The Clifton Institute

Open-access Day for Friends of the Clifton Institute
2025-02-01 08:00 - 16:00, 2025-01-28 09:00 - 16:00, 2025-01-25 08:00 - 16:00, 2025-01-21 09:00 - 16:00, 2025-01-18 08:00 - 16:00, 2025-01-14 09:00 - 16:00, 2025-01-11 08:00 - 16:00, 2025-01-07 09:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) and 1 more date | The Clifton Institute, 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA, 20187, United States
We invite Friends of the Clifton Institute to come explore the field station on their own every Saturday from mid-January to mid-October. You can become a Friend of Clifton with a minimum annual donation of $40. Your support will help us reach our goals of expanding and improving our education, restoration, and research programs this year. Thank you!
Before attending an open-access day, please read the information included on our liability release form (click here). As you walk our trails, you can help us take care of the field station by keeping your eyes and ears open to help us learn about the ecosystem we’re a part of and by enjoying and respecting the plants and animals that live here.

A trail map is available here. Please note that some trails are in the process of being built and many are not marked. Navigation skills and a GPS are recommended. Please stay on the trails, use common sense, and proceed at your own risk.
The farmhouse is closed to all visitors at this time. There are port-a-potties available in both parking lots.
We reserve the right to deny access to our property to anyone who does not obey the rules posted below or is otherwise disruptive to our field station operations.

On open-access days, you may park either at the lower parking area (“the Gap”) or at the farm house.
All children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
You are welcome to bring your family with you on open-access days. One or two visitors are acceptable as well, but if this starts to be abused we reserve the right to limit the benefit to family members.
No dogs are permitted.
Leave no trace. We expect you to take all litter with you. It would be even better if you helped us pick up any litter you find! We do not have trash collection facilities.
Take nothing but photographs. We use our trails to teach kids about the environment and their experiences are much richer if there are still feathers and bones and everything else for them to look at.
No swimming, fishing, boating, or any other entry in the ponds.
No alcohol is permitted.
No horses, bicycles, automobiles, ATVs, or any other vehicles are allowed on the trails.
No hunting is permitted.

Bird Walk
2025-01-25 08:30 - 10:30, 2025-01-15 08:00 - 10:00, 2024-12-12 08:00 - 10:00, 2024-11-13 08:00 - 10:00 | The Clifton Institute, 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA, 20187, United States
Join us for a bird walk around the field station! Led by an expert birder. All levels welcome!
Cost: Free!
Age: Adults and children ages 12 and up, accompanied by an adult.
Weather policy: Date and time subject to change dependent on weather. Please check your email for updates on the morning of the event.
COVID-19 Information: This program will be entirely outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not attend if you are experiencing or have experienced in the last two weeks any symptoms associated with COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc.).
Registration is REQUIRED.
Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can open your spot to someone else.
By registering for this event, you are affirming that you have read and agree to our liability release policy.
We look forward to seeing you at the Clifton Institute!

Nature Club
2025-01-11 13:00 - 15:30, 2024-12-14 13:00 - 15:30, 2024-11-09 13:00 - 15:30 | The Clifton Institute, 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA, 20187, United States
Nature Club is a program where middle and high school students who are interested in the natural world can spend time in a nerd-friendly environment. If they like bones, insects, tools, plants, fungi, research, or simply to be outdoors, then they have found their people.
The club meets on the second Saturday of every month throughout the school year. In the 2024-25 year, we will be focusing on the three tenants of our work at Clifton: Research, Restoration, and Education. Members will help various Clifton staff with what they do around the field station–propagating plants, building structures, removing invasive species, studying turtles and kestrels, and making educational materials. There will be a chance for students to share their work with the families at the final gathering in May!
Nature Club meets from 1-3:30 PM on the following dates: September 14, October 12, November 9, December 14, January 11, February 8, March 8, April 12, May 10.
Scholarship Opportunity: We have 5 full merit-based scholarships available. To apply, please fill out our Scholarship Application Google Form by September 5th, 2024. Wait to register until you have heard back from Bridget (she will register you so you will not have to pay the program fee). If you have any questions, please email Bridget Bradshaw (bbradshaw@cliftoninstitute.org)
Registration Notes: *If you are purchasing tickets for multiple students, please write all of their names together in the same box, i.e. “Sam, Martie, and Alex Bradshaw” when registering. The form does not give you separate spaces to enter different names for each ticket.*
Cost: $125 per student ($100 for Friends of the Clifton Institute)
Age: Youth grades 7-12; this program is drop off only.
Bring: Please bring a water bottle and snack.
Weather policy: Rain or shine except in case of extreme weather (e.g. thunderstorm or significant snowfall).
Registration is REQUIRED.
Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this series, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can open your spot to someone else. No refunds will be given upon registrant cancellation within 1 month of the program’s start date. No refunds will be given for any missed programs. By registering for this event, you are affirming that you have read and agree to our liability release policy.
We look forward to seeing you at the Clifton Institute!

