Events calendar

Daily Cave Tours

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Jul 18 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

Jul 18 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...

Jul 18 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...

Alpine Ranger Rove

Great Basin National Park

Jul 18 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.

Jul 18 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

Jul 18 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...

Jul 18 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

Jul 18 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...

Pueblo Bonito Tour

Chaco Culture National Historical Park

Jul 18 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

Jul 18 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

Jul 18 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm

Join our free, daily looming demonstration at Mission Espada.

Sunset Canoe Trip

Big Thicket National Preserve

Jul 18 5:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Spend an evening paddling the bayou while the sun sets! The canoe trip starts a few hours before sunset and ends shortly after sunset. Due to the possibility of paddling in the dark, all participants are required to bring a headlamp or flashlight...

Wild Horse Photography

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

Jul 18 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Join AIR Kathryn to learn different techniques to photograph horses. The program begins at 5:00pm at the Two Eagles Interpretive Trail. Wisconsin-based photographer Kathryn Des Forge brings 18 years of landscape and wildlife photography experience.

Evening Ranger Program

Bandelier National Monument

Jul 18 6:00 pm – 7:00 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.

The Prehistoric World of Curecanti

Curecanti National Recreation Area

Jul 18 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

It's a blast from the past! Leave your footprints anytime between 6:30-8pm to find out what was here back in the day!

Dark Skies Star Party - July

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Jul 18 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm

Join us for a free fun night of dark sky education. We'll look at constellations, use telescopes, and talk about the ways in which dark--and light--affect our lives. You may arrive at any time between the listed hours. There will be activities for...

Evening with a Ranger

Great Basin National Park

Jul 18 8:00 pm – 8:30 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...

Dark Sky Night

Capulin Volcano National Monument

Jul 18 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...

Astronomy Program

Great Basin National Park

Jul 18 8:30 pm – 10:00 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...

A Story Written in the Rocks

Curecanti National Recreation Area

Jul 18 8:30 pm – 9:00 pm

What do the pages of Curecanti’s storybook share with us? Experience the wonders of geology led by a ranger.

Astronomy Program

Curecanti National Recreation Area

Jul 18 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.

Amphitheater Evening Program

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Jul 18 9:00 pm – 10:00 pm

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

Lantern Cave Tours

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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.

Dunes Discovery Morning Hike

White Sands National Park

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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.

Gothic Palace Lantern Tour

Great Basin National Park

Jul 19 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.

Lodge Room Tour

Great Basin National Park

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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.

Jul 19 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Join us at the visitor center and chat with Josephine Toya of Jemez Pueblo as she demonstrates traditional Jemez Pottery. There is NO ATM onsite.

Grand Palace Tour

Great Basin National Park

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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...

Nature Walk: Learn About Longleaf!

Big Thicket National Preserve

Jul 19 10:00 am – 10:30 am

Join Ranger Nathan for a family-friendly stroll on the Longleaf Pine Trail! Explore one of Big Thicket's most exciting ecosystems, the longleaf pine uplands, and check out the plants and animals that call it home. Along the way, learn how the...

Ranger Guided Tour of Mission Concepción

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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...

What is a Javelina? (West District)

Saguaro National Park

Jul 19 10:15 am – 11:00 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...

Tours of President Johnson's Boyhood Home

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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...

Visitor Center Ranger Talk

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Jul 19 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)

Don't Get Rattled (West District)

Saguaro National Park

Jul 19 11:15 am – 12:00 pm

Join an Interpretive Ranger in the theater to learn about many of the snakes that are in Saguaro National Park and why they are important to our environment and learn a little bit about their social life. Wheelchair accessible.

Jul 19 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...

Jul 19 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.

Battle of Glorieta Pass Talk

Pecos National Historical Park

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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.

Ranger's Choice Talk

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Jul 19 2:00 pm – 2:30 am

Join a park ranger to explore one of the fascinating stories of Black Canyon, from human history to plants to wildlife. Meet at Pulpit Rock Overlook at 2:00 pm. 20-30 minutes. Location subject to change. May be cancelled due to staffing shortages or...

Life in the Gila

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

Jul 19 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm

Join a ranger and discover how water, geology, plants, and people shaped this remarkable landscape. Explore the story of the Mogollon and the canyon they called home.

Pueblo Bonito Tour

Chaco Culture National Historical Park

Jul 19 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

Jul 19 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.