What Tree Frog Treks does

Tree Frog Treks is a privately-held LLC founded in 1999 by Chris "Mr. Science" Giorni that operates as a science and outdoor education provider in San Francisco. The company delivers experiential, naturalist-led programming centered on hands-on encounters with nearly 100 rescued reptile, amphibian, and invertebrate ambassadors housed at its Frog Hall vivarium on Mission Street. It serves four primary customer segments: Bay Area families with children ages 4-18 (summer day camps, school-break camps, birthday parties, weekend treks, Kids Play Night), three partner elementary schools (Dolores Huerta, McCoppin, Junipero Serra Annex) for before- and after-school enrichment, teens entering 10th-13th grade through a Counselor-in-Training leadership program, and corporate clients via Adventure Treks team-building events. Operations span five San Francisco park locations — Golden Gate Park, McLaren Park, Christopher Playground, Holly Park, and Francisco Park — with chartered bus or Muni transport for Bay Area field trips.

The company runs a service-only model with no proprietary technology platform; registration flows through Active Network and the website is built on Squarespace. Revenue is generated through multiple session-based pricing tiers: $795/week summer day camps, $151/day school-break camps, $630 birthday parties, $70 first-child Kids Play Night, $300 CIT sessions, $30-$35/day or $2,430-$2,835/semester after-school subscriptions, and custom-quoted corporate Adventure Treks. Branded merchandise (e.g., $25 hats) and a scholarship program allocating 10% of camp proceeds provide additional, smaller revenue and impact channels. Go-to-market is predominantly community- and referral-driven through parent word-of-mouth, Yelp reviews, Facebook and Instagram content, local press (SF Gate, Bay Area Parent, Bay Nature, Mission Local), and direct school-partnership enrollment. The company's strategic moat rests on the animal ambassador collection, 27 years of Bay Area brand equity, and a credentialed naturalist staff; the founder also serves as Board Chairman of nonprofit partner Endangered Species International, which channels tax-deductible donations and scholarship funding.

Name

Tree Frog Treks

Legal name

Tree Frog Treks LLC

Website

https://treefrogtreks.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tree Frog Treks is a privately-held San Francisco outdoor education company founded in 1999 that delivers naturalist-led science and nature camps, after-school enrichment, and corporate team-building events centered on its collection of nearly 100 rescued reptile and amphibian ambassadors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Education and Nature Camp Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Adventure Camps & Summer Programs (THAAAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA), Outdoor / Nature-Based Before/After Care Programs (EDACAHAJ), Educational Adventure Programs (Outdoor Education, Skill Development) (THAAAAAO), Outdoor Recreation & Adventure Programs (Trips, Climbing, Rentals) (EDALAIAG)

Keywords

• Outdoor science education
• Nature day camps
• After-school enrichment
• Animal ambassador programs
• Wildlife education services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Summer Camp Programs: Full-day and half-day summer camp programs for children ages 4-18, operating in 5 San Francisco parks. Camps feature weekly themes, animal encounters, nature exploration, and science activities. Revenue generated through session-based registration fees.
2. Corporate Adventure Treks: Team-building experiences for corporate clients including nature hikes, animal ambassador encounters, digital nature photography, and lunch break programs. Customized events for 10-30 employees at company locations.
3. Birthday Parties: Outdoor nature-themed birthday parties featuring animal encounters (Rockin' Reptiles & Amphibians) or nature exploration walks. Two-hour programming at $630 per party in San Francisco parks.
4. Kids Play Night: Monthly evening childcare program (5PM-9PM) at Frog Hall headquarters featuring animal time, activities, movies, and dinner. Priced at $70 for first child, $55 for each additional sibling.
5. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including hats ($25 each) and potentially other TFT-branded items. Proceeds support animal care and scholarships.
6. School Break Camps: Single-day and week-long camp programs during school holidays (winter, spring) at $151 per day, serving Pre-K through 5th grade.
7. Counselor-in-Training (CIT) Program: Teen leadership development program for students entering 10th-13th grade, with $300 registration fee per session. Program develops future camp staff through hands-on training alongside naturalists.
8. After & In-School Enrichment: Before and after-school enrichment programs at partnered elementary schools, including at McCoppin Elementary ($30/day), Junipero Serra Annex, and Dolores Huerta Elementary ($35/day). Programs include nature exploration, science activities, and animal encounters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Tree Frog Treks runs outdoor science and nature education programs for children ages 4–18 across 5 San Francisco parks. Core offerings include full-day summer day camps, school break camps, after-school and in-school enrichment at partner elementary schools, the teen Counselor-in-Training leadership program, birthday parties, Kids Play Night, and corporate team-building Adventure Treks. Programs are led by trained naturalists and built around nearly 100 rescued animal ambassadors used for hands-on science encounters.

