Events calendar

Aug 28 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

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...

Become a Junior Archeologist

Aztec Ruins National Monument

Aug 28 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

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...

Explore the Night (East District)

Saguaro National Park

Aug 28 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

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...

Geology and Culture

Chaco Culture National Historical Park

Aug 28 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Meet a ranger at the campground amphitheater for this special evening program to learn about the various rocks and minerals of Chaco. Learn why people have called this home for over 1000 years because of the unique geology found within the park...

Firefly Viewing Night - FULL

Tumacácori National Historical Park

Aug 28 7:00 pm – 10:30 pm

Registration required. Call the Tumacácori Visitor Center at 520-377-5060 to register. 9:30 am-4:30 pm daily. Reservations are currently at capacity for this date! Our eagerly awaited firefly programs are back! Join us for an evening in the heritage...

Evening with a Ranger

Great Basin National Park

Aug 28 7:30 pm – 8:00 pm

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...

Moonlight Hike

White Sands National Park

Aug 28 7:45 pm – 9:45 pm

Have you ever wanted to hike the dunes under the magical glow of the moon? This is your chance to enjoy the peace and serenity of this elusive environment and experience unique stories of the park. Moonlight hikes are offered March through November...

Night Hike

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Aug 28 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm

This is a 1.5 mile (2.4 km) round trip hike along an unimproved trail, marked only by stick posts and rock piles in low-light conditions. Sharp-pointed plants with thorns are very common along the trail with a slight but rocky slope.

Astronomy Program

Great Basin National Park

Aug 28 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm

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...

Aug 28 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Capture the night sky at Chiricahua National Monument! Join ranger Nowell to learn the basics of astrophotography and photograph dazzling stars above one of Arizona's darkest skies. Bring your DSLR or mirrorless camera (and a tripod if you have one)...

Lantern Cave Tours

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Aug 29 7:00 am – 10:45 am

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...

Capturing the Desert (East District)

Saguaro National Park

Aug 29 7:00 am – 8:00 am

Join a ranger at the Freeman Homestead Trailhead for a guided hike to experience the park from new perspectives and improving outdoor photography skills. No advanced cameras required, just a smartphone with a camera!

Dunes Discovery Morning Hike

White Sands National Park

Aug 29 7:30 am – 8:30 am

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.

Fish with a Ranger

Big Thicket National Preserve

Aug 29 8:00 am – 11:00 am

Fish for free with a Park Ranger! Kids and families can learn all about fishing in the Big Thicket. The Big Thicket Association will be offering free 30-45 minute sightseeing boat tours to event participants. Learn how to tie different knots, the...

Daily Cave Tours

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Aug 29 8:15 am – 3:30 pm

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...

Garden Walk (East District)

Saguaro National Park

Aug 29 8:15 am – 8:45 am

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.

Garden Walk (West District)

Saguaro National Park

Aug 29 8:15 am – 8:45 am

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

Lodge Room Tour

Great Basin National Park

Aug 29 8:30 am – 9:30 am

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.

Tsankawi Ranger Guided Hike

Bandelier National Monument

Aug 29 8:30 am – 10:30 am

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...

Fort Open to Plaza Access

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site

Aug 29 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

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...

Aug 29 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

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...

Cave Sim

Great Basin National Park

Aug 29 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

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...

Junior Cave Ranger Experience

Great Basin National Park

Aug 29 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

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

Great Basin National Park

Aug 29 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

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...

Alpine Ranger Rove

Great Basin National Park

Aug 29 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

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.

Trash Blitz Cleanup at Six Mile Cove

Lake Mead National Recreation Area

Aug 29 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Come out to learn about the 7 Leave No Trace principles and how trash impacts our park. Help NPS Park Rangers in keeping Lake Mead National Recreation Area clean. All events will be from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Junior Ranger Day 2026

Great Basin National Park

Aug 29 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

During National Park Week 2026 (August 22-30), Great Basin National Park will celebrate National Junior Ranger Day in 2026 on Saturday, August 29. Explore, learn, and help protect Great Basin’s cultural and natural heritage through hands-on...

Become a Junior Archeologist

Aztec Ruins National Monument

Aug 29 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

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...

Cultural Demonstration by Johnny Cruz

Bandelier National Monument

Aug 29 9:30 am – 4:00 pm

Stop in to visit and learn about Johnny Cruz of San Ildefonso Pueblo’s work of pottery at the Visitor Center throughout the day.

Grand Palace Tour

Great Basin National Park

Aug 29 9:45 am – 11:15 am

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.

Guided Hikes on the Islands

Channel Islands National Park

Aug 29 10:00 am – 11:00 am

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...

Ranger Talk

Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site

Aug 29 10:00 am – 11:00 am

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.

Ancestral Sites Trail Guided Walk

Pecos National Historical Park

Aug 29 10:00 am – 11:00 am

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...

Ranger Talk

Montezuma Castle National Monument

Aug 29 10:00 am – 10:30 am

Learn about Montezuma Castle with a Ranger talk.

Ranger Guided Tour of Mission San José

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

Aug 29 10:00 am – 11:00 am

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...

Ranger Guided Tour of Mission Concepción

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

Aug 29 10:00 am – 10:45 am

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

Ranger Program at Mission San Juan

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

Aug 29 10:00 am – 10:45 am

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

Introduction to Caving Tour

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Aug 29 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

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...

Geology Talk

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Aug 29 10:00 am – 10:30 am

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...

