Events calendar

Truman and Civil Rights

Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park

May 23 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...

Lava Falls Evening Hike

El Malpais National Monument

May 23 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Come hike with a ranger to discover the story behind a land of stunning lava features, intriguing plants, and hidden water on New Mexico's youngest lava flow. The hike consists of a 1.1-mile loop trail marked by rock cairns. The entire hike is on...

Fossils of Curecanti

Curecanti National Recreation Area

May 23 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Drop in anytime between 6:00 and 8:00pm to experience fossil life here at Curecanti.

Moonlight Hike

Capulin Volcano National Monument

May 23 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Join a Ranger for a moonlight hike of the Volcano rim! Subjects include night time biology, lunar geography, astronomy, and the park after dark. Reservations required. Call 575-278-2201 for information on start times, availability, and reservations.

Great Basin Double Feature

Great Basin National Park

May 23 8:00 pm – 10:30 pm

Enjoy a double feature under the stars! Rangers present evening programs exploring the Great Basin and the cosmos, followed by guided stargazing through provided telescopes. Connect the vastness of the park’s dark night skies with the vastness of...

Alibates Star Party

Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument

May 23 8:30 pm – 10:30 pm

Star Party Alert! Look up with us! On May 23, Dr. Arthur Scheider (emeritus, Amarillo College) leads a special Star Party at the Alibates Visitor Center from 8:30–10:30 PM. Bring a lawn chair and get ready for an unforgettable night sky experience.

Alibates Star Party

Lake Meredith National Recreation Area

May 23 8:30 pm – 10:30 pm

Get ready for an unforgettable night! ⭐ On May 23, the Alibates Visitor Center hosts a special Star Party from 8:30–10:30 PM featuring Dr. Arthur Schneider of Amarillo College. Explore the cosmos, learn from an expert, and soak in the beauty of the...

The Cost of Playing in Water

Curecanti National Recreation Area

May 23 8:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Join a ranger to explore how Curecanti protects this landscape of recreation.

Lantern Cave Tours

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

May 24 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...

Daily Cave Tours

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

May 24 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...

Gothic Palace Lantern Tour

Great Basin National Park

May 24 8:30 am – 9:00 am

The Gothic Palace Lantern Tour takes visitors into the beautiful and bizarre first two rooms of Lehman Caves by lanternlight.

Memorial Day Weekend at Fort Larned

Fort Larned National Historic Site

May 24 8:30 am – 9:30 am

Program schedule: 10:00AM – Strike the Iron: Blacksmithing Demonstration 11:00AM – Steadfast Springfields: Small Arms Firing Demonstration (with bonus Artillery Firing Demonstration) 1:00PM – Salvation or Solitude: A tour of the Blockhouse tunnel 2...

Fort Open to Plaza Access

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site

May 24 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...

Cultural Demonstrators and Artists on Site

Tuzigoot National Monument

May 24 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...

Cultural Demonstrators and Artists on Site

Montezuma Castle National Monument

May 24 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...

Alpine Ranger Rove

Great Basin National Park

May 24 9:00 am – 3:30 pm

Exploring the Alpine Lakes Loop or Bristlecone trails? Keep your eye out for a friendly ranger ready to chat about Great Basin’s spectacular high country. Occurs daily, staff permitting.

Geology Hike

Bandelier National Monument

May 24 9:30 am – 12:00 pm

Join 2 geologists on a fascinating 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 9:30am and will return at 12:00pm. Please wear comfortable...

Guided Hikes on the Islands

Channel Islands National Park

May 24 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 24 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 24 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 Guided Tour of Mission San José

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

May 24 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...

May 24 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Learn about the centuries-old local tradition of carving santos (saints) with artisans Felix and Jospeh Lopez. Stop by the mission church picnic area on Saturday, May 23 and Sunday, May 24 any time between 10am and 2pm to see their work and discover...

Ranger Guided Tour of Mission Concepción

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

May 24 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 24 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 24 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...

Stories Carved in Stone

El Morro National Monument

May 24 10:00 am – 11:30 am

Discover the many layers of history caputured in stone carvings along the Inscription Loop Trail. Join a ranger for this easy, half-mile guided walk.

Tours of President Johnson's Boyhood Home

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park

May 24 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.

Zuni-Acoma Trail Guided Hike

El Malpais National Monument

May 24 10:30 am – 1:30 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...

Ranger Talk

Montezuma Castle National Monument

May 24 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 24 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 24 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 24 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 24 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 24 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...

Guided Walk of Dwellings

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

May 24 1:00 pm – 1:45 pm

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...

Battle of Glorieta Pass Talk

Pecos National Historical Park

May 24 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...

Visit the Show Barn and meet a Hereford

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park

May 24 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.

Mission Espada Ranger Program

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

May 24 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm

Join our free, daily ranger program at Mission Espada.