Events calendar

World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) Day Count & Event

Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument

May 9 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument (SAPU) is thrilled to welcome visitors for this year's World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) Day Count and Event on May 9! WMBD is an annual awareness-raising campaign highlighting the need for the conservation of...

Fort Open to Plaza Access

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site

May 9 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...

180th Anniversary of the Battle of Palo Alto

Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park

May 9 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

Join us as we commemorate the 180th Anniversary of the Battle of Palo Alto. The event will feature living history programs, information tables hosted by local partners, hands-on art activities, and engaging Ranger talks on the battlefield. Come out...

Cultural Demonstrators and Artists on Site

Montezuma Castle National Monument

May 9 9:00 am – 2:00 pm

During the weekend in April and May, artists and cultural demonstrators from various tribes across the southwest will be on site at Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot to share their skills and work with the public. These events are made possible with...

Truman and Civil Rights

Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park

May 9 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Did you know that President Harry S. Truman ordered the integration of the U.S. military in 1948 through Executive Order 9981? In the aftermath of World War II, returning veterans faced continued racial discrimination. The brutal attack and blinding...

Migratory Bird Day Walk

Pecos National Historical Park

May 9 9:00 am – 11:00 am

Celebrate International Migratory Bird Day with the sights and sounds of birds at Pecos National Historical Park. We will enjoy a morning of birding along the Pecos River, on the grounds of the historic Forked Lightning Ranch. The walk is less than 1...

Cultural Demonstrators and Artists on Site

Montezuma Castle National Monument

May 9 9:00 am – 2:00 pm

During the weekend in April and May, artists and cultural demonstrators from various tribes across the southwest will be on site at Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot to share their skills and work with the public. These events are made possible with...

World Migratory Bird Day Mt. Wanda Bird Hike

John Muir National Historic Site

May 9 9:00 am – 11:30 am

Join a ranger and a volunteer for a birding hike on Mt. Wanda. How many of the 100+ birds will we see and hear there? Details: Distance: Approximately 3 miles round-trip, uphill on a steep uneven dirt trail. What to Bring: Binoculars, water, sun...

National Train Day

Golden Spike National Historical Park

May 9 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Join us at Golden Spike National Historical Park for National Train Day and experience the excitement of living history where America’s first transcontinental railroad united a nation. Enjoy historic locomotive demonstrations, engaging activities...

Bird Walk for World Migratory Bird Day

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

May 9 9:00 am – 10:00 am

Join us at Mission San Juan from 9am-10am on Saturday, May 9 for a free ranger-guided bird walk along the Yanaguana Trail. This free event highlights the need to conserve migratory birds and protect their habitats. Feel free to bring binoculars as...

Guided Hike: Rinconada Canyon

Petroglyph National Monument

May 9 9:00 am – 11:00 am

This volunteer-led hike will take you on the 2.2 mile loop-trail into Rinconada Canyon, where you will learn about the history of the area - from the geology that shaped it to the Ancestral Puebloans and Spaniards that left their marks behind to the...

Guided Hikes on the Islands

Channel Islands National Park

May 9 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

May 9 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

May 9 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...

Historic Weapon Weekends

Fort Union National Monument

May 9 10:00 am – 11:00 am

Of atlatls, bows and arrows and firearms on the frontier! Experience demonstrations and discussions of several types of historic weapons during this one-hour program.

Ranger Guided Tour of Mission San José

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

May 9 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...

Canoe Trip (FULL)

Big Thicket National Preserve

May 9 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

*This trip is fully reserved. Additional sign-ups will be added to the wait list. 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...

Ranger Guided Tour of Mission Concepción

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

May 9 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

May 9 10:00 am – 10:45 am

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

Geology Talk

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

May 9 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...

Ancestral Sites Trail Guided Walk

Pecos National Historical Park

May 9 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...

Tours of President Johnson's Boyhood Home

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park

May 9 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 Talk

Montezuma Castle National Monument

May 9 11:00 am – 11:30 am

Learn about Montezuma Castle with a ranger daily at 11 am and 1 pm. Topics of discussion vary.

Ranger Guided Tour of Mission San José

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

May 9 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

May 9 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...

Garden Walk (East District)

Saguaro National Park

May 9 11:00 am – 11:30 am

Join a ranger for a short stroll through the cactus garden located outside of the visitor center to learn about the saguaro cactus and other plants of the Sonoran Desert.

May 9 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...

The Anza Expedition: A 250th Commemoration Exhibit

Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail

May 9 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Almost 250 years ago, as the Declaration of Independence was signed on the East Coast, the Anza expedition arrived at its destination on the West Coast. Both of these events would dramatically shape the cultural and political landscapes of the United...

Bike the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Trail

Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail

May 9 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

MAY IS BIKE MONTH! Join a park ranger on an easy bike ride along the Omaha and Council Bluffs riverfront to visit exhibit sites on the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Trail. On the way, we will learn about some of the plants, animals, and history...

May 9 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...

May 9 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...

Visit the Junction School with a Ranger

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park

May 9 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...

Mission Espada Ranger Program

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

May 9 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm

Join our free, daily ranger program at Mission Espada.

Dark Sky Night

Capulin Volcano National Monument

May 9 8:30 pm – 11:00 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...