Events calendar

Bighorn Canyon Bus Tour

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

Aug 30

Join Ranger Christy and the Lovell-Kane Area Museum for a historic place and people of Bighorn Canyon bus tour. Tickets can be purchased thorugh the Lovell-Kane Area Museum.

Parachute Shield Tour

Great Basin National Park

Aug 31 8:30 am – 9:30 am

Duration: 60 minutes Distance: 0.6 miles / 1.3 kilometers Total Stairs: 0 Difficulty: Moderate. Tour goers will be on their feet for the entire tour. Only the Inscription Room has seating. White Nose Syndrome Screening is mandatory on all cave tours...

Aug 31 8:30 am – 9:00 am

Get out early and beat the summer heat! Join a ranger for a short stroll and chat in our cactus garden. Come learn about a variety of topics including the iconic saguaro cactus and other plants of the Sonoran Desert! Meets in front of the Rincon...

Self-Guided Mission Tours

Tumacácori National Historical Park

Aug 31 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

9:00 am-5:00 pm daily, year-round. Available in multiple formats (audio, digital, or paper) a variety of routes can be explored through the mission grounds.

Lehman Caves Visitor Center Porch Talk

Great Basin National Park

Aug 31 9:00 am – 9:30 am

Join a ranger on the Lehman Caves Visitor Center porch to explore various topics about Great Basin National Park.

WNPA Bookstore Closed

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

Aug 31 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

WNPA Bookstore is closed every Sunday and Monday. Checkout their online store at www.wnpa.org

Gila Bird Walk

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

Aug 31 9:00 am – 10:00 am

Grab your binoculars (if you have them) and join us on a walk through the wild Gila on a search for birds. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and bring water. We will be walking around on trails and sometimes on pavement.

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...

Geology Talk

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Aug 31 9:00 am – 9:30 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 the South Rim Visitor Center at 9:00 am. 20-30 minutes. Location subject to change. May be cancelled due to...

Labor Day Weekend at Fort Larned

Fort Larned National Historic Site

Aug 31 9:00 am – 4:30 pm

Planned programs for Sunday (8/31), Fort Larned NHS's Birthday: 10:00AM – Strike the Iron: Blacksmithing Demonstration - Making a 3-link chain 11:00AM – Steadfast Springfields: Small Arms Firing Demonstration 1:00PM – Turning a Ranch Back to a Fort...

WNPA Bookstore Temporarily Closed

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

Aug 31 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

WNPA bookstore is temporarily closed.

Patio Chat (West District)

Saguaro National Park

Aug 31 9:15 am – 9:45 am

Join a Park Ranger on the outside shaded patio overlooking the magnificent saguaro forest to learn a little about the unique diversity of the Sonoran Desert ecosystem. 30 minutes. Wheelchair accessible.

Great Basin Visitor Center Patio Talk

Great Basin National Park

Aug 31 9:30 am – 10:00 am

Join a park ranger outside the Great Basin Visitor Center for a 30-minute program exploring various aspects of Great Basin National Park. Topics vary.

Falls Trail Geology Hike

Bandelier National Monument

Aug 31 9:30 am – 12:00 pm

Hike with two geologists along beautiful Falls Trail to learn about the geology of Bandelier National Monument and the surrounding area. Participants should wear close toed shoes and have sun protection. They should also bring plenty of water, snacks...

Atsinna Pueblo Hike

El Morro National Monument

Aug 31 9:30 am – 11:00 am

Join a ranger for a guided hike to Atsinna Pueblo, a partially-excavated village site built by ancestral Puebloans in the late 1200s. Gain a glimpse into the everyday lives of the people who lived there centuries ago. The hike is one mile round-trip...

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...

Tours of President Johnson's Boyhood Home

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park

Aug 31 10:00 am – 10:30 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.

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 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...

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 deep, steep, and narrow canyon. Meet at Pulpit Rock Overlook at 10:00 am. 20-30 minutes. May be cancelled due to staffing changes...

Cultural Demonstration by Roger Candelaria

Bandelier National Monument

Aug 31 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Demonstrations are free and open to the public and take place on the back patio of the Bandelier visitor center. This program is made possible by funding from the Friends of Bandelier National Monument to cover costs like demonstrators' travel and...

Gothic Palace Lantern Tour

Great Basin National Park

Aug 31 10:00 am – 10:30 am

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

Pueblo Loop Trail Program

Bandelier National Monument

Aug 31 10:00 am – 10:30 am

Learn about the people who called this place home for over 400 years during this 30 minute walking tour. Please bring water and wear comfortable shoes. Meet at the back patio of the visitor center.

Aug 31 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

How does a stone or shell become jewelry, tools, or more? Join Harvey Abeyta and Priscilla Nieto of Santo Domingo (Kewa) Pueblo on Saturday, August 30 or Sunday, August 31 to learn more about their work as artisans. Stop by the visitor center either...

Ranger's Choice Talk

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Aug 31 10:30 am – 11:00 am

Join a park ranger to explore one of the fascinating stories of Black Canyon, from human history to plants to wildlife. Meet at the South Rim Visitor Center at 10:30 am. 20-30 minutes. Location subject to change. May be cancelled due to staffing...

