The overall goal of the Huddart Park Nature Hikes Program is to provide experiential, science-driven and standards-based outdoor educational learning opportunities for youth, aligning with classroom science curriculum, enhancing student academic achievement in science, and providing transformational experiences that help develop students’ interest in nature and stewardship. Experiential nature-based learning is a powerful way to increase youth academic achievement in science and aligns with the latest research about how to improve science education. Working as a partner with the San Mateo County Office of Education, we aligned our program with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and we emphasize giving students experiential opportunities to conduct scientific inquiry firsthand. Using phenomena-based inquiry, naturalists guide students to make observations in nature—such as woodrat nests or decaying logs—and work collectively to understand the concepts presented by the phenomena.