Events calendar

Daily Cave Tours

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Aug 15 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...

Fort Open to Plaza Access

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site

Aug 15 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 15 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 15 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 15 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 15 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 15 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.

First Fort & Arsenal Tours

Fort Union National Monument

Aug 15 9:30 am – 11:30 am

Visit where Fort Union began. These 2-hour programs include living history, historic weapons, and time to explore! Car caravans depart from the visitor center at 9:30 am and 1:00 pm. (Only available via car caravan at these times. Area has rough and...

First Fort & Arsenal Tours

Fort Union National Monument

Aug 15 9:30 am – 11:30 am

Visit where Fort Union began. These 2-hour programs include living history, historical weapons, and time to explore! Car caravans depart from the visitor center at 9:30 am and 1:00 pm. (Only available via car caravan at these times, area has rough...

Introduction to Caving Tour

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Aug 15 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...

Ranger Cabin Guided Hike

Walnut Canyon National Monument

Aug 15 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...

Tours of President Johnson's Boyhood Home

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park

Aug 15 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.

Ranger Guided Tour of Mission San José

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

Aug 15 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 15 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 15 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 15 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 15 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 15 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Experience episode two 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 Two: Following the Sun, summer spreads across our...

Hillsboro Ranch Tour

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

Aug 15 11:00 am – 2:00 pm

Join Volunteers Mike Bridgeman and Steve Kenney for guided tours of Hillsboro, MT. Tours will start at 11 AM and go until 2 PM, weather dependent.

AM Visitor Center Ranger Talk

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Aug 15 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)

Living with Giants (West District)

Saguaro National Park

Aug 15 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...

Aug 15 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...

Sea Chantey Sing at Mare Island

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Aug 15 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Join us for a Mare Island Chantey Sing on Saturday from 12-4 PM. There will be two gathering places for singing - on C.A. Thayer in the below deck hold and in the historic Coal Sheds. Instruments are encouraged in the Coal Shed location, amateurs...

Aug 15 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 15 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 15 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 15 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.

Pueblo Bonito Tour

Chaco Culture National Historical Park

Aug 15 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 15 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 15 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm

Join our free, daily looming demonstration at Mission Espada.

Storytelling Event: Summer Camp

John Muir National Historic Site

Aug 15 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Join us at the Pecan orchard for an evening of storytelling, songs, and more. We'll have benches, but you can bring your own chair or picnic blanket. Invite your neighbors, friends, and pets to join! Details: Walk 1/4 mile to the Pecan Orchard. Pets...

Birds of Prey (Evening Program)

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Aug 15 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Join us at the Timpanogos Cave Visitor Center Plaza to meet and learn about the biggest bird of prey that calls this area home, the golden eagle! Great Basin Wildlife Rescue caretakers will bring an ambassador golden eagle who cannot be released into...

Design Your Own Arrowhead

Curecanti National Recreation Area

Aug 15 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Drop in anytime between 6:30 and 8:00pm to learn more about the symbology of the National Park Service Arrowhead.

Evening Ranger Program

Bandelier National Monument

Aug 15 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Join a ranger for an evening program and presentation at the Juniper Family Campground Ampitheater. Program topics will vary slightly, call the Visitor Center for the program of the day.

Evening with a Ranger

Great Basin National Park

Aug 15 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...

Star Viewing

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Aug 15 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm

Event will happen after the Bat Flight Program. Visitors should be mindful of their headlights. Turn them off after parking. Park facing toward the visitor center. Use red lens flashlights or headlamps if you have them.

Dark Sky Night

Capulin Volcano National Monument

Aug 15 8:00 pm – 10:30 pm

Join us for an exceptional Dark Sky experience. Capulin was named a Gold Tier Dark Sky Park by the International Dark Sky Association in 2016. Capulin Volcano holds Dark Sky viewing most Saturday nights during Summer months, and select nights Fall...