Volunteer Day: Native Habitat Restoration
2025-01-11 09:00 - 12:00, 2024-12-14 09:00 - 12:00, 2024-12-07 09:00 - 12:00 | The Clifton Institute, 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA, 20187, United States
Come help us make the field station habitat the best it can be! Led by Habitat Specialist Andrew Eberly. All levels of experience welcome. May involve clearing invasive plants, light trail maintenance, or planting, please contact aeberly@cliftoninstitute.org with any concerns.
Cost: Free!
Age: Adults and children ages 12 and up, accompanied by an adult.
Bring: Please bring clothing appropriate for the weather, gloves and/or small garden tools if desired.
Weather policy: Date subject to change depending on weather. Please check your email for updates.
COVID-19 Information: This program will be entirely outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not attend if you are experiencing or have experienced in the last two weeks any symptoms associated with COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc.).
Registration is REQUIRED.
Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can open your spot to someone else.
By registering for this event, you are affirming that you have read and agree to our liability release policy.
We look forward to seeing you at the Clifton Institute!

Piedmont Polliwogs
2025-01-09 10:00 - 11:30, 2024-12-12 10:00 - 11:30, 2024-11-14 10:00 - 11:30 | 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA, 20187, United States
Piedmont Polliwogs is a monthly program for pre-K children that includes a lesson on a different topic every month, story time and short nature walk. Students get to know each other, grow their independence, and gain confidence in the outdoors with our skilled instructors.
The 9-month series will take place on the second Thursday of each month from 10 to 11:30 on the following dates: September 12, October 10, November 14, December 12, January 9, February 13, March 13, April 10, May 8.
We understand that you may have children outside the 2-5-year-old range that need to come along with you to Polliwogs. You are welcome to keep them with you or for them to entertain themselves during the class. It is also fine with us if slightly older children participate.
When you register below, please register and pay for the number of children you expect to participate in the class each month.
Registration Notes: *If you are purchasing tickets for multiple students, please write all of their names together in the same box, i.e. “Sam, Martie, and Alex Bradshaw” when registering. The form does not give you separate spaces to enter different names for each ticket.*
Cost: $90 per child ($75 for Friends of the Clifton Institute)
Age: Children ages 2-5, accompanied by a caregiver
Bring: Please bring a snack and drink. There will be a snack break.
Weather policy: Rain or shine except in case of extreme weather (e.g. thunderstorm or significant snow fall).
Registration is REQUIRED.
Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this series, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can open your spot to someone else. No refunds will be given upon registrant cancellation within 1 month of the program’s start date. No refunds will be given for any missed programs. By registering for this event, you are affirming that you have read and agree to our liability release policy.
We look forward to seeing you at the Clifton Institute!

All-day Walk with a Naturalist
2025-01-04 10:00 - 16:00 | The Clifton Institute, 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA, 20187, United States
Our monthly Walks with a Naturalist are a chance to explore our trails with one of our staff naturalists and learn about the plants and animals that live on the field station. In January we offer a special all-day (or at least most-of-the-day) walk to start the new year off right with a day outdoors and a good time with our community of nature lovers. We expect to walk about 5 miles on varied terrain, some of which is steep, but we’ll go slow as we look for plants and animals! Please bring a lunch and / or snacks to eat on the trail and dress for the weather.
Cost: Free!
Age: Adults and children accompanied by an adult.
Weather policy: Date and time subject to change dependent on weather. Please check your email for updates on the morning of the event.
COVID-19 Information: This program will be entirely outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not attend if you are experiencing or have experienced in the last two weeks any symptoms associated with COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc.).
Registration is REQUIRED.
Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can open your spot to someone else.
By registering for this event, you are affirming that you have read and agree to our liability release policy.
We look forward to seeing you at the Clifton Institute!

