Events calendar

Round trip, with hike time this tour is 3.5 hours. You are in the cave system for for 55-minutes and it walks through Hansen, Middle, and Timpanogos Caves. The caves are connected by two man made tunnels. This tour has Please make sure to read all of...

The public is invited inside the reconstruction of Bent’s Old Fort, entering through the zaguan gate and into the plaza. Park Rangers will be present to explain the features of the fort and its 20 th century reconstruction. Entry into the...

As we look ahead to the 75th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decisions in 2029, this exhibit reflects on how these annual milestones have been commemorated over time, and asks: Where Next? Featuring items from past...

Exploring the Alpine Lakes Loop or Bristlecone trails? From 9am to 3pm, keep your eye out for a friendly ranger ready to chat about Great Basin's spectacular high country. Occurs daily, staff and weather permitting.

The ranger-led tour spends 1.5 hours in the cave and introduces visitors to low-impact caving skills, safety and etiquette. With a helmet and headlamp you are ready to experience Hansen Cave in its natural state. You will scramble over boulders and...

The exhibit commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Anza expedition by exploring both the expedition itself and the environment the settlers found when they arrived in Monterey. Panels discuss the founding of Monterey, early buildings and...

Learn about Topeka’s historic Monroe School through a free, one-hour guided tour at Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park! Tours highlight the building’s architecture, architect Thomas W. Williamson, and history, and include a visit to...

Learn and talk about native plants in California while visiting the park. Come with questions and curiosity and explore the orchards and gardens around the park. Details: Distance: 300 yards, one hill but mostly flat. Pets: Dogs are welcome...

Wagons and cowboys and Hollywood, oh my! On this ranger-guided tour, learn about the Santa Fe Trail and area ranching, with stops at the Trading Post and historic Forked Lightning Ranch House . This tour requires limited walking , but extended...

Explore a variety of topics about Great Sand Dunes. Topics posted at visitor center lobby bulletin board. (20 minutes)

Meet a park ranger at the Show Barn and get up close and personal with members of the historic Hereford cattle herd. Learn about Lyndon Johnson's ranching history and enjoy the view from the highest point on the LBJ Ranch driving tour route.

Join a ranger for a 30-minute program outside the Lehman Caves Visitor Center. Topics vary by ranger. Program occurs as staffing permits.

Join a ranger outside the Great Basin Visitor Center for a 30-minute ranger chat. Chats are scheduled at 9:30 am and 2:30 pm as staffing permits. Topics will vary by ranger.

Join our free, daily looming demonstration at Mission Espada.

Half of the park is after dark! Join a ranger in the evening hours as night-prowling creatures begin to emerge. This program meets at the Rincon Mountain Visitor Center. After a short ranger presentation, you'll hop into your car and follow the...

Learn more about our moon and its impacts on Earth with a ranger.

Spend a summer evening under the stars! Join rangers at Tyrrell Park Nature Center in Beaumont to see the night sky through telescopes! Learn about our Solar System and the stars that shine bright in the summer sky. Kids can experience the wonders of...

Join a park ranger under the stars for an engaging and enjoyable story about Great Basin National Park. Mountain lions, wildfires, natural sounds, and bats are just a few of the many topics explored. Stick around and check our astronomy program, too...

Why preserve these ruins? Discover this site's legacy as the sun has set and lanterns now shine during this 45-minute tour. (Historic area only open for this tour's participants after 4:00 pm on these dates. Park gates will re-open for these evening...

Enjoy a double feature under the stars! Rangers will present 30-minute evening programs exploring the Great Basin and the cosmos, followed by roughly 1 hour and 30 minutes of telescope viewing (weather permitting). Programs will be hosted in the...

As the waters of the reservoir recede, history is resurfacing. Come discover what life was like prior to the construction of Blue Mesa Dam.

Experience the night sky as rangers share fun facts, celestial stories and guide you in the observation of deep sky objects through park-provided viewers. 90 minutes. (Historic area trails closed at 4:00 pm. Park gates will re-open for this evening...

Awaken your senses and embrace the tranquility of the morning with our sunrise yoga class on the rooftop deck of the Malaquite Visitor Center, overlooking the sparkling waters of the gulf. You'll witness the sun rising over the horizon as you...

Step back in time and experience Timpanogos Cave lit only by the flicker of lanterns on this ranger-guided tour to celebrate 100 years as a national monument! Discover what early explorers experienced as they traveled through the dark passages of the...

The Dunes Discovery Morning Hike is a one-mile, ranger-guided hike at Dune Life Nature Trail. This is a great way to start your day in the park.

Round trip, with hike time this tour is 3.5 hours. You are in the cave system for for 55-minutes and it walks through Hansen, Middle, and Timpanogos Caves. The caves are connected by two man made tunnels. This tour has Please make sure to read all of...

Join us for a casual walk and talk through our ethnobotanical garden to learn some sharp facts about the Sonoran Desert! From the mighty saguaro cactus to the smallest flower, come let your curiosity blossom. This is an accessible program.

Join us for a guided walk through the Cactus Garden where you’ll explore the fascinating natural history of the Sonoran Desert! Wheelchair accessible.