Ranger Cabin Guided Hike

Walnut Canyon National Monument

Aug 29 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

In response to rampant looting, and the destruction of Walnut Canyon's cliff dwellings, a United States Forest (USFS) ranger was assigned to Walnut Canyon to preserve the park's resources. Beginning in 1904, the assigned ranger lived in what is today...

Junior Ranger Program

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Aug 29 10:00 am – 11:00 am

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

Ranger Guided Hike- Pueblo Loop Trail

Bandelier National Monument

Aug 29 10:00 am – 10:45 am

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...

Monroe School Architectural Tour

Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park

Aug 29 10:00 am – 11:00 am

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...

Park Service Appreciation Clean-Up

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

Aug 29 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Show the National Park Service some love this National Park Week and help keep Bighorn Canyon Clean! Join AIS Intern Charlie for a parkwide clean-up. Meet at 10 AM at Horseshoe Bend for assigned areas. The parkwide clean-up will start at 10 AM and go...

Ancestral Sites Trail Guided Walk

Pecos National Historical Park

Aug 29 10:00 am – 11:00 am

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...

Aug 29 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument is excited to participate in this year’s Sunflower Festival in the Town of Mountainair on Saturday, August 29th! Park staff will have a community table where visitors can explore the deep cultural history of...

Aug 29 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Join children’s author Gary D. Robson for a fun, interactive presentation and Q&A from 10–11 AM. Gary will share the fascinating world of animal scat through his book, Who Pooped in the Sonoran Desert, followed by a book signing. Afterward, kids can...

Tours of President Johnson's Boyhood Home

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park

Aug 29 10:30 am – 11:30 am

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.

Science Saturday - Spot the Sun (Junior Ranger)

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Aug 29 10:30 am – 11:15 am

Join us at the Swinging Bridge Picnic Area to learn how we can observe the sun from Earth and how sunlight impacts our world. We will also use the power of the sun to make a take home craft!

Accessible Gothic Palace Tour

Great Basin National Park

Aug 29 10:30 am – 11:00 am

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...

Lehman Caves Visitor Center Porch Talk

Great Basin National Park

Aug 29 10:30 am – 11:00 am

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...

Ranger Guided Tour of Mission San José

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

Aug 29 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

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...

Guided Tour

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site

Aug 29 11:00 am – 11:45 am

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...

Gran Quivira Ranger-Guided Hikes

Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument

Aug 29 11:00 am – 11:45 am

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...

Bristlecone Ranger Chat

Great Basin National Park

Aug 29 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

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...

Saturdays with a Student Summer 2026

Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park

Aug 29 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

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...

Aug 29 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Don’t miss episode four 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 Four: Freedom to Roam, get a closer look at how...

Guided Walk of Dwellings

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

Aug 29 11:00 am – 11:45 am

Allow at least 30 minutes to hike up to the cliff dwellings. The trail leading to the dwellings is about 1/2 mile over rocky and uneven terrain with 180-foot elevation gain. Join a ranger on a 45-minute guided walk of the cliff dwellings to learn...

Chocolate-Making Workshop

Chamizal National Memorial

Aug 29 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Experience Cacao Coyatoc's traditional chocolate-making techniques from Chiapas, Mexico, where cacao beans are roasted, ground, and transformed using time-honored methods. Join us for an authentic, hands-on taste of choclate making heritage.

Living with Giants (West District)

Saguaro National Park

Aug 29 11:15 am – 12:00 pm

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...

AM Visitor Center Ranger Talk

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Aug 29 11:15 am – 11:45 am

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

Route 66 Travelers and Tribes: 100 Years

Chaco Culture National Historical Park

Aug 29 11:30 am – 12:30 pm

Join special guest speaker Shawn Price for this free lecture for the Route 66 Centennial Year! The lecture will highlight the automobile and America's first interstate, how these innovations in travel further opened the west, and the impact to Tribal...

Aug 29 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

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...

Wellness Walk

John Muir National Historic Site

Aug 29 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Join a ranger for a mindful walk through the orchards. Details: Distance: 300 yards, one hill but mostly flat. Pets: Dogs are welcome. Facilities: Located inside the visitor center. Meeting Location: Meet at the visitor center back patio (4202...

Aug 29 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm

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...

Aug 29 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm

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...

PM Visitor Center Ranger Talk

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Aug 29 1:45 pm – 2:15 pm

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

Visit the Junction School with a Ranger

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park

Aug 29 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Meet a park ranger at the Junction School to talk about what learning was like for four-year-old Lyndon when he started his education in 1912. On April 11, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson returned to his first school to sign the Elementary and...

Lehman Caves Visitor Center Porch Talk

Great Basin National Park

Aug 29 2:00 pm – 2:30 pm

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

Ranger's Choice Talk

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Aug 29 2:00 pm – 2:30 am

Join a park ranger to explore one of the fascinating stories of Black Canyon, from human history to plants to wildlife. Meet at Pulpit Rock Overlook at 2:00 pm. 20-30 minutes. Location subject to change. May be cancelled due to staffing shortages or...

Life in the Gila

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

Aug 29 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm

Join a ranger and discover how water, geology, plants, and people shaped this remarkable landscape. Explore the story of the Mogollon and the canyon they called home.

Pueblo Bonito Tour

Chaco Culture National Historical Park

Aug 29 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Join us on a guided walk through the largest great house in Chaco Culture NHP and learn about the people that called this canyon home. Tour will last approximately one hour.

Great Basin Visitor Center Porch Talk

Great Basin National Park

Aug 29 2:30 pm – 3:00 pm

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.

Mission Espada Looming Demonstration Program

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

Aug 29 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm

Join our free, daily looming demonstration at Mission Espada.