Families in Los Angeles seeking an education that prioritizes connection to the natural world have a distinctive option in Manzanita School, a WASC-accredited K–12 independent college-preparatory school located on a 21-acre campus in Topanga Canyon. Founded in 2013, the school blends traditional academic instruction with experiential education, nature immersion, and interdisciplinary learning, positioning itself as a nature-based school in Los Angeles.
The school’s approach places equal emphasis on indoor and outdoor education. Students learn across classrooms, trails, natural areas, gardens, and a working farm, connecting academic subjects with direct experience. Beginning in the elementary years and continuing through high school, nature plays a central role in the curriculum. Activities can include hiking, ecological study, land stewardship, animal care, nature observation, and expeditionary learning.
For students in grades 3 through 12, Manzanita follows a weekly structure that balances traditional classroom learning with experiential days spent studying on the land. According to the school, students in these grades spend approximately 40% of their learning time participating in outdoor experiential programs. This model aims to foster academic development alongside critical thinking, environmental awareness, creativity, and hands-on learning.
The 21-acre Big Rock campus features indoor and outdoor classrooms, trails, a working farm and greenhouses, animal-care areas, athletic facilities, art and ceramics spaces, a swimming pool, and access to surrounding protected natural land. The curriculum includes mathematics, literacy, science, and humanities alongside Nature Connection, Stewardship, and Expeditionary Learning programs. Arts, athletics, and community-based experiences are also incorporated into student life.
Manzanita’s emphasis on nature-based learning comes as more families seek alternatives to conventional schooling that prioritize screen time and standardized testing. The school’s model suggests that outdoor immersion can be integrated with rigorous college-preparatory academics, offering a potential blueprint for other institutions. For parents looking for a private school in Topanga Canyon, Manzanita provides an environment where indoor and outdoor education work together, with the goal of developing well-rounded students who are connected to their community and the environment.
Manzanita School is currently accepting inquiries for its programs, including its Forest Kindergarten and elementary, middle, and high school offerings. The school is located at 1717 Old Topanga Canyon Blvd. in Topanga, California.
