Sierra Nevada Field Campus
San Francisco State University's Sierra Nevada Field Campus is dedicated to promoting an understanding and appreciation of the biological diversity, geosciences, hydrology, astronomy, plein air art and written word in the Gold Lakes Basin and Sierra Valley regions of the Sierra Nevada through education and research. Classes and workshops are open to the general public from early June to mid-August, with online registration opening each year in February.
Students enjoy rustic accommodations and tasty meals, or may opt to stay off campus. You would be hard pressed to find another place, possibly in the entire United States, that offers week long classes and workshops in science, art and nature education and more at such affordable rates! Classes combined with glamping under a Sierran sky with a top-notch kitchen willing to accommodate all diets, is a rare find indeed! The comradery and new friendships that develop on campus is treasured by all.
SNFC is a place where you are immersed in one of the most beautiful, diverse and wild regions of the northern Sierra Nevada. Our expert and friendly instructors guide your senses as you explore a dazzling array of plant and animal life. It is a place where students of the environmental sciences and artists can get hands-on experience. It is a place where people can stop to smell the azaleas and the Jeffrey Pines. It has been called a nature camp for adults. It is a place where personnel working in environmental fields can upgrade their knowledge. It is place where people from all walks of life can come together, energized by the easy comraderie and humbled by nature's magnificence.
SNFC is set at 5500', near the spectacular Sierra Buttes and Lakes Basin, a short drive from Sierra Valley. The North Yuba River flows through the campus, treating visitors to glimpses of river otters, American Dippers and a myriad of other local inhabitants. The campus has been in existence since the 1950s.
Read our testimonials to hear from students and instructors.
If this will be your first visit to the Sierra Nevada Field Campus, you can find more detailed information about what to expect when staying on campus here. Or check out our frequently asked questions.
All individuals who access SNFC Campus/Programs must be Fully Vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus, as defined by CSU policy, subject to the terms and limited Exemptions described in this policy, as well as comply with Other Safety Measures established on each campus. Read the CSU policy.