25th The Plains/Airlie Christmas Bird Count
2024-12-15 08:00 - 17:00 | The Clifton Institute, 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA, 20187, United States
Join us for the 25th Annual The Plains/Airlie Christmas Bird Count this December! Our goal? Count as many birds as we can in our 15-mile-diameter count circle, which includes a variety of habitats–grasslands, forests, lakes, backyards, and even parking lots. There’s always a chance for Short-eared Owl and American Tree Sparrow, and counters get to explore parts of Fauquier county that they might not normally see. Most importantly, we will be contributing to an international community science project reaching back over 120 years which informs bird conservation in North America.
This event is for birders of any experience level. Participating in the Christmas Bird Count is a great way to learn about the winter birds of Virginia and get to know other birdwatchers in the area. In order to cover the entire circle we split into 9 teams. Each team is led by an experienced birder. If you are interested in leading a team, please email Bridget Bradshaw (bbradshaw@cliftoninstitute.org). Depending on the team, you may spend the day walking, driving, or both in order to cover your area. At the end of the day, teams are invited back to the peach farmhouse at Clifton for hot chili, cornbread, and drinks for our tally rally! This is where we have a chance to all get together, count up the birds from the day, and swap stories.
*Please note: Depending on which team you are assigned, you may NOT be meeting at the Clifton Institute in the morning. Team leaders will tell you when and where to meet at the start of the day, which is typically around sunrise.
Cost: Free!
Age: All ages welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Bring: Please bring binoculars if available.
Weather policy: Rain or shine except in case of extreme weather (e.g. thunderstorm or significant snow fall).
Registration is REQUIRED.
Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can open your spot to someone else.
By registering for this event, you are affirming that you have read and agree to our liability release policy. We look forward to seeing you at the Clifton Institute!

Grass Identification Workshop
2024-11-23 10:00 - 12:00 | The Clifton Institute, 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA, 20187, United States
Grasses have a reputation for being really challenging to identify, but with a little practice and expert guidance it’s not too hard to learn to recognize the most common grasses in our fields. In this workshop we will give a brief introduction to biology and identification of common grass species. Then we’ll walk a loop that’s about a mile long to various fields where we can practice our grass identification skills. Grasses are so beautiful at this time of year and we’re excited to explore our grasslands with you!
Cost:
Children 18 and under – Free
Adults – $15 ($10 for Friends of Clifton.) All proceeds from our programs go directly to funding our education programs, restoration work, and research projects. Thank you for your support!
Age: Adults and children accompanied by an adult.
Weather policy: Date and time subject to change dependent on weather. Please check your email for updates on the morning of the event.
COVID-19 Information: This program will be partially indoors, partially outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not attend if you are experiencing or have experienced in the last two weeks any symptoms associated with COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc.)
Registration is REQUIRED.
Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can open your spot to someone else. Refunds not given for participant cancellation. Refunds will be given if Clifton cancels.
By registering for this event, you are affirming that you have read and agree to our liability release policy.
We look forward to seeing you at the Clifton Institute!

Walk with a Naturalist
2024-11-16 13:00 - 15:00 | The Clifton Institute, 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA, 20187, United States
Join us for a walk on our trails with one our naturalists.
Cost: Free!
Age: Adults and children accompanied by an adult.
Weather policy: Date and time subject to change dependent on weather. Please check your email for updates on the morning of the event.
COVID-19 Information: This program will be entirely outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not attend if you are experiencing or have experienced in the last two weeks any symptoms associated with COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc.).
Registration is REQUIRED.
Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can open your spot to someone else.
By registering for this event, you are affirming that you have read and agree to our liability release policy.
We look forward to seeing you at the Clifton Institute!

Volunteer Day: Invasive Management
2024-11-16 09:00 - 12:00 | The Clifton Institute, 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA, 20187, United States
Invasive plant species crowd out native plants and provide little to no food for native animals. Come help us remove them to make the field station habitat the best it can be! Led by Habitat Specialist Andrew Eberly. All levels of experience welcome.
Cost: Free!
Age: Adults and children ages 12 and up, accompanied by an adult.
Bring: Please bring clothing appropriate for the weather, gloves and/or small tools if desired.
Weather policy: Rain or shine except in case of extreme weather (e.g. thunderstorm or significant snow fall).
COVID-19 Information: This program will be entirely outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not attend if you are experiencing or have experienced in the last two weeks any symptoms associated with COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc.).
Registration is REQUIRED.
Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can open your spot to someone else.
By registering for this event, you are affirming that you have read and agree to our liability release policy.
We look forward to seeing you at the Clifton Institute!

