Walking Mountains Science Center

Environmental Education Serviceswalkingmountains.org

Walking Mountains Science Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1998 in Avon, Colorado that delivers environmental education, outdoor programming, and sustainability services to Eagle County families, students, businesses, and donors across four campuses.

Company typePrivate
Founded1998
HeadquartersAvon, United States
Headcount11–50
GTM typeB2B and B2C
OfferingServices

What Walking Mountains Science Center does

Walking Mountains Science Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental education organization founded in 1998 and headquartered in Avon, Colorado, that delivers natural science programming, outdoor recreation, and community sustainability services across Eagle County and adjacent Pitkin and Garfield Counties. The organization operates four physical campuses — Avon Tang Campus, the Nature Discovery Center on Vail Mountain, the Sweetwater Campus near Dotsero, and the Vail Nature Center (temporarily closed for Summer 2026 site improvements) — offering free and paid programming ranging from K-12 school science curricula, summer science camps, naturalist-guided hikes, and backcountry trips to EarthKeepers family sessions and adult workshops. Beyond direct education, the organization runs a substantive sustainability services portfolio: the Actively Green Sustainable Business Certification, Zero Waste Events management, the Eagle County Waste Wizard mobile app, residential and commercial energy-efficiency programs delivered in partnership with Energy Smart Colorado, Holy Cross Energy, and NWCCOG, radon testing and mitigation resources, and the ReEnergize Eagle County income-qualified program.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid nonprofit model combining individual donations (eight annual giving tiers from $100 to $25,000), foundation and corporate grants, corporate sponsorships, government program funding, and modest program fees ($5–$80 per participant for most paid programs). The organization maintains a Charity Navigator four-star rating, a GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency, a Colorado Leader Certification, and a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence, and operates under special use permits from the White River National Forest and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Its customer base spans families, adults, K-12 students, Eagle County businesses, and donors, with no disclosed parent company, institutional investors, or M&A activity.

Walking Mountains Science Center firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Walking Mountains Science Center
Legal name: Walking Mountains Science Center
Website: https://walkingmountains.org
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1998
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 11–50 employees
Short description: Walking Mountains Science Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1998 in Avon, Colorado that delivers environmental education, outdoor programming, and sustainability services to Eagle County families, students, businesses, and donors across four campuses.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Walking Mountains Science Center industry classification

Industry

Product category: Environmental Education Services
NAICS: Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)
SIC: Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
akta.pro primary industry: Science Camps & Field Programs (Nature, Space, Marine, Geology) (EDAMABAB)
akta.pro secondary industries: Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA), STEM & Science Camps (Biology, Chemistry, Space, Lab Science) (EDAMALAC), Youth Adventure Camps & Summer Programs (THAAAOAB)

Keywords

Environmental education
Nature-based programs
Sustainability consulting
Summer science camps
Energy efficiency programs

Where Walking Mountains Science Center is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Avon
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

Walking Mountains Science Center business model

Business model

GTM type: B2B and B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

Donations and Fundraising: The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that relies heavily on donations from individuals, corporate partners, and foundation grants. They host an annual fundraising gala called 'A Taste of Nature' and maintain donor giving levels ranging from $100 to $25,000 annually with various benefits.
Program Fees: Revenue generated from paid programs including backcountry hikes ($30-$80 per person), EarthKeepers programs ($5), and other educational programming. Some programs are offered free of charge.
Grants and Corporate Partners: Grant funding from public and family foundations, corporations, and federal, state, and local government agencies. Corporate partner support and sponsorship programs.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Subscription	Annual	Donor giving levels from Supporters ($100) to Stewards ($25,000)
Unit Pricing	Pay-as-you-go	Backcountry Hikes - Full day guided hikes ranging $30-$80
Unit Pricing	Pay-as-you-go	EarthKeepers program - $5 per session
Freemium	Pay-as-you-go	Free programs - Nature walks, bird walks, easy hikes

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Walking Mountains Science Center product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Walking Mountains Science Center delivers environmental and science education programs (school programs, summer youth science camps, naturalist-guided tours, backcountry hikes, kids & family programs) and sustainability services (Actively Green business certification, energy efficiency programs, zero waste events, radon testing, recycling tours) across four Eagle County, Colorado campuses. Operations are funded by program fees, donations, grants, and corporate sponsorships.

Product overview

Walking Mountains Science Center is a nonprofit environmental education organization offering a diverse portfolio of programs and facilities across Eagle County, Colorado. The organization operates four physical campuses (Avon Tang Campus, Nature Discovery Center at Vail Mountain, Sweetwater Campus, and Vail Nature Center) providing educational experiences ranging from free nature walks and guided hikes to backcountry adventures and summer science camps. In addition to direct programming, the organization manages an extensive sustainability division offering the Actively Green sustainable business certification, commercial and residential energy efficiency programs, zero waste event services, free community recycling tours, and the Eagle County Waste Wizard mobile application. The center's education mission spans youth and family programs, school-based K-12 science education, and adult community programs, all centered on natural science education and environmental stewardship.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

Precourt Mountain Discovery Center: Visitor center at the Avon Tang Campus featuring interactive exhibits, group learning areas, and a gift shop with sustainable design elements.
Borgen Precourt Center for Sustainability
Actively Green
Eagle County Waste Wizard

