ACES is known for its Naturalist Field School that brings professors from all over the country each summer to teach many of our field courses and workshops. The varied, in-depth curriculum, which takes advantage of the diverse Rocky Mountain environment, covers a broad range of subjects from Poetry and Nature to Ornithology. Children's courses offer discovery of birds, reptiles, amphibians, wetlands, and wilderness. Adult students may receive graduate college credit for many of ACES' Naturalist Field School Courses through Colorado State University or Adams State College.

During the summer, daily programs include naturalist-guided walks at various locations; eagles, hawks, and owls demonstrations; one- and two-hour programs for children; sunset beaver walks; and interpretive campground programs.

During the winter, daily programs include naturalist-guided snowshoe tours on top of Aspen Mountain, at Snowmass and at Ashcroft; naturalist-guided ski tours at Snowmass; and weekly slideshows where local adventurers and biologists share their knowledge and tales. ACES' interpretive programs on top of Aspen Mountain helped garner the prestigious Golden Eagle Award for the Aspen Skiing Company.

ACES' role in serving the schools of the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond has grown exponentially during the past decade. ACES educators are instrumental in integrating environmental education into the public school curriculum. This involvement has resulted in the Aspen School District dedicating a special strawbale classroom specifically to environmental education.

Many organizations provide outdoor education, but very few have consistent involvement in the natural science education of elementary and secondary school students. ACES is one ofthe few that maintain involvement with children from an early age. Every student at the Aspen Elementary School receives one hour of environmental education facilitated weekly by ACES teachers. These highly-qualified educators conduct approximately 180 field study programs each school year at Hallam Lake, Rock Bottom Ranch, and various other outdoor sites serving students from both public and private schools. ACES school programs make approximately 30,000 "contacts" with students every school year.