Events calendar

Daily Cave Tours

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Aug 30 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...

National Park Week: Junior Ranger Day

Chiricahua National Monument

Aug 30 8:30 am – 4:00 pm

Embark on a learning adventure as you complete your junior ranger book and discover Chiricahua National Monument's story. Visitors of every age can enjoy and learn from the Junior Ranger program at Chiricahua!

Fort Open to Plaza Access

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site

Aug 30 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...

Alpine Ranger Rove

Great Basin National Park

Aug 30 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.

Become a Junior Archeologist

Aztec Ruins National Monument

Aug 30 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...

Introduction to Caving Tour

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Aug 30 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...

Junior Ranger Day

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Aug 30 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

National Park Week is coming to a close, but we are saving the best day for last! Join us tomorrow for Junior Ranger Day! From 10:00am - 2:00pm in the visitor center we will have crafts, activities, storytelling with a ranger, and a photo opportunity...

Aug 30 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...

National Park Week: Junior Ranger Day

Coronado National Memorial

Aug 30 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Join a ranger for a learning adventure as you complete your junior ranger book and discover the clever ways desert animals survive in this wild, sun‑baked landscape!

Battle of Glorieta Pass Talk

Pecos National Historical Park

Aug 30 1:30 pm – 2:15 pm

The Battle of Glorieta Pass was one of the most influential western battles of the Civil War. Join a park ranger for a talk in the historic Trading Post building and see how it played a role in this pivotal battle . Talks meet at the visitor center...

Battle of Glorieta Pass Talk

Pecos National Historical Park

Aug 30 1:30 pm – 2:15 pm

The Battle of Glorieta Pass was one of the most influential western battles of the Civil War. Join a park ranger for a talk in the historic Trading Post building and see how it played a role in this pivotal battle . Talks meet at the visitor center...

PM Visitor Center Ranger Talk

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Aug 30 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 Show Barn and meet a Hereford

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park

Aug 30 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

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.

Lehman Caves Visitor Center Porch Talk

Great Basin National Park

Aug 30 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.

Why Save These Cliffs?

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

Aug 30 2:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Why were the Gila Cliff Dwellings protected as a national monument in 1907? Explore the history of preservation, the threats these structures once faced, and how stewardship continues to protect this irreplaceable cultural landscape today.

Anza Lecture at the Concord Historical Society

Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail

Aug 30 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Settling California: Anza 250 Presented by: Vivian Boyd and Gail Van Tassell Discover how California came to be and meet the man who made it happen. Celebrate the 250-year legacy. August 30 – 2:00 – FREE Concord Museum and Event Center 1928 Clayton...

Great Basin Visitor Center Porch Talk

Great Basin National Park

Aug 30 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.

Aug 30 2:45 pm – 3:15 pm

Join us in the Red Hills Visitor Center to discover various plant species native to the Sonoran Desert and learn how indigenous peoples traditionally used them for food and medicine. Wheelchair accessible.

Mission Espada Looming Demonstration Program

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

Aug 30 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm

Join our free, daily looming demonstration at Mission Espada.

Archeoastronomy at Chaco

Chaco Culture National Historical Park

Aug 30 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Meet at the Casa Rinconada parking lot for this guided hike up to the largest excavated kiva within the park. Learn about how the Chacoans view of the night sky influenced architecture within the canyon. This free tour involves some uphill and uneven...

Evening with a Ranger

Great Basin National Park

Aug 30 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...

Night Hike

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Aug 30 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 30 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...

Lantern Cave Tours

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Aug 31 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 31 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 31 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 31 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 31 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 31 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 31 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...

Alpine Ranger Rove

Great Basin National Park

Aug 31 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.

Grand Palace Tour

Great Basin National Park

Aug 31 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 31 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...

Ancestral Sites Trail Guided Walk

Pecos National Historical Park

Aug 31 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 31 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 31 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 31 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 31 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 31 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 31 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 31 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 31 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 31 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 31 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 31 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 31 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...

Bristlecone Ranger Chat

Great Basin National Park

Aug 31 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...

Guided Walk of Dwellings

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

Aug 31 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...

Living with Giants (West District)

Saguaro National Park

Aug 31 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...

What is a Javelina? (West District)

Saguaro National Park

Aug 31 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...

AM Visitor Center Ranger Talk

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Aug 31 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)

Aug 31 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...

Arizona's Wildcats! (West District)

Saguaro National Park

Aug 31 12:45 pm – 1:15 pm

This is not about the University of Arizona’s teams nor is it about your mom’s house cat! Join an Interpretive Ranger in the theater to learn about the four types of wild cats that roam not only Arizona’s mountains and deserts, but in some cases –...

Battle of Glorieta Pass Talk

Pecos National Historical Park

Aug 31 1:30 pm – 2:15 pm

The Battle of Glorieta Pass was one of the most influential western battles of the Civil War. Join a park ranger for a talk in the historic Trading Post building and see how it played a role in this pivotal battle . Talks meet at the visitor center...

PM Visitor Center Ranger Talk

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Aug 31 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)