Junior Rangers: One of the Best Kept Secrets of National Parks!

August 14, 2010 By

Nate and Calvin get sworn in as new rangers at Death Valley National Park.

In honor of this weekend’s free admission to National Parks, Pit Stops for Kids would like to remind readers about one of the best programs the National Park system offers: Junior Rangers! It’s easy to sign up, it’s (usually) free, and it’s an excellent way to learn about aspects of the park you might otherwise miss.

Signing up is simple: you can find Junior Ranger booklets at nearly any park’s visitor center. Depending on the child’s age, they’re required to complete a certain number of pages in the booklet, then turn it in to a ranger. The tasks range from simple mazes and puzzles relating to the park to more difficult trivia questions (which your grade schooler may have to research to find the answers to). Most parks require that kids attend at least one ranger-led activity, campfire program, or guided tour while visiting in order to earn their ranger badge, but if you don’t have time or ability to get to one of these, a simple chat with any ranger is usually sufficient. Some parks even offer specially-designed Junior Ranger hikes and games, which your kids can attend (with an adult).

Our favorite Junior Ranger programs:

Zion National Park (where there was an extensive list of kid-oriented programs and times).

Mesa Verde National Park (where kids had to search through the Mesa Top museum scavenger-hunt style to find answers to questions).

The most extensive Junior Ranger program:

Yellowstone National Park, where earning that badge involves serious time and investment for older kids!

The friendliest Junior Ranger program:

Great Basin National Park, where the rangers presented the badges in full ceremony!

Be sure to take advantage of this great opportunity next time you’re visiting a national park! It adds much to the experience (and adults learn a lot more than they otherwise would as well). And if you’re taking advantage of this weekend’s free admission (August 14-15), enjoy!

Mesa Verde National Park tips

April 6, 2010 By

In honor of upcoming National Parks Week, today’s Off the Beaten Path post features beautiful Mesa Verde, Colorado.

Mesa Verde National Park tips:

Mesa Verde National Park is located in the southwestern section of Colorado, one hour from the town of Cortez, off I-160. With so much to see, families can easily plan to spend 2-3 days exploring this park!

Why it’s worth the drive: Mesa Verde is home to the ancient cliff dwellings of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. The park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites (including a staggering 600 cliff dwellings), most of which are open for viewing (and exploring) by the public. These sites are not hands-off experiences: kids can hike right down to the ruins (some self-guided, some in group tours) and walk through ancient doorways, climb wooden ladders, and see how Mesa Verde’s first inhabitants lived firsthand. (General Tip: don’t let the high desert landscape fool you; Mesa Verde is at high elevation. Be sure to bring jackets and watch for altitude sickness when spending the day out in the elements.)

Where to Stay: The town of Cortez is too far away for most families to consider lodging there (although it does offer a variety of motels). Instead, we stayed in Mesa Verde National Park at their Morefield Campground. You can camp in an RV or tent, or rent sites already equipped with 10″x12″ canvas pole tents complete with cots (which is what we did!). Even with over 400 sites, the campground (the only one in the park) fills up fast in summer, so reserve early. If camping is not for you, The Far View Lodge offers deluxe accommodations, and is located closer to the cliff dwelling sites.

What to see: A good place to start is the Far View Visitor’s Center on the mesa top, where you’ll learn the history of Mesa Verde (and can purchase tickets for group tours…the only way to view the major dwellings). You don’t want to miss Cliff Palace and Balcony House where rangers lead small groups through the cliff-side ruins. (Be adviced that extensive climbing and even some crawling is required…if you’re active people, it won’t be a problem: our four-year-old did fine, as did our set of grandparents.) If you have time, walk the short trail to the self-guided Spruce Tree House, where kids can get an up-close view of the ancient people’s kivas and other religious artifacts. Tip the adjacent Spruce Tree House Museum is a good place to find needed Junior Ranger trivia answers!

Date last visited: July 2009

Distance off the interstate: 1 hour.

Hours and Admission Prices: The National Parks charge $10 per vehicle. Hours vary by season.

Food Services: Several restaurants are available within the national park, but we did the majority of our grocery shopping in Cortez before entering the Mesa Verde area, and made our own meals. A camp store is available in the Morefield Campground.

Website: http://www.nps.gov/meve/index.htm