Marin Treks

Marin Treks offers hands-on educational adventures where children view and handle insects, reptiles, and amphibians while learning about animals. The program includes preschool activities and programs, preschool and elementary classroom programs, home school class visits, scout programs, half day natural science camps, after school programs, class field trips, school field trips, and reptile birthday parties. Children learn where animals live, what they eat, and how they avoid predators and survive, and may touch or hold animals such as leopard geckos, crested geckos, tree frogs, ball pythons, corn snakes, tortoises, and more.

• Ages: 3–17 years old
• Schedule: Preschool programs run 30 minutes per group; elementary school, preschool, and home school class visits and scout programs are 1-hour sessions; half day camps are offered whenever children are on vacation from school, including Thanksgiving week, Christmas break, February winter break, April spring break, and about 5–6 weeks of summer camp; reptile birthday parties are available Friday evenings, Saturdays, and Sundays.
• Price: Preschool programs cost $100 per hour; reptile birthday parties cost $325 for the birthday child and up to 12 guests, $15 for each additional guest, plus $1.50 per mile for travel outside the Novato San Rafael area; elementary school, preschool, and home school class visits cost $150 for a 1-hour classroom program or $135 per class for 2 or more class visits on the same day; scout programs cost $150 for a 1-hour program.

Marin Treks was founded in July of 2007 by Brian Campopiano (also known as Mr. C). The founder began a teaching career in Portland, Oregon in 1988 and has taught elementary school, environmental education, and summer day camps for children from pre-K through 8th grade, and has led many backpacking and whitewater raft trips. Marin Treks serves preschool to middle school students in Marin County, San Rafael, and Petaluma, and is described as offering “Exciting, Educational, Award Winning Natural History School Programs & Half Day Camps for children in preschool through high school.” The mission of Marin Treks is “to inspire a lifelong love for the outdoors and a basic understanding of the natural phenomena that drive our planet,” and its guiding philosophy is love and respect for nature and all living creatures. Programs can be designed to match the subject matter a school is currently studying, work best with groups of 10–12 children for 30 minutes per group in preschool settings, and require a teacher to be present for preschool programs. Marin Treks Natural History Museum offers activities featuring reptiles and amphibians, and the founder has a number of student volunteers helping run many programs for children, with references available upon request.

Last updated August 10, 2026.