until the trip is confirmed by a ranger.

To reserve a education program, please follow the steps below and fill out the required forms. If you have any questions or need help filling out the forms please e-mail at [e-mail] or call 307 837-2221 Ext 3006

Planning a Ranger-Led Field Trip to the Park

Step 1. Choose a program that fits your classroom's needs.

1. Teacher Self-Guided Tour
   Teachers can lead their students around the fort at their own pace. A ranger will meet your group upon arrival to give a general overview and introductory talk, then you are free to guide your class to some or all the areas for however long you'd like. Time dedicated to your group by a Fort Laramie Ranger is 10 Minutes for a welcome and saftey inroduction. Length: 10 Mintues
2. 1.5 Hour Standard Tour
   This is our most popular tour option! Your group will rotate through three different ranger-led stations, each covering a major theme of Fort Laramie history. They will learn about all the major themes related to Fort Laramie history, including Native Americans, the fur trade era, the military era, emigrants and trails in this hands-on, participatory experience. Each station lasts about 25 minutes. Optional group photo can be taken at the end. Length: 1.5 Hours. Important: If desired, teachers may lead their classes through parts of the park that are not covered in the stations activity provided by Fort Laramie Rangers.

Step 2. Please click HERE to view available dates and request a time on our Microsoft Bookings Calendar.

To book your field trip through our bookings calendar, click on the link above. Then select your desired tour service. Next, select your date on time by clicking your date on the calendar and selecting the times available on the side of the screen. If a date is grayed out it means it is unavailable. Next fill out your contact information. Lastly, make sure to click book to send your reservation information to our rangers.

Step 3. Complete our Education Reservation Request Form.

This is available as an online form. Please complete this form then e-mail this form to [e-mail]. After you have sent in this form, a ranger can reply with a confirmation of your field trip!

Step 4. Confirmation.

Field trips are tentative until a ranger confirms your field reservation with a confirmation through e-mail! All field trip scheduling is first come first serve and space is limited so we can ensure everyone's enjoyment and provide educational value. If you need to cancel or change an existing reservation please e-mail the park at [e-mail] or call at 307 837-2221 Ext 3010.

Step 5. Reminders for All Field trips

1. Before your group arrives, it is important to be aware of some basic guidelines. Regardless of the season, students and chaperones will have a more enjoyable experience if they are well-equipped for the day.

• Resource Stewardship: A firm framework of rules should be discussed in advance. Leave No Trace Principles should be followed when in the park. Respect the plants, animals, and the rights of others. No littering!
• School Regulations: Teachers are responsible for making sure that all school system regulations regarding parental permission slips and travel authorization/insurance, etc… are followed.
• Clothing: Remind the students to check the weather for Fort Laramie and bring appropriate clothing. Footwear should be comfortable and appropriate for the weather conditions as well. In the case of cold or damp weather, encourage students to bring extra layers and dry clothes.
• Nametags: For safety and courtesy, the rangers prefer to call the students by name. A single piece of masking tape with the first name written in big letters, works well. If you choose to make name tags as a pre-visit activity, be sure they are easy to read and do not fall off when the students are active.
• Groups: Divide each class into the recommended group sizes for your program before arriving at the park. Assign at least one chaperone to each group. (A typical bus of 40 students would be divided into two groups of 20 students each.)
• Lunch Time: Everyone looks forward to lunch. Bag lunches are best. Remember, lunches will not be refrigerated so we suggest drinks and sandwiches or other food that does not need to be refrigerated for several hours. Also, having lunches marked or organized for easy distribution will decrease the time spent passing things out and increase the time for learning. Students are responsible for picking up their trash and leaving the picnic area clean. Drinks with re-sealable lids are recommended so students can save what they don’t finish.
• Safety: An accident can ruin a field trip and jeopardize future ones. Safety is of the utmost importance. Students should stay with adults at all times and groups must have the appropriate number of chaperones.

Things to Consider:

• Accommodations may be available for any students or adults in your group with accessibility needs. Please let us know in advanced so that we can prepare and try to provide the service for you.
• Programs may be canceled due to inclement weather. In the case of a weather cancellation, we will contact you to discuss rescheduling options. If you are concerned about the weather conditions, please call us at 307 837-2221. Programs may be rescheduled to a later date; however, we cannot guarantee a reschedule date.

What to Expect Once You Arrive.

Once your group arrives, a bathroom break will be given and the ranger will give a short introduction and help prepare the students for the tour. If you choose the ranger guided tour, the ranger will then lead the group on a walking tour around the post, talking about the major buildings and history of the post. Because of time restraints, some buildings can not be toured. After all the stations have been completed, the group is invited to take a picture on the porch of Old Bedlam. Groups can choose to eat lunch before or after their tour at our picnic area or continue to explore the fort on their own. After your tour, we encourage everyone to take a group picture to remember their time at the Fort Laramie.