Screech owl demonstration and Salato

School Field Trips

​A visit to the Salato Wildlife Education Center is both educational and entertaining! It is a great way ​to observe animals and feel connected to Kentucky’s wildlife. Click for more information about directions and bus parking or shelter reservations. Please read over all field trip information BEFORE scheduling. All field trips are currently self-guided only. Feel free to call us with any questions you may have.

Cost

PAYMENT IS DUE UPON ARRIVAL. DO NOT PRE-MAIL CHECKS.​
  1. An invoice with an invoice number will be automatically emailed to you as soon as you schedule.
  2. This should be turned in to your accounting staff as soon as you receive it to allow the time necessary to process it.
  3. We accept cash, checks, and credit card payment.
  4. We cannot accept multiple or split methods of payment for a single invoice. We cannot accept a single method of payment for field trips scheduled on different days.
  5. The state cannot accept a PO as payment.
  6. ​We do not issue refunds for $25 or less.
  • Admission Fees:  Schools are charged the reduced rate of $3 per person, aged 5 to adult, including teachers.  Children aged 4 and under are free.  
  • Hiking trailsfishing lakes and picnic areas remain open free of charge. 
  • Picnic shelters may be reserved for a fee.  More details.

What are your field trip options?

Important Information - Please read carefully

Salato Wildlife Center
  • Chaperones: To ensure an atmosphere conducive to learning, we request that at least one (1) adult chaperone for every ten (10) children in the group.  For safety, teachers and chaperones must stay with the children and be fully attentive during their visit.
  • Clothing: Children should be dressed appropriately for the weather since part of your visit will take place outside. We also recommend sunscreen when needed.
  • Food: Food is NOT permitted in the center or on the exhibit trails. Lunches and coolers cannot be stored inside Salato. Please finish eating before you enter the building or leave food on the bus. Food may be stored in the previously reserved covered shelter(s) located in the picnic area. Salato and the KDFWR are not responsible for any items left unattended. Please be respectful and do not use shelters reserved by others. Reservations are posted daily inside the shelters.
  • Beverages:  Beverages ARE permitted in the Center and the grounds, and 
    encouraged on hot days.  Please ensure that empties are properly disposed of. 
  • Accessibility and Special Needs: All of our outdoor paved pathways are wheelchair and stroller accessible. With advance notice, the Salato Center can provide interpreters for hearing-impaired students. Hiking trails are primitive and not wheelchair or stroller accessible.
  • Be aware:  Salato includes up to 4 miles of primitive hiking trails that can be accessed from both the picnic and exhibit areas. Minors are NOT allowed on the hiking trails without a responsible adult. Please ensure that all chaperones are aware of the trails to prevent the need for a search and rescue event! 

When You Arrive

  • Please be on time!  If you have scheduled a special program, please make every effort to arrive early so we can start at your scheduled time. To save time, large groups (40 or more) may use the restrooms at the nearby picnic shelters in addition to those inside the center. If you arrive late, it may be necessary to adjust your program to fit into the remaining time. We reserve the right to cancel programs for any group which arrives 15-minutes or more late, but you are still welcome to tour the center as a self-guided group. Please call and cancel your reservation if you do not intend to come.

  • Arrival:  Before entering, a teacher should check in at the admissions desk and let us know 1) how many children and 2) how many adults you are paying for. Parents or siblings paying separately should check in on their own upon arrival. If fewer people are with you than initially intended, the school will be issued a refund for the amount overpaid, if it is over $25. We do not issue refunds for $25 or less. Refund checks will be mailed and take approximately three weeks.

Scheduling Your Field Trip

PAYMENT IS DUE UPON ARRIVAL. No purchase orders. Do not pre-mail checks.​

Instructions for Booking a Field Trip: After reviewing all of the field trip options above, you are ready to Schedule Your Field Trip Online. The Visitor Calendar shows availabilities a month at a time. You can change months by clicking on the link at the top of the page. Self-guided group tours may be booked most days when the Center is open. Classroom programs, if available, will appear as an option in the “Arrival Time” dropdown menu. These programs are limited to groups with between 10 and 70 participants. Special events and staffing may impact availability. We recommend booking well in advance to reserve your desired spot.​

You'll be given the opportunity to reserve a picnic shelter at the end of the scheduling processor you may click here to schedule now.

Schedule Your Field Trip
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