Stargazing Stroll

Big Thicket National Preserve

Aug 15 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Experience the park after dark! Join a ranger to walk the Longleaf Pine Trail at sunset and observe the wonders of the night sky through a telescope as the sky gets dark. If conditions allow, we'll look at the Moon, Venus, and distant objects in our...

Astronomy Program

Great Basin National Park

Aug 15 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...

What's in a Name?

Curecanti National Recreation Area

Aug 15 8:00 pm – 8:30 pm

How do you even pronounce "Curecanti?" Join a ranger to uncover our unique place names and the history of the area.

8:30 pm Amphitheater Evening Program

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Aug 15 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Join a park ranger for a talk on some of the fascinating aspects of our park and its surroundings.

Astronomy Program

Curecanti National Recreation Area

Aug 15 9:00 pm – 10:30 pm

Drop in anytime between 9:00 pm and 10:30 pm to experience the night sky with a ranger.

Lantern Cave Tours

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Aug 16 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...

Dunes Discovery Morning Hike

White Sands National Park

Aug 16 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.

Daily Cave Tours

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Aug 16 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 (West District)

Saguaro National Park

Aug 16 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 16 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.

Fort Open to Plaza Access

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site

Aug 16 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...

Guided Geology Walk

Bandelier National Monument

Aug 16 9:00 am – 11:30 am

Join geologists on a hike down the Falls Trail and learn all about the geology of Bandelier National Monument and the Pajarito Plateau. This hike starts at the Visitor Center at 9:00am and will return at 11:30am. The Falls Trail is three miles...

Alpine Ranger Rove

Great Basin National Park

Aug 16 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.

Ranger Guided Hike to Alcove House

Bandelier National Monument

Aug 16 9:00 am – 11:00 am

Hike with a ranger up the ladders to Alcove House! A 2-mile roundtrip leaving from the Visitor Center will take you to a very special ancestral home set in a natural alcove 140 feet up from the canyon floor. Learn about how the Pueblo people lived...

Aug 16 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument is excited to participate in this year's Pathways Indigenous Arts Festival at the Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino on Sunday, August 16! Park staff will have a community table where visitors can explore the...

Woodpeckers! (West District)

Saguaro National Park

Aug 16 9:15 am – 9:30 am

Come learn about the birds that build inside Saguaros! Wheelchair accessible.

Grand Palace Tour

Great Basin National Park

Aug 16 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 16 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 16 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 16 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 16 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 16 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 16 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 16 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 16 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 16 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 Guided Hike- Pueblo Loop Trail

Bandelier National Monument

Aug 16 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...

Aug 16 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Take a guided hike with a ranger and discover the hidden life, diversity, and resilience thriving on the Twin Craters lava flow. The first part of the hike is through grassland along a dirt trail. Eventually, the trail turns into a cairn-marked route...

Geology Talk

Chaco Culture National Historical Park

Aug 16 10:00 am – 11:00 am

Meet a ranger at the Fajada Butte Overlook 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. Program is free; no reservations are...

Aug 16 10:15 am – 10:45 am

Discover the ancient petroglyphs at Signal Hill and their creators. Wheelchair accessible.

Tours of President Johnson's Boyhood Home

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park

Aug 16 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.

Accessible Gothic Palace Tour

Great Basin National Park

Aug 16 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 16 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 16 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 16 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...

Abó Ranger-Guided Hikes

Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument

Aug 16 11:00 am – 11:45 am

Join our park rangers for a guided hike at Abó every Sunday 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, rangers...

Bristlecone Ranger Chat

Great Basin National Park

Aug 16 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...

AM Visitor Center Ranger Talk

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Aug 16 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)

What is a Javelina? (West District)

Saguaro National Park

Aug 16 11:15 am – 11:45 am

You may have seen one, you may have seen a picture of one and you may have even smelled one - STINKY! Join an Interpretive Volunteer in the theater for a short program that will answer all the questions you have about Javelina and why IT DOES NOT...