Product overview

Tree Frog Treks is a science and outdoor education company founded in 1999, operating a diverse portfolio of nature-based programs centered around its 'Wild Science' methodology. The core offering includes award-winning Summer Day Camps at multiple San Francisco park locations (Golden Gate Park, McLaren Park, Christopher Playground, Holly Park, Francisco Park) for ages 5-11, plus the Green Teen Machine Camp for middle schoolers. Supporting programs include After & In-School Enrichment at partner schools (Dolores Huerta, McCoppin, Junipero Serra Annex), the Counselor-in-Training leadership program, Birthday Parties, Kids Play Night, School Break Camps, Mini Custom Camps, and Weekend Treks. A flagship component is the Animal Ambassadors Program featuring nearly 100 rescued reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates used across all programming. Additional offerings include corporate Adventure Treks team-building experiences and a Scholarship Program allocating 10% of proceeds to financial assistance. The company partners with Endangered Species International for conservation education and accepts donations through both TFT and ESI channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Day Camps Award-winning full-day outdoor science and nature day camps for ages 4–11 (Pre-K through 5th grade), held at 5 San Francisco parks (Golden Gate Park, McLaren Park, Christopher Playground, Holly Park, Francisco Park). Sessions run 9 AM to 5 PM with weekly themes, science experiments, hikes, and live animal encounters led by trained naturalists.
• Green Teen Machine Camp Full-day nature adventure camp for tweens/teens entering 6th–9th grade, exploring coastal ecosystems, tide pools, beaches, bays, and estuaries throughout the greater Bay Area. Includes oceanography, land stewardship, water safety, VIP access to animal ambassadors, and citizen science contributions via iNaturalist.
• After & In-School Enrichment Programs Science and nature enrichment delivered in schools and after school hours, featuring hands-on experiments, live rescued reptiles and amphibians, outdoor adventures, and customizable sessions for Pre-K through High School.
• Dolores Huerta Elementary Afterschool Program After-school enrichment at Dolores Huerta Elementary for K–5th graders, scheduled to run August–December 2026, with outdoor exploration, nature-based learning, and weekly themes. Students are picked up from school and transported to local parks.
• McCoppin Elementary Before & Afterschool Program Before and after-school enrichment at McCoppin Elementary for TK–5th graders, with morning drop-off at Golden Gate Park and afternoon sessions ending at Blue Playground in Golden Gate Park.
• Junipero Serra Annex Before Care Before-school program for TK students at Junipero Serra Annex, with drop-off at Holly Park and walk to school, featuring nature exploration and science activities.
• Counselor-in-Training (CIT) Program Leadership development program for high school students entering 10th–13th grade, providing hands-on experience working alongside naturalists, animal handling, and teaching skills for future outdoor education careers. 9-week summer program with mandatory training sessions.
• Adventure Treks Corporate team-building and nature adventure experiences for businesses, including nature hikes (10–25 people, 2–3 hours), animal ambassador visits (10–30 people, 1–2 hours), digital nature photography workshops, and midday 'Nature at Noon' breaks (10–20 people, 1–2 hours). Custom-quoted per event.
• Birthday Parties Outdoor nature-themed birthday parties featuring live reptile and amphibian encounters (Rockin' Reptiles & Amphibians theme) or nature exploration walks, with naturalist-led two-hour programming at San Francisco parks.
• Kids Play Night Monthly Saturday evening drop-off program at Frog Hall (3835 Mission St, SF) from 5 PM to 9 PM for children ages 4+, featuring animal time, activities, movies, and dinner. Priced at $70 for the first child and $55 for each additional sibling.
• School Break Camps Single-day and week-long camp programs during school holidays (MLK Jr Day, Presidents Day, Lunar New Year, Spring Recess, winter break) for Pre-K through 5th graders (ages 4+), exploring San Francisco parks with naturalists at $151 per day.
• Endless Summer Camp Late-summer camp session running August 17–28, exploring San Francisco's ecological gems, focusing on connections between ecosystems and society, with visits to animal ambassadors. Priced at $795/week.
• Mini Custom Camps Customized mini camps designed for school in-service days, conference days, and special holidays, tailored to specific school schedules and needs.
• Weekend Trek Camps Weekend day camps starting at Frog Hall (3835 Mission St, SF) with animal ambassador visits, followed by outdoor adventures. Includes a fundraising component for community causes.
• TFT Merchandise Branded merchandise including baseball caps and beanies priced at $25 each, available in-office at Frog Hall and at camp locations while supplies last. Proceeds support animal care and scholarships.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10% of camp proceeds allocated to scholarship program supporting financial accessibility
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Endangered Species International (ESI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEndangered Species International is Tree Frog Treks' non-profit partner for environmental education and conservation. ESI accepts tax-deductible donations on behalf of Tree Frog Treks, with funds supporting environmental education programs and camper scholarships. Tree Frog Treks founder Chris Giorni serves as chairman of the Board for Endangered Species International, indicating a close strategic alignment.
• Zubin Arora FoundationsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerNon-profit foundation that sponsored 10 full scholarships for Summer 2024 Tree Frog Treks campers. The foundation focuses on children's education, safety, health, and wellbeing, and was created in memory of Zubin who loved camps and the outdoors.
• Action for NatureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner organization alongside ESI in Tree Frog Treks' 'proudly partnered with' section. Organization focused on encouraging young people to take action for the environment.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Audubon Society (Golden Gate Audubon): Golden Gate Audubon Society provides nature education programs, school programs, and community events focused on birds and ecosystems in the Bay Area. Comparable as a regional nature-education partner/competitor for school and family audiences in SF.