Products and services

Kids & Family Programs

Quantifiable outcome

24.2% waste diversion rate achieved in Eagle County in 2024
+1 more outcomes

Companies that use Walking Mountains Science Center

Customer profile

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Walking Mountains Science Center technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Walking Mountains Science Center partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

Eagle CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEagle County is a key community partner supporting Walking Mountains' energy efficiency and sustainability programs. The county works with Walking Mountains on residential and commercial energy programs, ReEnergize Eagle County initiatives, and climate action collaborative efforts across Eagle, Pitkin, and Garfield Counties.
Energy Smart ColoradocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy Smart Colorado partnership provides residential and commercial energy efficiency assessments and programs. Walking Mountains serves as a local hub for Energy Smart Colorado services in Eagle County, offering home energy assessments and efficiency upgrades.
Holy Cross EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHoly Cross Energy partners with Walking Mountains to support energy efficiency and electrification programs in Eagle County. Provides rebates and incentives for residential and commercial customers participating in energy efficiency initiatives.
Northwest Colorado Council of GovernmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partnership supporting energy efficiency programs and climate action initiatives. NWCCOG works with Walking Mountains on building efficiency and sustainability programs across northwest Colorado communities.
Town of VailmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTown of Vail partners with Walking Mountains on sustainability initiatives, climate action, and environmental education. The Vail Nature Center site improvements are being undertaken by the Town of Vail in collaboration with Walking Mountains.
Town of AvonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTown of Avon partners on sustainability and environmental education programs. The Avon Tang Campus is located within the Town of Avon boundaries and serves as a key educational facility.
Vail Valley PartnershipmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional destination marketing and business development organization partnering on sustainable tourism and business sustainability initiatives in Eagle County.
Sustainable Travel InternationalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational sustainable tourism organization partnering on sustainable travel initiatives and certification programs for Eagle County tourism businesses.
White River National ForestcoreOthersWalking Mountains operates under a special use permit from the White River National Forest. All or part of operations are conducted on Public Lands under special permit from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
U.S. Bureau of Land ManagementcoreOthersSpecial use permit from BLM for operations on public lands. Combined with White River National Forest permit, this allows Walking Mountains to conduct educational programs on public lands.
Town of EagleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal municipality partner for sustainability and energy efficiency programs serving Eagle residents and businesses.
Town of MinturnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal municipality partner for community sustainability and environmental education programs.
Edwards (Unincorporated Community)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEdwards community partner for recycling drop-off sites and sustainability programming.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Walking Mountains Science Center competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

Catamount Institute: Colorado Springs-area nonprofit providing school-based environmental education, summer camps, and naturalist programming — overlapping mission, customer base (K-12 schools and families), and curriculum-aligned outdoor programming.
Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES): Long-standing Colorado mountain environmental education nonprofit offering school programs, summer camps, naturalist tours, and sustainability initiatives — a near-identical operating model to Walking Mountains in a comparable resort community.
Rocky Mountain Conservancy: Nonprofit partner of Rocky Mountain National Park delivering education programs, youth camps, and field seminars — directly comparable outdoor/environmental science education mission with NPS permit structure.
Keystone Science School: Colorado-based nonprofit delivering overnight summer science camps, K-12 field programs, and outdoor education directly competing for the same family and school audience as Walking Mountains' summer science camps.

Emerging players

Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics: National nonprofit providing outdoor ethics training, educator resources, and youth programming that overlaps Walking Mountains' backcountry and youth education offerings.

Peers

National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF):

Broad incumbents

Yellowstone Forever: National park-embedded nonprofit delivering field-based science education, summer camps, and naturalist programs — similar pedagogical model anchored in natural setting and operating under federal permits.
Denver Museum of Nature & Science: Large regional science institution offering school programs, camps, and nature education with broader scope and scale; competes for the same donor and school district engagement across Colorado.

Regional players

Vail Resorts - Epic Discovery: Operates on-mountain nature and adventure programming at Vail Mountain itself, including at the gondola-accessible Nature Discovery Center; partial overlap with Walking Mountains' guided hikes and interpretive exhibits on Vail Mountain.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Walking Mountains Science Center financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Walking Mountains Science Center leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Walking Mountains Science Center funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

Walking Mountains Science Center M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Walking Mountains Science Center

What does Walking Mountains Science Center do?

Is Walking Mountains Science Center a public or private company?

Walking Mountains Science Center is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was Walking Mountains Science Center founded?

Walking Mountains Science Center was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.

Where is Walking Mountains Science Center based?

Walking Mountains Science Center is headquartered in Avon, United States, in the North America region.

How does Walking Mountains Science Center make money?

Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are program Fees and grants and Corporate Partners.

Who are Walking Mountains Science Center's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are Catamount Institute, Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES), Rocky Mountain Conservancy and Keystone Science School. Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics is listed as an emerging player. National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) is listed as a peer. Broad incumbents are Yellowstone Forever and Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Vail Resorts - Epic Discovery is listed as a regional player.

Does Walking Mountains Science Center have an API?

No public API is recorded for Walking Mountains Science Center.

What industry is Walking Mountains Science Center in?

Walking Mountains Science Center's product category is Environmental Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMABAB, Science Camps & Field Programs (Nature, Space, Marine, Geology), with a secondary code of THAAAOAA, Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning). Its NAICS code is 61162 and its SIC code is 8200.