homeschool, small class, &
non-school youth groups
Homeschool, small class, camps, and non-school youth groups
In-Depth Exploration | Things to know and requirements
Chaperone Requirements & Expectations
Please download this Chaperone Expectation Sheet to distribute to your chaperones.
Chaperone Ratio Requirements:
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Homeschool (all grades): 1 adult per 5 students
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Grades K-6: 1 adult per 5 students
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Grades 7-12: 1 adult per 10 students
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All youth under 16 must always be with an adult.
Chaperone Role and Expectations:
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Actively supervise and engage with students, especially in the exhibit hall using provided and required scavenger hunt booklets.
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Help us with maintaining safety and a positive experience for visitors by respecting our occupancy limits in areas such as the lookout tower and theater.
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Use outdoor paths (instead of the exhibit hall) when traveling from the lobby/bathrooms to other areas.
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Keep doorways, access points, and the lobby/bathrooms clear for all visitors.
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Chaperones are responsible for their group’s behavior and maintaining focus in the exhibit hall with the provided booklets.
Teacher/Group Leader Requirements
Please download this Chaperone Expectation Sheet to distribute to your chaperones
Chaperone Ratio Requirements:
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Homeschool (all grades): 1 adult per 5 students
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Grades K-6: 1 adult per 5 students
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Grades 7-12: 1 adult per 10 students
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All youth under 16 must always be with an adult.
Booking, Payment & Cancellations
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Visits must be booked at least 7 days in advance. All available dates and times are shown on the online booking page.
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The facility use fee (including just quick bathroom stops) is $5/person for individuals ages 3+. There is no fee for children 2 and under. Payment is due at time of booking with a credit card.
For homeschool groups and small classes only:
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Bus drivers from the school district or bus company are complimentary (does not apply to private vehicles or non-school youth groups).
Complimentary Adults (does not apply to non-school youth groups):
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Homeschool (all grades): 1 adult per 5 students
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Grades K-5: 1 adult per 5 students
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Grades 7-12: 1 adult per 10 students
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Extra individuals on the day of the visit must be paid upon arrival, in one transaction.
Cancellation Policy:
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30+ days before visit: refundable minus $50 administration fee.
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Less than 30 days before visit: no refunds given.
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No refunds for no-shows or scheduled individuals who do not attend.
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While rare, the Tillamook Forest Center reserves the right to cancel your visit for any reason (most likely: extreme weather or power outages). Every attempt to re-book your group will be made. A full refund will be given if no alterative date can be found.
Food & Beverages | Lunch Locations
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Please remember that food and drinks are not allowed in the exhibit hall, theater or lookout tower.
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Due to our remote location, we ask all groups to practice Leave No Trace ethics and pack out all lunch waste and take it with them. Please bring a trash bag.
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There may be a small selection of snacks available in the gift shop.
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The Tillamook Forest Center does not have space to store coolers. Clean, sealed coolers may be transported through the exhibit hall. Dirty, sticky, or leaking coolers are not permitted in the building.
Lunch Locations:
Picnic Area Next to the Parking Lot (occupancy = 59)
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The uncovered picnic area is located at the south end of the parking lot and offers one ADA table that seats nine, and five tables that seat ten. Use of this area is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Bus shelter/Gathering Area (occupancy = 33)
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This covered area provides a rock wall for seating.
Wilson River Suspension Bridge (occupancy = 16)
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Depending on the season, the bridge deck near the north end of the building offers four metal tables with four chairs each and shade umbrellas in the sunny months. This area requires access to the building and bridge is maintained for pedestrian traffic. Use of this area is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Smith Homestead (occupancy = 20 - 30)
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The grassy area around the Smith Homestead can be used for a picnic lunch. There are two picnic tables in the grassy area, some in the island in the middle of the parking lot, and spots to eat along the trail. Please note that the learning shelter, concreate pad, and gravel area are reservable. Use of the other areas is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Availability & Overview
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In-Depth Explorations include a warm welcome and site orientation to help you get the most out of your visit. Then, your group explores the Center, lookout tower, and trails without a guide.
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Important: Scavenger hunt booklets will be provided and are required to be used while exploring the Exhibit Hall.
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There are two options for an In-Depth Exploration:
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Homeschool groups and small classes with less than 30 students.
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Non-school youth groups with up to 60 participants, including adults.
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If you are a K-12 school with 30 or more students, please book a Guided Field Trip.
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All available dates and times are shown on the online booking page.
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Groups larger than 25 will be asked to split into smaller groups to explore the exhibit hall.
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Groups of more than 60 are considered on a case-by-case visit, please email us for more information.
In-Depth Exploration Facilities
The Tillamook Forest Center was designed with learning in mind! In-Depth Explorations visit our exhibit hall with provided and required scavenger hunts, the fire lookout tower, trails, and can view the Legacy of Fire Movie in the Burn Theatre. Please note, the Education Pavilion is only available for Guided Field Trips. For detailed information about field trip facilities, please view the PDF below.
Tillamook Forest Center Facilities
Important Trail Information:
On-site
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Regardless of the weather, the forest is where the magic is! The TFC’s River View Trail and Lookout Loop trail are ADA accessible, and we encourage you to explore them with your group.
Restrictions across the bridge and the Wilson River Trail
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Students may spend time on the scenic suspension bridge. However, students are not allowed to cross the bridge or hike the Wilson River Trail.
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The Wilson River Trail, Smith Homestead Day Use Area, Jones Creek Campground and trails, and other sites in the forest are maintained by correctional adults in custody from South Fork Prison Camp. For this reason, we ask groups to stay on the TFC side of the bridge.
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