Emerging players

• Tinkergarten: Tinkergarten runs outdoor nature play and learning programs for young children in parks nationwide with a hybrid online+in-person model. Comparable on outdoor nature-based early childhood education in public parks, but at younger ages and broader national reach.

Direct peers

• Naturalists at Large: Naturalists at Large provides residential outdoor science schools and field-trip programs across California for K-12 schools, with naturalist-led experiential learning. Comparable on target customer (schools and youth), hands-on outdoor science curriculum, and California geography.
• Trackers Earth: Trackers Earth operates nature-based summer camps, after-school programs, and wilderness education in the Bay Area and Portland. Directly comparable on outdoor education for kids, Bay Area presence, and multi-program portfolio including camps and enrichment.
• Avid4 Adventure: Avid4 Adventure runs outdoor adventure day camps for kids ages 4-17 in California and Colorado, with multi-activity nature programming similar to Tree Frog Treks. Directly comparable on product category (kids outdoor camps), age segments, and experiential learning model.

Regional players

• California Academy of Sciences: California Academy of Sciences is a major SF natural history institution offering youth programs, sleepovers, and nature education, and is also a Tree Frog Treks partner/customer for animal ambassador events. Comparable on nature education for kids in the same geography, with broader institutional scope.
• Randall Museum: San Francisco's Randall Museum offers free nature and science programs for children including animal encounters and Bug Day events where Tree Frog Treks has appeared. Comparable on nature-based children's programming in the same SF geography, but operates as a free public alternative.
• CuriOdyssey: CuriOdyssey (formerly Coyote Point Museum) is a Bay Area wildlife and science education center offering animal encounters, camps, and youth programs. Comparable on hands-on nature education with live animals, summer camps, and family programming in Northern California.

Broad incumbents

• Outward Bound California: Outward Bound California runs outdoor adventure and education programs for youth including expeditions, summer programs, and school partnerships. Comparable on outdoor experiential education for youth with conservation/mission alignment, though more expedition-oriented than day-camp focused.
• San Francisco Zoo: San Francisco Zoo is a major regional zoo offering camps, education programs, and animal encounters for children and families. Comparable on animal-based educational programming in the same SF market, but operates at much larger institutional scale with broader offerings.

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/treefrogtreks
• Instagraminstagram.com/treefrogtreks
• Xx.com/Tree_Frog_Treks

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tree Frog Treks