The Lodge Room Tour is a 60-minute ranger-guided adventure through the Gothic Palace, Rose Trellis Room, Music Room, and Lodge Room of Lehman Caves.

Join a ranger for a 2 hour tour of the Tsankawi Unit of Bandelier. Walk along ancestral trails to visit and learn about the Pueblo village that sits upon the mesa top. Trail is narrow and uneven, with ladder climbing required . This is a 1.5 mile...

Join us at Bandelier National Monument to celebrate National Park Week with a Trash Bash! We’ll provide grabbers, buckets, refreshments, vests and gloves for you to use while volunteering. Please bring comfortable clothes and sho es, a water bottle...

The public is invited inside the reconstruction of Bent’s Old Fort, entering through the zaguan gate and into the plaza. Park Rangers will be present to explain the features of the fort and its 20 th century reconstruction. Entry into the...

As we look ahead to the 75th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decisions in 2029, this exhibit reflects on how these annual milestones have been commemorated over time, and asks: Where Next? Featuring items from past...

Have you ever wanted to explore a wild cave but don’t know where to start? Or to understand the environment cave scientists work in? Then Great Basin National Park’s CaveSim might be for you! Come crawl and climb through CaveSim and get hands-on...

The Great Basin Junior Cave Ranger Experience engages children and their families with the park's incredible underground landscape through hands-on activities. The half-day program meets at Great Basin Visitor Center at 9:00 am every Saturday morning...

CaveSim is a fun, immersive experience for visitors ages 5 & up that makes caving accessible to a wide audience. Containing 140 feet of simulated cave passages, CaveSim was custom-built for Great Basin National Park and inspired by Lehman Caves...

Exploring the Alpine Lakes Loop or Bristlecone trails? From 9am to 3pm, keep your eye out for a friendly ranger ready to chat about Great Basin's spectacular high country. Occurs daily, staff and weather permitting.

Join us for a special ranger-guided hike on our longest backcountry trail! The hike will begin at the Peñasco Blanco trailhead (at the Pueblo del Arroyo parking lot) at 9:00am. Be prepared for the heat and a long hike - bring sunscreen, a hat...

Hey kids, did you know that the film character Indiana Jones was based on Earl Morris, the real-life archeologist who excavated the Aztec West great house? You can follow in their footsteps and become a Junior Archeologist any day during National...

Calling all Junior Rangers: are you ready to kick off National Park Week by celebrating National Junior Ranger Day early? Join Fort Scott National Historic Site for Junior Ranger Adventure Day on Saturday, August 22nd! Families are invited to drop in...

Join a Park Ranger and volunteer Fishing Ambassadors to Learn to Surf Fish! This family friendly program is designed for the absolute beginner to learn all about fishing. From basic tackle and casting techniques to stewardship and conservation. Park...

On Saturday, August 22nd in celebration of National Park Week, Aztec Ruins will offer a free ranger-led tour of the Aztec East great house. Aztec East is a mostly unexcavated great house in an area that is normally closed to the public to protect the...

Stop in to visit and learn about Jason Lovato of Kewa Pueblo ’s work in leather working, tufa casting as well as different materials of jewelry .

The Grand Palace Tour allows visitors to experience the entire developed area of Lehman Caves on a 90-minute ranger-guided adventure through more than half a mile of lighted cave paths.

On days that the concessionaire boats run to the islands, guided hikes may be offered by national park rangers, volunteers, or concessionaire naturalists. If they are not available to lead hikes, self-guided interpretive trail booklets are available...

The Sand Creek ranger talk explores the events of the mid 1800's and describes some of the social, economic, and political factors that contributed to the Sand Creek Massacre. Please not that this program is a stationary talk, not a walking tour.

Pecos Pueblo sits at the site of a unique ecological and cultural crossroads. Join a park ranger on this tour to lear n a bout the Ancestral Pueblo , Spanish Colonial history, and the importance of this site to communities today . The tour begins at...

Play games, make crafts, earn a badge, interact with rangers, and enjoy your park during these 60-minute programs!

“Stories from the Borderlands” are featured programs offered monthly. Each will be held at the reconstructed fort and the Woodruff Memorial Library in La Junta and last 45 minutes, exploring a different facet of the Fort’s story.As always, visitors...

Learn about Montezuma Castle with a Ranger talk.

Join our guided walks led by a National Park Ranger at Mission San José.Daily 10:00 am and 11:00 am (weather permitting).Each tour is limited to 50 people. First come, first served daily.San José guided walks begin at the Visitor Center at Mission...

Join park rangers for a guided canoe trip on the waters of the preserve. The program targets the casual and novice paddler. Canoes, life jackets, and paddles are provided. Visitors are asked to bring water, snacks, and water shoes. Canoe trips start...

Join our free, daily park ranger tours at Mission Concepción.

Join our free, daily park ranger tours at Mission San Juan.

The ranger-led tour spends 1.5 hours in the cave and introduces visitors to low-impact caving skills, safety and etiquette. With a helmet and headlamp you are ready to experience Hansen Cave in its natural state. You will scramble over boulders and...

