We assessed the efficacy of the educational simulation Quagmire to deliver curriculum focused on park and protected area management in a time of record visitor use. Specifically, our study evaluated how Quagmire prepared contemporary students to maximize field-based learning during a week-long experience at Capitol Reef National Park, USA (Capitol Reef). Student essays and discussion responses (n = 71) were collected following the visit to Capitol Reef, and coded by two researchers familiar with Quagmire and simulation-based learning. Place-based education and preparation for future learning frameworks were used in qualitative analyses. Results indicate students perceived Quagmire prepared them to maximize learning at Capitol Reef, however, combining Quagmire with subsequent field-based learning did not substantially contribute to outcomes associated with connection to place. Implications for using Quagmire with contemporary student populations are discussed, as is the potential usefulness of sequencing simulation-based gaming with field-based learning.