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How to Earn Junior Ranger Badges at National Parks

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National Park Junior Ranger Program

Two years ago we discovered the National Park Junior Ranger program and we’ve been obsessed with earning them since then. On our trip to Gatlinburg, TN and Smoky Mountain National Park we were introduced to quite a few fun and educational programs the National Park Service offers for children, one of them being the junior ranger program.

While Smoky Mountain National Park doesn’t have a junior ranger program, they are where we were introduced to the National Park passport books. These are worth mentioning before I delve into the National Park junior ranger information. The passport book is basically a guide and a collectors item all rolled into one, it contains a map of the National Parks, information on specific parks and monuments and blank pages where you can collect your National Park passport stamps or cancellations as they are called. These are so fun for the kids and are a great way to encourage their love of the outdoors and learning all while tracking the parks you’ve visited. All National Parks have stamps for visiting, hiking a certain trail, doing a specific activity etc… For example while we were in Smoky Mountain National Park we collected stamps for visiting the two Visitor Centers, hiking Clingmans Dome and for viewing the total eclipse in August 2017. You should order these books ahead of time as they are difficult to find because they are so popular. The two visitor centers in Smoky Mountain NP were sold out, but we were lucky enough to find exactly two left at the gift shop at Clingmans Dome.

What is the Junior Ranger Program?

The Junior Ranger program at National Parks has been a valuable way to teach children in person and online (yes, you can complete the junior ranger program online and earn badges at for select parks!). The program is activity based and typically offered for children ages 5 to 14, but they welcome all ages to participate if they’d like to. Their motto is “Explore, Learn, and Protect”.

How does the program work?

You’ll first stop in the visitor center to pick up your Junior Ranger booklet which is usually free, but some parks charge a small fee. After receiving your booklet you’ll head out to complete a series of activities within the park. Some of the activities include observation, answering questions, coloring and drawing pictures. After you complete your booklet you’ll bring it to a park ranger who you’ll share your answers with. Once that is complete you’ll recite your Junior Ranger oath and receive an official Junior Ranger patch (or badge in some locations) and Junior Ranger certificate. Depending on the program you can expect to spend 30 to 90 minutes completing the junior ranger program.

Where can you earn a Junior Ranger patch?

Most National Parks offer this program, but not all so you’ll want to check online ahead or time or speak with a park ranger once you arrive at the park. It’s important to note that you can earn the badges and patches at national monuments and historic sites as well. My 6 year old earned his first Junior Ranger badge at the John Muir National Monument in California. My son was so excited to receive a park ranger badge of his own! We proudly display them all on our travel and adventure wall in our home. To attest to my statement that you should also ask about the program, we learned this the hard way by missing out on it a Niagara Falls and Point Reyes National Seashore.

How to Earn Ranger Badges Online

As I mentioned above several locations allow you to earn your ranger badges online or via mail. You can view a list of them on the National park website here. We plan to complete some of these while at home this winter. These programs are also a popular activity for homeschooling families.

As you can see the Junior Ranger program is a great way to keep your children entertained and engaged while visiting a National Park site. Since we’ve started doing the Junior Ranger programs and passport book i’ve seen my children have a deeper appreciation and interest for our National Parks and nature in general.

More Tips for a Successful Junior Ranger Experience

– Most National Parks do not charge an entrance fee, but some do. If you plan to visit a lot of them within the year you should consider purchasing the annual park pass to save money. Some people qualify for free annual park passes, they include active military members, seniors, disabled people and 4th graders.

– Bring your own backpack with a clipboard and pencil to complete the junior ranger booklet. Most parks have a limited supply of pencils and none that we know of offer clipboards.

– Prepare ahead of time for any hiking or exploring you’ll be doing within the park. You can read our full hiking gear for families guide here.

-Don’t be scared to ask a park ranger for help! There have been a few questions that stumped us along the way, including my husband and we were very thankful to the always kind and helpful rangers who pointed us in the right direction. It’s often through these encounters that we get the experience of learning a few other fun facts about the National Park we are visiting. Plus, the kids think it’s cool to talk to a ranger.

Don’t Forget!
To always ask a park ranger if they have a junior ranger program at any NPS site you visit whether it be a park, monument or historical site. And definitely don’t forget to bring your National Park passport book along with you too!

I hope you’ve found this guide to the National Park Junior Ranger program helpful! If you have any questions or experiences to share, please leave a comment below.

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