Winter Sparrow Identification *VIRTUAL*
2024-11-14 18:00 - 19:00 | The Clifton Institute, 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA, 20187, United States
**THIS IS A VIRTUAL EVENT**
Get ready for winter by brushing up on sparrow identification! Every season brings its own challenges for birdwatching. In winter, similar-looking sparrows can be hard to tell apart and birding by ear becomes more difficult as birds sing less and call more. Join Executive Director and expert birder Bert Harris to learn some tips for identifying winter sparrows. Bert will walk you through the field marks of each species and use his years of birding experience to help you learn how to identify sparrows. Then in the second section of the program Bert will show sparrow photos to help you practice and test your new skills.
This program is intended for beginning and intermediate birders. We will send a Zoom link closer to the date.
Cost:
Children 18 and under – Free
Adults – $15 ($10 for Friends of Clifton.) All proceeds from our programs go directly to funding our education programs, restoration work, and research projects. Thank you for your support!
Age: Adults and children accompanied by an adult.
Weather policy: Date and time subject to change dependent on weather. Please check your email for updates on the morning of the event.
COVID-19 Information: This program will be partially indoors, partially outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not attend if you are experiencing or have experienced in the last two weeks any symptoms associated with COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc.)
Registration is REQUIRED.
Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can open your spot to someone else. No refunds given for participant cancellation. Refunds will be issued in the event of Clifton cancelling.
By registering for this event, you are affirming that you have read and agree to our liability release policy.
We look forward to seeing you at the Clifton Institute!

Lichens for Beginners
2024-11-09 14:00 - 16:00 | The Clifton Institute, 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA, 20187, United States
In this program Co-Director and amateur lichenologist Bert Harris will teach participants the basics of lichen biology and identification. He’ll then lead participants on a lichen tour of the rocky outcrops and mature forests of the Clifton Institute. We have some exciting lichens here, but we are just starting to study our lichen community, so with a group of lichen-likers looking closely we may even find a new species!
We recommend bringing a hand lens if you have one, but we will have some to share if not.

Cost:
Children 18 and under – Free
Adults – $15 ($10 for Friends of Clifton.) All proceeds from our programs go directly to funding our education programs, restoration work, and research projects. Thank you for your support!
Age: Adults and children accompanied by an adult.
Weather policy: Date and time subject to change dependent on weather. Please check your email for updates on day before the event.
COVID-19 Information: This program will be partially indoors, partially outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not attend if you are experiencing or have experienced in the last week any symptoms associated with COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc.)
Registration is REQUIRED.
Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can open your spot to someone else. No refunds given for participant cancellation. Refunds will be issued in the event of Clifton cancelling.
By registering for this event, you are affirming that you have read and agree to our liability release policy.
We look forward to seeing you at the Clifton Institute!

Invasive Species Management Workshop
2024-11-09 10:00 - 12:00 | The Clifton Institute, 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA, 20187, United States
We get questions all the time about how to manage invasive plants and we want to help you rid your property of unwanted invaders! In this program, Landowner Outreach Associate Kadiera Ingram and Habitat Specialist Andrew Eberly will give a talk and demonstration on their recommended methods for dealing with various species of invasive plants. Together, Kadiera and Andrew are responsible for managing the invasives here at Clifton and for giving advice to landowners about invasives and they have a wealth of experience and knowledge to share. Come with your thorniest questions and we’ll look forward to tackling this important issue together!
Cost:
Children 18 and under – Free
Adults – $15 ($10 for Friends of Clifton.) All proceeds from our programs go directly to funding our education programs, restoration work, and research projects. Thank you for your support!
Age: Adults and children accompanied by an adult.
Weather policy: Date and time subject to change dependent on weather. Please check your email for updates on the morning of the event.
COVID-19 Information: This program will be partially indoors, partially outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not attend if you are experiencing or have experienced in the last two weeks any symptoms associated with COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc.)
Registration is REQUIRED.
Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can open your spot to someone else.
By registering for this event, you are affirming that you have read and agree to our liability release policy.
We look forward to seeing you at the Clifton Institute!