How did the Black Canyon form? What kinds of rocks are these? Discover answers to these and other questions about this dizzying chasm. Meet at Pulpit Rock Overlook at 10:00 am. 20-30 minutes. Location subject to change. May be cancelled due to...

Since time immemorial, Native people have called Walnut Canyon home. During traditional times, a thriving community lived within the canyon, building cliff dwellings in natural geologic formations. Participants on this hike will descend into the...

Hey Kids! Learn more about Great Sand Dunes with a park ranger.

Celebrate with us! Enjoy performances in our indoor stage! Explore outdoor educational booths from local partners, fun photo ops, games, crafts, and more. A great family‑friendly day to learn, play, and earn your Junior Ranger badge!

Join a ranger for a 45 minute introductory program on the first 0.25 miles of the Pueblo Loop Trail! The walk will begin on the back porch of the visitor center and finishes at the Tyuonyi Pueblo Archeological Site along the trail. From this point...

Learn about Topeka’s historic Monroe School through a free, one-hour guided tour at Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park! Tours highlight the building’s architecture, architect Thomas W. Williamson, and history, and include a visit to...

While the IndyCars get ready to drift around the America 250 Grand Prix, come celebrate the Kick-Off of National Park week with our own kind of drift... Driftwood! Join AIS Intern Natalie at the Horseshoe Bend Picnic Area for driftwood painting...

Pecos Pueblo sits at the site of a unique ecological and cultural crossroads. Join a park ranger on this tour to lear n a bout the Ancestral Pueblo , Spanish Colonial history, and the importance of this site to communities today . The tour begins at...

Pecos Pueblo sits at the site of a unique ecological and cultural crossroads. Join a park ranger on this tour to lear n a bout the Ancestral Pueblo , Spanish Colonial history, and the importance of this site to communities today . The tour begins at...

It's National Park Week! To celebrate, we’re hosting Ranger Fiesta Day! Rangers of all ages can explore Palo Alto Battlefield and learn how to protect our national parks.

To commemorate the 110th anniversary of the National Park Service, Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park will host an indoor field day for Junior Rangers of all ages on Saturday, August 22, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy arts and...

Daily tours of the Boyhood Home explore Lyndon Johnson's childhood growing up in the rural, 1920s town of Johnson City, Texas. Tours start at the National Park Visitor Center in Johnson City at 100 Ladybird Lane.

Join us at the Swinging Bridge Picnic Area to learn how we can use rock layers to teach us about the landforms in Utah. We will also conduct our own geology experiment!

The 30-minute Accessible Tour of Lehman Caves visits the Gothic Palace, the first highly-decorated room of the cave and can accommodate a wheelchair, with assistance. This tour is intended for persons with limited mobility, unable to negotiate stairs...

Join a park ranger on the Lehman Caves Visitor Center porch for a fun and interactive program on a wide variety of Great Basin topics - wildfire, wildlife, wild caves, and more. Check the information board or at the visitor center information desk...

Join our guided walks led by a National Park Ranger at Mission San José.Daily 10:00 am and 11:00 am (weather permitting).Each tour is limited to 50 people. First come, first served daily.San José guided walks begin at the Visitor Center at Mission...

Take a tour with a Park Ranger to learn more about Bent's Old Fort. Each tour lasts approximately forty-five minutes and begins in the plaza. Tours are limited to fifteen participants and will explore the historic use of the site and the...

Join our park rangers for a guided hike at Gran Quivira every Saturday at 11:00 a.m. These 45‑minute walks are open to everyone — no reservation needed. Bring plenty of water, pack a snack, wear sturdy shoes, and dress for the weather. Along the way...

Curious about Great Basin's alpine country? Anytime from 11am to noon each day, find a ranger in the Wheeler Peak Bristlecone Grove for an informal chat where you can ask about the trees, the animals, and other aspects of the higher elevations of the...

Step into history—through the voices of those who lived it. Join us at Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park for a powerful summer program featuring former students from Topeka’s segregated elementary schools. Hear firsthand stories...

Enjoy episode three of Our Planet II, a four-part Netflix documentary series narrated by Sir David Attenborough that explores the extraordinary journeys animals make across our planet. In Chapter Three: The Next Generation, watch baby sea turtles...

Join Ranger Alfie and Ranger Doug for a program of song! Listen and learn about our nation’s past and present a s we look back at 250 years of ongoing, American history.

Explore a variety of topics about Great Sand Dunes. Topics posted at visitor center lobby bulletin board. (20 minutes)

The saguaro celebrates events and faces challenges throughout its life. A biologist explains how it provides shelter and substance for wildlife; when it flowers; its growth patterns; and how it fights for survival against drought, lightning, frost...

Edwin Shije is a traditional buckskin tanner from Zia Pueblo with 45 years of experience. His presentation will include information about his practice and a short video. This special presentation in honor of National Park Week will take place in the...

The exhibit commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Anza expedition by exploring both the expedition itself and the environment the settlers found when they arrived in Monterey. Panels discuss the founding of Monterey, early buildings and...