Lava Falls Trail Guided Hike

El Malpais National Monument

Aug 31 10:30 am – 12:30 pm

Explore an incredibly young lava flow on the Lava Falls Trail with a park ranger. Where: Meet at the Lava Falls Trailhead located 37 miles south of Grants, NM on Highway 117. When: This hike starts at 10:30 am at the Lava Falls Trailhead on Highway...

Zuni Pottery Demonstration

El Morro National Monument

Aug 31 10:30 am – 4:00 pm

Held on the El Morro Visitor Center patio. Drop in anytime between 10:30 am - 4:00 pm to learn about creating traditional Zuni pottery. Join cultural demonstrator, Leon Nastacio, as he fashions clay and demonstrates traditional methods of creating...

Quarai Guided Hike

Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument

Aug 31 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Join a park ranger at Quarai for a ranger-led hike and program. Hikes are open to the public and no reservation is required. Bring plenty of water and snacks and wear comfortable shoes and cool clothing.

Guided Tour of the Reconstructed Fort

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site

Aug 31 11:00 am – 12:15 pm

During the summer of 2025, guided tours of the fort will occur at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. on Saturdays. On Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays, guided tours will be available at 11:00 a.m. only. Each tour will last approximately 75 minutes and begin...

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 Chat

Great Basin National Park

Aug 31 11:00 am – 12:30 pm

Come join a park ranger at the Wheeler Peak Bristlecone Grove and learn about these astonishing and ancient trees. Drop in anytime from 11am-12:30pm.

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...

Guided Tour of the Reconstructed Fort

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site

Aug 31 11:00 am – 12:15 pm

During the summer of 2025, guided tours of the fort will occur at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. on Saturdays. On Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays, guided tours will be available at 11:00 a.m. only. Each tour will last approximately 75 minutes and begin...

Guided Tour

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site

Aug 31 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...

Aug 31 11:15 am – 12:00 pm

Join an Interpretive Ranger in the theater to learn about the 1000-year-old petroglyphs, a 1930’s CCC project, and the historic Gould Mine site developed in 1906. Wheelchair accessible.

Cultural Adornment Workshop with Venaya Yazzie

Aztec Ruins National Monument

Aug 31 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Join us Sunday, August 31, for a free lecture and workshop titled "Adornment in the Southwest Via Turquoise and Earth: Indigenous Perspectives on Cultural Landscape" presented and led by Venaya Yazzie. This free workshop will begin at 12:00pm in the...

Aug 31 12:45 pm – 1:30 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.

Aug 31 1:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Join a ranger in our visitor center exhibit area to learn about a rotating selection of topics around the Sonoran Desert and Saguaro National Park. Drop in any time from 1pm-1:30pm. Accessible program.

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...

Ranger Program

Chaco Culture National Historical Park

Aug 31 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Join a park ranger for a program or guided walk and learn more about a variety of topics about Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Specific topics, locations, and length of program time are dependent on the ranger giving the program; please...

White Sands 101

White Sands National Park

Aug 31 2:00 pm – 2:15 pm

Join a ranger for a 15-20 minute introduction to some of the fascinating history and science of the world's largest gypsum dunefield.

Arizona's Wildcats! (West District)

Saguaro National Park

Aug 31 2:15 pm – 3:00 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 –...

Ranger Program

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

Aug 31 2:30 pm – 3:15 pm

Visit the Visitor Center at Mission San José to explore a mission topic with a park ranger.

Waterfront Walking Tour

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Aug 31 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Join a park ranger for a guided walk around San Francisco's waterfront and learn how maritime history has shaped the city. Meet at the San Francisco Maritime Visitor Center, located on the corner of Jefferson St and Hyde St. Program can last between...

Ranger's Choice Talk

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Aug 31 3:00 pm – 3:30 pm

Join a park ranger to explore one of the fascinating stories of Black Canyon, from human history to plants to wildlife. Stop by the South Rim Visitor Center for daily topics and locations. Program may be cancelled due to staffing changes or bad...

Aug 31 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm

El Morro National Monument is a place of many names, languages, and layers of history. Join us for a guided walk of the Inscription Loop Trail as we learn about the Spanish inscriptions left here between 1605 and 1774. We will discuss the history of...

Art in the Park Workshop

White Sands National Park

Aug 31 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Join us for a hands-on relief printmaking workshop set right in the heart of the world’s largest gypsum dune field. You’ll learn the basics of this timeless art form and craft your own one-of-a-kind masterpiece, inspired by the flora and fauna of the...

Design Your Own Arrowhead

Curecanti National Recreation Area

Aug 31 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Drop in anytime between 7:00-8:30pm to examine the symbols of the National Park Service Arrowhead.

Evening with a Ranger

Great Basin National Park

Aug 31 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.

Astronomy Program

Great Basin National Park

Aug 31 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Great Basin National Park offers astronomy programs in the park at the Astronomy Amphitheater each week, Thursday through Sunday, during the summer and fall. Programs consist of a 30 minute Ranger Presentation followed by roughly 1 hour and 30...

The Stellar Connection

Curecanti National Recreation Area

Aug 31 8:00 pm – 8:30 pm

From the Earth to the stars and back again, join a ranger to learn how stellar objects are connected through chemistry.